Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-02-24

81 found nothing on Quiet lake, but
found so to 100 colors in a dozen places
on the Hootalinqua. True, the colors
were fine and faky and hard to save,
but did not expect TO find better. II
| make discovery or find good aver
age pay claim in two or three years |
will consider that have done well.
Next year and the year after will be
better. The tenderfoot and the tender
hearted, or the great majority of them,
will have disappeared The practical
men will stay and work; new discover
les will be made, and in short time 50,-
OO0 to 100000 people will be permanent
residents Of the gold districts in Alaska,
British Columbia and the Northwest
territory"
Mr.. Beekman expresses my views ex-
actly. do not want to discourage any
one from coming to Alaska who is COM
ing with the right idea, but do not
again want to witness such rush into
an undeveloped and unproductive coun-
try as / have seen the past season.
While the thousands of disappoint.
ments that have come as result OF the
rush of the past season have done much
to retard the practical and permanen.
growth OF Alaska, yet in another way
the rush helped the country, rs 1t
brought competition in both transpor'
tation and merchandise. At the present
time there are nearly rs steamers ply
ing on the Alaskan rivers and during
the season Just closed there was room
for more. Another 25 or so are being
built and will be in commission next
spring. The rush also brought with 1t
several large mercantile corporations
who reaped rich harvest OF profits this
year because OF the great demand for
provisions. Prices have been high; 80
pounds of flour costing as much as
eight dollars, and other provisions in
proportion. There were two reasons
for this. One was the excessive freight
charges up the Yukon river made pos
sible because of lack Of transpora-
ton in proportion TO the sudden rise in
population, and the other the inability
OF the corporations engaged In pro-
visioning this population to accumulate
a surplus that they would have 20 sell.
1t is natural for men to make five dol
lars a sack on flour If they can, but il is
also natural for them to be content
with less IL they cant make that
amount.
Thousands OF people have returned to
the states. and their places will rot be
filled by an equal numb next year, for
they have carried back with them
enough hard-luck stories TO more than
counterbalance the stories of remarka-
BILE gold finds that brought them here
in the first place. Those who arc left
will get the benefit of the conditions
that now exist. The competition be-
tween the different steamboat lines
will bring the prices Of both passenger
and freight transportation down TO
something like reasonable figures. The
facilities for getting provisions ir TO the
country will be increased while tie de-
mand for them will decrease, thus
creating a competition that is bound 10
reduce prices on these necessaries. IN
fact the day of high prices and big
profits for the corporations doing bnsi.
ness among the gold fields Of Alaska
are about over. Flour will not sell for
the same price il does in Chicago. nor
will we travel as cheaply as is possible
in the states--these things are pract.
calIy impossible and not 10 be expected,
but the days OF 200 per cent. profits or
better In this country are over, and
Alaska will be permanently benefited
by the change.
JOHN W. CRAWFORD.
"capt. Jack"
vroonen City, Northwest Territory.