Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-05-11
DISAPPOINTED GOLD SEEKERS
Missourian Writes q Bitter Letter
From the Arctic Region.

PARIS, Mo-, May "A letter has
been received here from d. M. Fields,
who went from Paris to Alaska last
spring, and emphatically contradicts
the recent reports OF fabulous finds of
gold along the Klondyke River. The
letter contains q good deal Of lnfor-
nation, and 10 as follows:
CLERGYMAN CITY, ALASKA, Feb. 2.
We are now located at Bergman
City on the Koyukuk River, miles
north Of the Arctic Circle, near the
site Of old Arctic City. When we ar
rived, on Sept. 70, there was not 9
house within 500 miles of this place,
but before winter had set in several
hundred gold-seekers had staked of
claims along the river. We located
several claims near Bergman and 20
more on the Allenkacet River, 100
miles north. All through the winter
prospecting has been going on from
one end Of the Koyukuk to the other;
and the stories of fabulous deposits
Of gold that iured us into this region
have turned out to be fabrications.
When say prospecting, l mean that
500 men In this vicinity have been
working hard every day sinking holes
to bedrock.
ga few months ago we were lured
into this desolate waste and bore
hardships that try mems souls, but
to-day we are preparing to begin the
long journey back to the states, emp
ty handed. The prospectors all tell
the same story. Without an excep-
ton they have found nothing except
few "colors." Many of them are
broken hearted, broken In health and
without means to return home. God
only knows what will become OF some
of them, for there is no possible
chance to earn a dollar here.
"Going down to bedrock is long
and tedious job here, but inch by inch
hundreds Of prospect holes have been
thawed and excavated, and without q
find In o single instance.
"From newspaper clippings sent
here from the states we learn that
this section is being advertised as
very rich in gold. 1t is false. Many
Of those who exhibit nuggets to prove
the richness OF this part OF Alaska
procured them at Dawson City, or in
the United States, and their object is
to create another stampede into
Alaska.
'st'To those who expect to come to
this section / viii say that they will
and plenty of cabins unoccupied and
all they have to do will be to pull the
latch strings, walk In and take pos
session, for not single man In this
district expects to remain another
winter. In all probability there is
gold In this part Of Alaska, but on
account Of the terrible amount of
work and capital necessary to de-
velop mine up here, even after It
has been located, very few will pay
the owner for his outlay.
"First, you have to discover the
gold, and old miners say this part OF
Alaska is the most difficult part of the
globe in which to prospect. In sum-
mer it is impossible to 60 anywhere,
except down stream, 90 that gold
seekers must wait till winter before
they can travel overland or work. All
the mining must be done in winter by
thawing the ground and it takes q
cord Of wood to soften the ground to
a depth Of 12 inches.
"The health OF the prospectors is
remarkably good, with the exception
OF scurvy; Of which 21 are reported
from Peavey, 40 miles above Berg
man; 10 at Arctic and 2 at this place
all caused by eating improperly
cooked food.
" All of we Missouri boys have To-
Gated and staked q cake Of Ice on the
Koyukuk and are ready to move
homeward. We have learned from
experience that all the great gold
fields located on the maps of the
railroad and steamship companies are
not located by those who go out to
work them.