Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-18
FROM THE KLONDIKE,
Members of the Syndicate
Party Have Returned Home.
They Own Claims and May Go Back to
Work There.
Difficulties Overcome by New Railroad and
Prices Of Food Are Lower.

Several of the party of Maine men
ana one woman that went to Alaska
IN March, 1898, under the direction OF
the Alaska. Yukon. Klondike Gold
Syndicate" have returned to their
homes, having fulfilled their part of
the contract in being away from home
Is months. They are now waiting to
see if the other parties in the contracts
are to fulfill theirs. There is a feeling
among the miners against the syndi-
cate, but they are saying little just
now until they find out whether the
contracts they signed are good. and
then they will judge. In case the con-
tracts are not fulfilled they say they
will fight it to the end but otherwise
all will be well.
As stated before. they are not fully
/ satisfied that they have been used
right. though they have charity in
their hearts and say it may have been
meant right, but not fulfilled.
The party to the number of % per
sons went to the klOndike regions
| having signed a contract with the
syndicate mentioned. They We're mem
bers Of the syndicate each having paid
$1,000. though the controlling interest
of the 100000 capital stock was held
by the promoters Of the company. The
miners We're to have all bills paid out,
their baggage transported. their min
ers licenses and registration fees paid.
their food provided while there, and
transportation for a part of the dis
lance home. a part Of this they allege
has not been fulfilled. They We're
obliged to carry over the ChilcoOt pass
as Manager Jeffrey did not provide
the transportation. Then they paid
their $25 license fee out of their own
pockets, as well as their other expenses
in the greater part. In return they
were to stake claims and work them.
one half of the claim belonging to the
syndicate and the other half to them
selves, and the pay dirt to be divided
accordingly. They claim to have car
ried out this part of the agreement.
! They do not feel sore against the
members of the syndicate personally.
| with the exception of Manager Jeffrey,
| and here the feeling is very marked.
Among those who returned recently
were three people of East Winthrop
We're three people of East Winthrop,
| Virgil G. Jackson and Mr.. and Mrs.
| Thomas Jackson. They are all three
| in excellent health. In fact, Mrs.
| jackson is far better than when she
! started for the cold cline. They are
not displeased with the country, and
say it is not the worst place on earth,
| and by the stories they tell of the
| country in today compared with two
years ago, it is not at all surprising
that they do not feel badly against
the country.
The Journal had the pleasure of
| long conversation with Mr.N. C.Jackson,
Saturday. in which that gentlemen told
some very interesting things concern
ing the country and his trip.
| we were just one month coming
from Dawson City to Portland" he
said This is somewhat faster than
YOU would suppose we could come. but
! YOU know the transportation is very
much different than what it was in the
days of the first klondike craze.
When we went in we had to go over
| the ChilcOot pass and pack our bag
gage for hundreds of miles. but today.
all is changed. We had no travelling
to do by foot We left Dawson in a
steamer and went up the Yukon. We
were 10 days doing it, as we were de-
dent that nearly cost US all our lives.
The eccentric rod broke as we had
reached the top of one of the worst
RAPIDS where many a steamer has gone
down Then we drifted, side on, down
the rapids We all expected to be
capsized. and we did smash hole in
the side. but We are all alive. today,
and we were enabled to continue our
| "a Tar on
steamer.
The steamers they use on the 1u-
kon are about as large as the Sagada-
hoe. | should think. though they are
flat bottomed on account of the sand
bars that are to be encountered IN the
Yukon. In that respect it is IKE the
Mississippi The bars will form IN
night, and they are forever shifting.
AT the head waters Of the Yukon, or
to be more precise, the Swift river, for
this section of the river is called the
Swift, we found the railroad waiting TO
convey us to the sea coast. This IS but
Just completed and it is perlious
Journey without doubt, though not much
more so than by foot. The road Is a
good one. though il travels over hlSh
caN,ns and the roadbed is in constant
danger of sliding, which it does This
4 road took us to Skaguay, where we
took the steamer for Seattle. That
was somewhat different from our trip
in. which took us nearly three months
to reach the Swift river.
The scenery along this line of rail-
road is something beautiful. and one
can look from the car windows down
into the valleys thousands of feet be-
low.
Then the lessening of the danger ana
the method of transportation must have
its effect on the price of the articles of
food suggested the Journal man.
eyes the prices have gone down Won