The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-04
A BOY Miner.
Won Wealth in KlOndike at the
Age of Seventeen.
Clifton J. Baxter Worth Over a
a Quarter of a Million.
MARRIES FIRST LOVE.
Sails for Europe With His Bride
on the st Paul.
viii See the Exposition and
Monte Carlo Roulette.
MARRIES FIRST LOVE.

bride and a fortune. He spent three
years in the Klondike and has more
than a quarter of a million dollars to
his credit in bank, while he expects his
at Cape Nome will make him a
millionaire. He and his II year old
bride sailed for Europe on the st. Paul
The young couple were married three
weeks ago in Seattle. which is the
brides home. Their courtship began
they were ~schoolmates. Clifton's
father, who is a prominent politician of
Washington State, permitted him to
withdraw from school just when the
Klondike began to attract attention.
asked permission to accompany
a band of gold seekers. This was de-
MED him. He determined to go, how
ever, and conided in but one person
his sweetheart, Blanche Oliver.
She encouraged him., and Clifton ran
away from home, promising his childish
fiancee that he would wiz a fortune in
the Klondike, come back and wed her.
He slowed away on a steamer in Seat
tie without a cent in his pocket. He
reached Skaguay n fought his way
through the Businesses to
Dawson City, his entire capital consist
ing Of 100 copies of a New York paper
which were invaluable to the miners
who had been shut off from communi-
cation with the rest of this sphere for
nearly a year.
NaAAA ID A0t1l
as $40 for one of the He
made many a camp happy by selling a
copy of the ape for general circula-
ton, to be handed about from one mi
ner to another.
Clifton also bore from the Klondike to
Seattle the first dispatches sent to any
newspaper from the gold country. He
Immediately made another trip to the
klOndike n bore with him ], 800 letters
for the miners of Dawson, Chilcoot and
Lake Lindemann. Arriving at Lake
L1ndemann, he discovered that he could
not reach Dawson. Tired and hungry
he tried to get food from the miners in
camp there, but every one turned a
deaf ear to him.
All his were in a pack train.
a day behind him, and he was unable
to buy food. Finally a miner gave him
dapjacks and coffee. A party of seven
men, two women and two children
agreed to take him along in their boat
as guide. He ptloted the vessel-a large
steam launch-through the eachero
rapids of Lake Lindemann and Lake
Bennett, and succeeded in guiding if
safely through the perilous gorge at
White Horse, which is the most danger
Gus stretch of water in the Yukon.
He admitted yesterday that he took
great chances, because he had never
traversed the river before. At White
Horse the launch plunged through the
canyon at the rate of % miles an hour.
the boy acting as navigator and pilot,
he did not betray his ignorance. and
ms achievement established his reputa-
tlon as a skilled pilot, acquainted with
an the treacherous characteristics of
the Yukon.
He walked back to Lake Lindemann
IN Two days and for S25 undertOok 70
guide another boat through the rapids.
rms tune he was not so successful At
White Horse the %plunging of the boat
threw him into the raging waters. He
was carried down the stream half a
hle' Mhere he was carried on a sand
| DaT- 1nP hnaf U-o c 1n-4-A~rz1
passengers escaped. He then again took
charge OF the first BOAT and piloted if
safely to Dawson City, where he deIiy-
ered ms letters and a new batch Of
he had brought with him.
Clifton bought an outfit with the
money ne realized from his newspapers
and letters and prepared to search for
gold. de "staked' out several claims
for himself and bought others. Among
them was the Hunker claim. for whic6
ne paid a sack of four and two Shout
ders of bacon. Three months later he
sold that claim for $3.50, 900.
At that time many of the residents 10
Dawson City and the adjacent bonanza
district were suffering from want of
food, and Clifton, with a German
baron, started to return to Seattle after
provisions. They could not obtain dogs
but set out with hand sleds, upon which
were piled their tent, stove. blankets
and provisions. Their journey was one
OF 900 miles through the most desolate
AC7ACAA VI EAldoAd. M W0lIR man mar
ever undertaken the trip before.
chiffon and the baron endured great
h~ardships and were rescued by some
Indians They ran out of provisions
before they reached their destination
n were compelled to live for ten 6ays
on two pounds of beans. Almost uncon-
scious from the cold and completely
they reached their destina.
ton after forty-three days of the mos
trying difficulty.
Clifton reached Seattle in January
1898, and proceeded to Chicago to sci
ms claims. He was fortunate in fa6ine
buyers and when he departed again fol
the klondike a month later had solf
out for 1925, 000. In May, 1898, he re.
I turned to Dawson with a large ol5tfi
and cleared $4,000. He made four trip,
between Sattle and Dawson City in 1898
n four last year.
/ During the three years that he wa,
accommodating wealth he was enccur.
aged by his sweetheart, who remained
in Seattle He saw her every time h
L came back from his hazardous trim,
into the klondike. Finally they wer,
married and came east by slow stages
2 For three days they ave been seeing
= the metropolis.
r Il do not know when we shall re
turn" said Clifton yesterday. My wifi,
= is running this show. We want to Sc,
= the Paris exposition the Tower of Lon
don, the Prince of Wales, the Pope, tn,
j. Car of Russia, the catacombs of Rom,
and Monte Carlo. That's what every
body else sees when they go over there
= isn't it? They tell me there is a prett,
= stiff game going on at Monte Carlo. bu
/ have seen some pretty big ores il
Dawson City.
'Of course it wasn't any fun out OF
the. Klondike, and 1 wouldn't want yer,
much more of it, but at the same tim
I am not complaining now. I have go
] my little pile out of it, and we are sat
isfed, aren't we, dear?"
0 "Oh, yes" said the girlish bride. wv
e are very happy"
j,