Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1904-04-12
GOLD BRICKS IN THE kLoNDlKE.
They're of the Bogus Kind and the
Miners Are Eager for Them.

1.-The average gold hunter in the
Klondike is the most susceptible fellow
on earth when you talk rich strikes TO
him." remarked Engineer w. H. Hicks
of the Blees Military academy. He
doesn't stop to reason.
Along with six friends made a trip
to the Klondike in the Summer of 1901.
and after getting through the perils
common to visit to that bleak region
got a job at Dawson running
hosting engine-$1.25 an hour and
board. l was satisfied with my wages
for while, but the gold talk brought
on the fever and l resigned to take up
claim.
$50 / set off with a partner and we
staked out a claim over the divide, near
Eureka Creek. We struck dirt ten
feet down that ran 81 cents to the pan.
In few weeks my share was 1871
ounces, worth 1882. This looked al,
right. and we began to forget the mis-
cries of our journey UP.
I'VE went down to Dawson to lay In
more supplies. We found the town
sputtering over n new strike, GOO miles
up on Tanana Creek, Yukon A Jap
had come down and brought along
handful of nuggets, and was showing
He said that the gold up on ranana
Creek ran from SIS to 800 to the pan.
In comparison our little claims seemed
too insignificant to fool with. A man
who would work a mine paying only
| s25 a day when by going a few hun
dred miles he could strike one banning
out several hundred dollars every day,
would be an idiot.
Everybody believed the Jap's story.
No one thought of asking the Jap why
he didn't stay up there and spike down
the wonderful land of Monte Christie
for himself and his heirs. He looked
so innocent and meek that the miners
| supposed he told it merely because of
his obliging disposition.
II reasoned that there was no APP
parent object for him to lie about il,
and joined the 1000 strong processi IN
in the 600-mile tramp. After eight
days of the hardest travelling ever d. d
in my life, during which paid as high
as IS for a second class meal, we land
ed in the blessed country the Jap mad
told US about About 1000 badly
fooled miners have been blessing 1t and
it's discoverer ever since.
AT first the Jap pointed out several
good places where an astonishing
amount of gold was found. The miners
staked out their claims and went to
work with feverish haste.
Our friend the Jap, wisely antici-
pating our necessities, had stocked up
Ian immense room with provisions,
which he sold to US on the basis of
men realizing from SIS to 500 a pan
for their work. We soon bought ev-
erything he had, and he bade us an
affectionate farewell.
He expressed the hope that he
would meet us again when we were all
millionaires several times over. in some
, warmer climate. After we had toiled
through the earth for miles up and
, down the creek and found nothing bet
, ter than cents a pan, we would have
quickly sent him. if we could have iaiG
, our hands OH him, to a warmer eli
mate.
"To be held up and swindled in any
have the job attended to by a miser-
; able. lamb-eyed, idol-worshipinl
, heather is rubbing it in.
THE rascal had sailed enough place!
to keep the excitement up until he SOLE
/ out his stock. and then moved.
Il retraced the trail back to m!
claim on Eureka Creek, found it re.
| located ty miner who hadn't lost hi
l head when everybody else was goinl
, crazy over the Jap's yarn, and gave III
5 gold mining l got back to Seattl
t in the fall with the same amount / ha'
left with. and splendid cold.