Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-21
MINERS PAY A DEAR PRICE
Ninety Per Cent Forsdoomed to Disap-
pointment and Suffering,
RUSH TO ALASKA IS UNJUSnFIED BY FACTS
omcinl Report on Relief Work In
Northwest states that Prospectors
Have but Little Chnnce-Often
Defrnuded by Spectators.

"ASHlNG1ON, req, ZU-SeCretary AlEer
has transmitted to congress a complete re-
port on the relief work of the War depart
ment in the Klondike country, undertaken
under act of congress as a result OF reports
that extreme distress among the miners fol-
lowed the influx to the gold country during
1S97-9S 1t embraces the detailed reports of
Captain Z. II. Ray and Lieutenant w. Z.
Richardson. Aside from details OF the relief
work, Captain Rays last report, dated May
last, contains the following interesting state
ment:
II deem II 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 ana prospectors to get into
the interior with their supplies. Under ex-
lsting conditions persons can enter the coun-
| try only by the one great hghway-the
Yukon river-and they cannot hope to be
landed at any point in Alaska earlier than
| July l.
THE gold bearing districts are from fifty
to $50 miles back from the main stream.
There are no summer trails, except foot
trails, and provisions and mining tools can
only be transported on the backs of men.
Rush is Unreasonable.
IL do not find anything, either in Alaska or
Northwest Territory, to justify the great
| rush of people to that country, or the enor-
nous investment now being made in trans
portation, trading and mining companies.
In Northwest Territory no discoveries of ex
traordinary richness have been made since
that of the Klondike, and the claims are al
most entirely confined to Bonanza, Ell Do
rado Dominica, Honka and Sulphur, with a
III
district all rich claims are well known and
held at very high prices, and while the whole
country has been staked, it has been done
for speculative purposes, and no work is
| being done, except such as is necessary to
/ hold a title until they can be sold to the
unwary newcomer or disposed of in the
states for corporation schemes Captain
| Constantine of the Canadian Northwestern
mounted police is authority for deuouncing
| the movement as fraud.
I'm the absence of any other industry, eX
| cept cutting wood for the river boats, l do
not see anything in the future for over 80
! per cent of the people now flocking to that
country but disappointment and suffering.
Even those who obtain employment at s1.50
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
|
| idle season.
| up to date no paying mineral lodes of
either gold or silver have been discovered
in North Alaska. so far as known.
Chances for Farmers.
"I am now fully satisfied that in the near
| future Alaska will be the source of great
| wealth, but the development will necessarily
be slow, owing to the climatic conditions.
! ~, ,,,t,N
horses, mules and cattle, and extra induce
ments should be held out for the develop
ment of agriculture in the valley of the
lower Yukon, especially. Wild hay can be
| obtained there in great abundance and oats
| barley and spring wheat can be success
| fully cultivated we'll as potatoes, turnips
| and all the more hardy garden vegetables,
| all of which would be required for many
| years to meet the local demand, and by re-
ducing the cost Of transportation and food
render it possible to profitably work large
per cent of the mines now lying idle.
But few of the people now entering the
northern part of the territory will ever be-
come factor in It's permanent development.
They must pass away before the time when
the wealth of the country will become known
and developed. To promote this l recon-
mend that several well equipped parties be
put IN lhe nelu anu thorough geographical
end geological exploration of the country be
made, so that men of ordinary means will
be able to engage in the work of prospecting
and mining. At present it requires consid-
cradle capital to first explore the country
for practicable route to transport supplies
before any work be done in prospect
inS.
THE ruling rate of interest at Dawson
is from 10 to IL per cent per month, which
is the best exemplifcation l can give of the
speculating condition of the finances of that
country"