Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-08-15
HOME FROM KLONDYKE.
Capt ]. w. Parsons Returns
from Gold Fields.


Digging There Yet-Dry Summer
There Now.
Morgantown has had the honor of
a visit from a very distinguished
| WestVirginian for u short time. 1t
is Capt. j. W. Parsons, the father of
Lieut.. w. + Parsons of Company L,
National Guard. He is resting qni-
city at their home on Sunnyside, and
recuperating his health which has
not been robust tor several months.
He is very modest and reserved, de
! elining to be interviewed at first in
regard to his travels in Alaska. He
says that so many with miraculous
tales of wealth and experiences, that
he would rather not excite any no
toriety. He came home for the i'm
provement of his health, and has
been keeping away from newspaper
men.
There is no exaggeration or ornate
coloring to the Captains account OF
his experiences among the gold min
ers, but his story is intensely inter
esting. He would probably have
been in the Klondyke again this
year, but for his poor health.
| Mr.. Parsons went to Klondyke
five years ago, when the discoveries
there were new. He left his home
in Randolph county, in this state,
when times were hard to seek
surer fortune in the rich gold fields
of the Northwest. The first time he
went to Circle City the trip was
made over White Pass in the original
way, carrying the provisions over by
relays, blowing roads through the
deep SHOWS, and requiring whole
winter to make about 400 miles
across the mountains. The last re-
lay over the summit of the pass was
made by pulley A big coil of rope
was among the stores and it was
used to draw up the loaded sledges.
The empty ones were attached and
tue men drew up the loaded cars by
pulling down the empty ones. A
railroad has since been built over
the pass, and from where it lands
the gold seeker, fine steamers run
on the Yukon river and carry him
to Dawson and St. Michaels. The
former city has a population of
about 5000 people and there are
about 40, 900 in the immediate Vicln-
ity, within a radius of thirty miles.
| Mr.. Parsons lived in Circle City
for eighteen months and in Dawson
for long time, He has worked out
doors when the mercury registered
70 degrees below zero, and ifyou ex-
posed even spot on your forehead
or cheek it would freeze. When the
temperature rose again to % or 80
degrees above zero, people would go
out bareheaded and without coats
and be comfortable.
The severe winter lasts only from
| Novembe or December to February,
and during the remainder of the
year they have the finest climate in
the world. Bright sunshlny days
and pure dry air nearly all the time.
Mosquitoes abound along the river
in summer, the biggest ones ever seen.
Sometimes they are very annoying.
In the month of June while the
sun Is farthest south it never sets
in northern Alaska. Mr.. Parsons
says that from the highest part of
the mountain, there called the dome,
you can see the sun all day long dur
the whole twenty Tour hours. 1t
will seem to be nearing the horizon,
and look like it would set in an
hour, and before long 1t will climb
gradually up the sky again, and
keep right on around the observer
till it has made the circuit of all
the horizon. Nearly all the impor-
tant rivers in the Klondyke in which
gold is found have their source in
the mountain called the dome. They
flow out from every side OF it.
Although there is so much sun
shine, very little vegetation can be
grown. Mr.. Parsons tried an exper-
iment with various kinds OF %ege-
tables and grains one summer.
Lettuce and radishes do fairly well
also onions Oats grow about four
inches high. Corn will make a start
but is very much dwarfed in growth
and gets frost bitten before it makes
much start You go to bed with
the sun shining and rise up in the
morning and find it still shining, but
while YOU have been sleeping the
frost has been at work and the corn
has been nipped.
Every thing there is provided by
nature Tor the severe winter. The
birds have feathered feet and the
same animals lightly clothed with
FUR in temperate climates have very
he9vy suites in this latitude. The
caribou which is the same as the
American reindeer has big wide
snow shoe tor a hoof enabling it to
walk on top of the snow. In this
country it has sharp narrow hoof.
The animals are numerous here, as
many as a thousand being seen in a
drove sometimes.
Prices are not so high as formerly,
but are still not so low as in pan
ic times. A square meal costs from
81. so to $500. Laborers at ordina-
~ work get So day, aud prices for