New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-04
MINING IN THE COLD.
alaska as Field for the AdUentur-
Gus Fortune Hunter.

THREE YEARS n THE KLQN ON r2 ga by I ISIs
miah Lynch. Illustrated sVo' PIP ~ i''''s
mans, Green & Co.
senator Lynch's account OF his three years
IN and near Dawson covers the period OF the DE-
velopment OF that town from a sour dough
mining camp into a thriving modern city. 1t
traces the evolution OF Alaskan mining from the
crude. haphazard and wasteful usages or the
pioneer prospectors into the comprehensive
scientific and labor saving methods OF the eS-
persenced inventive mine operator. In both OF
these movements the author took a leading part
lie introduced the first dress coat into Dawson
and originated the steel point" system OF min
ing which consists in thawing the frozen
ground by means OF steam conveyed through
hollow steel points forced into the drifts.
close observer. lively participant IN the varied
activities OF the country and agreeable racon-
teur, Mr. Lynch has produced a volume which
should prove es useful to those who contemplate
seeking their fortunes in that frozen land as II is
entertaining 10 those who have 10 do their trav-
cling by proxy.
The author sailed from San Francisco IN the
spring OF 1885, and went TO Dawson by way OF
ST. Michaers and the Yukon He thus describes
the three thousand typical Argonauts he found
waiting for the opening OF the river at Dutch
Harbor and Unalaska:
None seemed very rich few very pQ S,. There here
very old none were very young Pe sIP f t%o
the Pacific t Coast OF the remaining third,
goodly proportion We're swedes. Very few
thing else. they We're rich in good constitutions and
Sbpst frames Even NE wGen Sa2f 20 Ind HeT
stoically prepared. But wtthal CLEANED In con,
or laboTed in mining country and, while pos.
sessng torttpde were yer very lsn0Fah o Io'h Oh
While some few of these adventures, dis
couraged by reports Of hard times brought down
by the unsuccessful and weakhearted. turned
back, the great majority kept on. some 10 make
lucky strikes and others to work at days wages
for their more successful comrades. Mr. Lynch
not wishing 10 embark in mining until he had
thoroughly studied the situation purchased a
cargo OF -four which the consignees had been
unable 10 take built a warehouse and became
merchant BY tho time he had sold out his
stock at a profit he had visited all the gold creeks
Investigated the methods Of mining. and devised
various improvements which he proceeded TO put
into practice in a mine which he purchased in
favorable location The cold. which he found
very trying in the first winter, he ceased TO
mind as he became acclimated. He gives the
following account of his attempt 20 take a bath
the first very cold day he experienced, when the
mercury had dropped 10 20 degrees below zero
overnight:
Everything was frozen to the spot where It had
been placed-sponge, soap. towel tooth brush;
melted the pail of ice on the 'air tight stove
poured some Of the water two INCHES deep into the
where there was no heat Not two minutes o had "a
the 'front.' room and opening the comm1nicatng
door stepped hurriedly Into the bathtub. for had
p had 10 e es o TsE and as stepped into
the tub with both feet; wrenching with sTeat
the newly frozen ice IN the tub and over we went
all separated IN different quarters OF the room
Those two minutes had suficed TO transmute my
water into smooth AID CLASSY Ice.
One of his most graphic descriptions is of the
fire which burned down large section OF the
city during that winter. A curious phenomenon
was that the heat seemed TO exert all fits force
upward. The atmosphere was so dry and cold
that heat was Immediately dissipated, and men
who stood so close to the flames 20 have their
fur clothes burned suffered no personal discom-
fort
ins several sate.. m. log building was quickly
heat grew more Intense The expansion Of the hot
air caused shs vault sss: g be Ssrn open saS
feet away. Like soapsad. from boys pipe;
fS s S sss on y. Wooden sSs: Of SG Ss
vault-wers mingled and fused In a molten mass.
Although ne never took part in a stampede"
Mr.. Lynch tells a thrilling story OF one from the
accounts brought back by the participants
There Is feature of the life that he falls to
touch and to illuminate. Especially be pays his
respects to that brays band. the Northwestern
Mounted Police. whose determined energy makes
life and property rs safe In ~ that vast region
as II is below the famous dead line" In New
Yorlk's financial district His accounts OF the
running down OF a thief and OF a murderer are
as interesting sosns az the adventures of
Sherlock Hclr,eA