The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-11-23
KLoNprKE ROADS.
Yukon Territory Easily Crossed
water Scarce.

water Scarce.
To obtain a correct impression OF
the real condition of gold seking in
the Klondike a trip to the ''creeks" is
necessary. 1t is surprising with what
comparative ease and comfort this
journey may be made, and for this
the traveller is Indebted to the pro-
gressiye and liberal policy Of the
government. In all that immense ter
ritory which constitutes northwestern
Canada wherever the enterprising
spirit Of the gold hunter has discov-
cred field worth working, Canada
has Immediately followed with an OIL
cial investigation which, if favorable,
leads promptly to the establishment
of a good wagon road to that point
These assist in the rapid opening up
of the country by attracting those
people who would not settle there
under less advantageous conditions,
and by materially reducing the cost OF
transporting the machinery and nipple
ments necessary for extensive and
productive mining operations That
part Of the Yukon territory known as
the Klondike covers about 800 square
miles, and during the last nine years
the Canadian government has eXpend-
ed more than 100000 in the build
ing of public highways, with the re-
suit that the great mining district is
covered by a network of roads over
which passenger and freight stages
pass daily. Klondike has produced
about $110,000,O00 in gold since its
opening, and is likely to continue pro-
ductive for many years, now that the
machinery which reduces the cost OF
working the gravel has been installed
at nearly all the mines.
Lack of water is the great draw
back to mining in the Yukon. There
is little rain during the summer, and
the miner must depend on the melt
ing SHOWS to swell the streams for
his summer sluicing.
Villages have sprung up near the
creeks, and living is a shade higher
than in Dawson, owing to the extra
freight. Sending souvenir post cards
from these points becomes an expen-
siYe remembrance, as the plain, uncol-
ored ones sell for $3.50 a dozen The
picturesque, swagger miner Of Grip
pie Greek, Creole, and Tonopah is not
found here. The cost of getting "in"
is heavy, money is not always easily
made, and the winters are bitter cold
and depressing on account of the long
darkness. So the miner saves his
earnings until he reaches a more con
genial cline. To be sure, there are
men on the creeks who drink whis-
key-and the hardest kind of whiskey
and gambling goes on; yet, on the
whole, the Klondike miner is a quiet,
proVident individual, who devoutly
hopes that the gold fields are not to
be his permanent home
A man who works for a company
or individual mine owner receives
from 81 to Sc a day and his board.
Many of them do their own cooking
and live in cabins near the creeks.
Flapjacks (pancakes), bacon and cot
fee are their chief diet during the
winter, and in midsummer it requires
a dexterous hand to turn the flap
jacks before the mosquitoes can set:
tie on the unbaked side. The old-tim-
er who has seen the ice come and go
is known as a "sour dough-" and
these men are the aristocrats of the
camp The Newcomer, or the man
who spends his winters outside is
always known as a "cheechalko.
If people in the States knew how
letters from home are appreciated by
the cabin jewellers Of the Yukon they
would send some message every day.
/ have seen miners sit in front of
their cabins and read and re-read old,
tattered letters. At some particular
passage their faces would light up
with smile and the entire letter
would be gone over again.-Leslie's
Weekly.