The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-20
GREAT RUSH OF PEOPLE.
To the Klondike Is Not Justified by
the Conditions.

Washington, Feb. 2O.-Secretary Alger
has transmitted to congress a complete
report on the relief work of the war de-
partment in the K1ondike country, I'M
dertaken under act of congress as re-
suit of reports that extreme distress
among the miners followed the influx
to the gold country during 1898. 1t
embraces the detailed reports of Cap
tain P. H. Ray and Lieutenant w. P.
Richardson. Aside from details of the
relief work, Captain Rays last report
dated May last contains the following
interesting statement:
81 deem it of the greatest Importance
for the development of the country that
roads should be opened, so as to-enable
the people to enter the country not only
from the Yukon to the open sea, in our
own country, which is of the greatest
Importance, but to enable miners and
prospectors to get into the interior with
their supplies. Under existing condi-
lions persons can enter the country
only by the one great highway, the Yu-
kon river and they can not hope to be
landed at any point in Alaska earlier
The gold bearing districts are from
fifty to one hundred and fifty miles
back from the main stream. There are
not any summer trails except foot trails
and provisions and mining tools can
only be transported on the backs of
men. .
ka or Northwest territory to justify the
great rush of people to that country, or
the enormous investment now being
made in transportation, trading and
mining companies. In Northwest terri
tory no discoveries of extraordinary
richness have been made since that of
the K1ondike and the claims are al
most entirely confined to Bonanza, Ell
dorado, Dominica, HOnka and Sulphur,
with few claims on Bear creek. In
this district all rich claims are we'll
hnld
while the whole country has been staked
it has been done for speculative pur-
poses, and no work is being done ex-
cept such as is necessary to hold title
until they can be sold to the unwary
newcomer, or disposed of in the states
for corporation schemes. Captain Con-
stantine; of the Canadian Northwestern
mounted police is my authority for de-
nouncfng the movement as a fraud
In the absence of any other industry
except cutting wood for the river boats,
L do not see anything in the future for
over ninety per cent of the people now
focking to that country but disappoint-
ment and suffering. Even those who OBJ
tain employment at one dollar and a
half per hour find that after deducting
the cost of food packing, candles, etc.
they do not net to exceed 81 per day,
and they tell me it is barely enough to
tide them over the idle season.
up to date no paying mineral leads
of either gold or silver have been dis
covered in North Alaska, so far as
known.
Il am now fully satisfied that in the
near future Alaska will be a source of
great wealth, but the development will
necessarily be slow, owing to the eli
matte conditions. 1 recommend the early
introduction of horses, mules and cat
tie, and extra inducements should be
held out for the development of agricul-
ture in the valley of the lower Yukon
especially. Wild hay can be obtained
there in great abundance and oats, bar
ley and spring wheat can be success
fully cultivated as well as potatoes, tur-
n1DS and all the more hardy garden
vegetables, all of which would be re-
quired for many years to meet the local
demand and by reducing the cost of
transportation of food render it possible
to prohtably work a large percentage
of the mines now lying idle.
But few of the people now entering
the northern part of the territory will
ever become a factor in its permanent
development. They must pass away
before the time when the wealth of the
country will become known and de-
veloped- To promote this recommend
that several well equipped parties be
put in the field and a thorough geo
graphical and geological exploration of
the country be made so that men of
orginary means will be able to engage
in the work of prospecting and mining
AT present it requires considerable cap
ital to first explore the country for
practicable route to transport supplies
before any work can be done in pros
pecting.
The ruling rate of interest at Daw-
son is from 10 to II per cent per month,
which is the best exemplification 1 can
give of the specializing condition of the
finances of that country"
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