Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-05-18
HYLDE STAYS WE'LL.
HE WENT TO THE KL0NDYKE
COUNTRY FOR GOLD AND
WILL SURE GET IT.
He NAY RETURN This FALL.
A Long and se.sre Alaska Winter
but the Weather Much More
Pleasant Nova Letter from
@. W. wylde, of Benton
City, This County.

Correspondence Of the Ledger.
DAWSON CRY, N. w. T., April 6.--I
will write you a few lines informing
you how times are out here. The
winter has been long and severe, the
thermometer registering 40 degrees
below zero up TO March 10, when the
weather began slowly to moderate.
For the past week the snow has been
thawing during the day time and
trails are beginning to get muddy and
sleighing Is practically over for this
spring, which means that goods can
be moved only by packing from this
time IN. For the past four weeks the
trails have been lined with dog teams
and sleds hauling out supplies to the
different mines for summers use.
The small stores are furnished by the
larger once and they keep the prices
up, taking advantage OF the peol le at
every turn. II lie confidently hoped
that tine prices OF provisions will be
lower when the boats come in.
There is a large town building thir-
teen miles up Bonanza, where the
EIdorado empties. The town is called
Grand Forks and will afford more en-
ployment, but there is still not work
for ali; many are going out this spring
and those who remain will have better
chances.
The miners here as a rule pay the
merchants for their goods In gold
dust as it is picked up at the mines.
The precious particles are carried in
sacks made from moose hide and the
merchant, after wrapping up the
goods, takes from his customers sack
OF dust a sufficient amount for the
payment Of the bill, weighing the gold
on a small pair OF scales which they
all have for the purpose. People can
exchange their dust or nuggets for
common currency II they so prefer,
but there Is a discount.
The longer | stay here the more L
am convinced that this is emphatically
q gold-producing country. speak OF
the Kiondyke district and the terri
tory drained by the Klondyke river
and tributaries, especially the latter.
For fifteen miles up the Bonanza huge
piles Of pay dirt r heaped upon the
mountain sides, and eve on the tops,
in some places; the same may be said
OF many Of the other streams in this
locality. This dirt will all have to be
washed out with a rocker. The hill
side claims will be a strong factor this
year in the spring cleanup. These
were not taken into account last year,
as such claims we're considered value
lees; but later the bench or hillside
claims have In some instances pro-
duced more gold than the creek
claims opposite. There will be in ex-
cess OF go, OOO, 600 at the final clean
up, which will begin In the latter part
of May. Probably 10000 miners are
working In this district alone; but 1t
will be many years before the mines
are worked out.
Some persons are making money
here by buying outfits from parties
returning to the States and selling the
outfits to miners. This, however, re-
quires some capital.
Our days are getting quite long and
ii Is warm in the middle Of the day,
but IL is cool at night, the Their
mometer still registering as low as
zero at midnight. l seem to be stand
ing the Alaska climate all right, as I
now weigh 161 pounds.
My partner, 3 nan from Nebraska,
and / have just finished moving our
goods from our winter cabin near
Dawson. We moved our outfits over
the mountains with Yukon hand sleds
a distance of nine miles TO a hillside
claim | have taken on Bonanza creek.
We have stretched our tent, which we
will occupy this summer, and will
proceed to work our claims. This
locality lie much healthier than that
surrounding Dawson. Time alone win
demonstrate whether or not we have
located ~favorably.
l still believe that If a man can have
health and keeps on trying he will
succeed here In the end; but 1t takes
a good constitution and q strong viii,
as there is much to discourage the
newcomer.
viii not return home until very
late, IL at all, this year.
Respectfully, G.. W. WYLDE.