The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-04
HAS SOME BUSINESS TACT
And Did Not Spend All His Time
Digging For Nuggets,
HE TELLS ABOUT HIS TRIP.
Mentioned as Having Reached
Seattle, Arrives In Canton
and Furnishes Valuable
Information.

Information.
Jacob Mades, the Klondike argonaut,
concerning whom the News Democrat
published short telegraph story two
weeks ago as returning from Dawson
city, arrived in this city a few days ago.
Mr.. Mades left Canton in 1897 and has
covered very large portion of really
all the important gold-mining country
in Alaska and gives an interesting &C
count OF his trip. Mr.. Mades is thirty
years old, is quite wealthy and in ex-
cellent health, He leaves in few days
on visit to his mother In Heidelberg,
Germany, where he will remain about
two months. He will then return to
Canton.
A News-Democrat reporter called on
Mades at the Barnett house Monday
afternoon, where he was shown into the
latter's room, and Mades made the fol-
lowing statement:
81 left Canton in August, 1895, and
entered into the milling business with
Mr.. Adelman at the Randolph mills. I
worked at Cleveland for the Brown
Hosting Machine company, and shortly
afterward l went to Chicago and enter
ed into the grocery business. Fabulous
tories of wealth in the Klondike coun-
al aroused my interest and conclud
OF to go to Alaska and en-
Stonc in mining. l sold out my
have =, went on to Seattle and
whCvember 3rd, 1897, left for Alaska,
bleyg with me a large stock OF grocer
lind other merchandise. From Sc
lie we went to Skaguay, then over
ind to White Horse Pass, trip re-
uiring two days to cover the steep
pass, and built scow on reach
ing the river at Bennett. We
camped for a long time, build
ing our scow and preparing
otherwise for the trip. On the Goth OF
MAY we left on our scow for Dawson.
and we started for Thirty-Mile River.
Our scow struck rock and we were
stranded. We were thrown into the
water. Myself and two of the men re-
covered ourselves, but the two other
men were never again heard from, they
were probably drowned. We signalled
our distress to Peter Nance, formerly
of Chicago, who rescued us from the
rock. The steamer Domville, which
went down with a total loss a short
time ago, struck this very same rock.
The Indians trucked some OF the goods
for us at cent per pound, costing us
about $50. We arrived at Dawson
about June II, having required not
Quite a month In our trip from Seattle
We remained three days at an Indian
village before proceeding to Dawson.
When 1 arrived at Dawson at once se-
cured employment as engineer at
saw-mill at S15 per day. / worked
six weeks at that engine, and
with money l saved purchased
some dogs and small lot
in Dawson for 800. I visited the vari-
Gus stores and solicited trade and es-
tablished freight line with dogs, Sc
curing cent per pound on load OF
perhaps 800 pounds with five dogs.
generally ran about four truckfuls
day from Klondike City to Dawson, q
few miles apart. With the money |
saved l staked claim opposite 81 on
the left limit OF ElDorado creek.
prOspected and struck dirt at about
eight to ten cents per pan. | soon after
sold the claim for 81 900 to Prof. He'll
born, of the Institute OF Sciences, Phil
adelphia. With a partner named Cruice
purchased three other claims or parts
of claims for 300, $3.50, and $S5, at Sui.
phur, Hunker and Eureka creek. At
this same place Carl Kleinschmidt
and brother, OF Dawson, who went
there prospecting several years ago and
who purchased good claim for $l5, 900
sold the same for over a million and a
half dollars to an English and Canadian
syndicate. ! started in the grocery
business aud also handled some liquors
Whiskey sold from S11 to $l4 gallon,
brandy for $40 case, gin $32, rum $l6;
all Canadian goods. A case OF cham
pagne was worth in pint bottles 300.
The finest liquors were sold at $l5 per
. bottle. During the Dawson fire my
entire stock was burned a loss to me
of 800; the total loss to the city be-
ing over one-half a million. No insur-
ance was carried by any one there.
The fire engine was crude affair
could be made to work, and by
that time everything was burned away.
1 then made arrangements with the
North America Trading and Transpor-
tation company to handle their goods
at Dawson and Klondike City. bought
goods at fair prices and sold them at an
advance and thus made some money.
When heard OF the new country at
Cape Nome / took the first steamer
there. There was about iour feet OF
snow on the ground and no timber.
The driftwood along the beach was
used to build the fires. Gold was found
there in small quantities, not paying
for tLe work done and the investment.