New Britain herald., 1923-01-15
John Conlon and Party Started for Klondike Gold Fields 25 Years Ago Today.
Especial 10 The HeTsldl


 pioneer gold seekers in the days of shown when q new strike was made and of the heart breaking disappoint- ments experienced by thousands who had given ID home and family in a vain effort to discover hidden wealth, Rut fiction has nothing of the thrills Of tale told hy one who was among the thousands in the first rush from this country 10 Alaska in 1898, and such a tale is the following given by John conlon Of this town who aS years ago, in company with Thomas ouinlah, John Davis and Oscar AL twcin of Southington, left Plainville to seek their fortunes with the pros- peetors pick in the Alaskan hills.
 Went to Copper River
 Tho following account Of the de- pariure Is given in the issue of the New Britain Herald Of January ih. 1898: John Colon Of this town. in company with Thomas Quinlan. John Davis and Oscar Altwein, all of Sou;h- ineion, started for the Klondike gold fieds this afternoon. They have en- gagged berths on the special train leaving Boston Wednesday for Ta- coma, Washington. After stopping in Tacoma for few weeks, they vii proceed 10 Seattle where they will take the steamer 10 Alaska and pro- ceed to the Copper River district. where they will stake claims and b. gin operations. Then men. unless their company is enlarged. have agreed to work on shares. If more join the little company. each man will stake his own claim and hustle for himself.
 "The three men arc carrying $s.000 among them, enough to enable them to live for two years in the gold fields. They will carry provisions enough for one year and after leaving the coast will transport themselves in the usual manner, on mules or horses. MT. Conlon said this morning that the climate in the Copper River district is much the same as it is in our own New England states. In summer the temperature is up to 70 degrees and even higher. In winter it falls to 14 below zero, which is not more severe than weather experienced in our own state.'
 Conlon Tells of Trip
 In relating his experiences on the trip, MT. Conlon, who is now employ ed as a meat cutter in George M. Richs meat market on West Main street, gives a graphic account of the hardships he and his companions en- countered on their dash to the mining regions.
 He said that they left Plainvile and arrived in Boston the same day, leav- ing there for Tacoma, Washington early next morning. They remained in Tacoma for one week After that, they proceeded to Seattle and there, their first difficulties were encounter ed.
 They purchased additional supplies in the western city and started to get ge to Alaska They found that small fortune could not buy berth on a steamboat and that every man. ner and shape of craft was being pressed into service to transport the thousands of gold seekers who had gathered in the Jumping off city. At last Mir. Conlon's party secured makeshft berths on an old type of sailing vessel and embarked on their long trip on February 2s, 1898.
 Put On Short RatiOns
 Mir. Conlon says he will never for get tho trip from Seattle to Alaska. Ordinarily, the voyage consumed a iit- tie over two weeks, but on this trip, the sailing vessel ran into terrific storm three days out and the little boat struggling in the grip of mighty sea. was blown far off its course, and the local man gave up hope of ever getting safely to shore. Time after time, the vessel would head in the right direction, only to be blown off the course. Food and water became so scarce that the pas sengers and crew were forced to take two small meals day and one drink of water. Finally. on March 31, the vessel docked at Nome, the gateway to the north.
 On landing. the party found the snow 17 feet deep and the entire land in the grip of a terrific winter, an ex- traordinary one according to the in- habitants of Alaska. Nothing daunt- ed, however, Conlon and his friends started on the trail to the land of promise. They packed their belong ings on a mule pack train and strap ped their packs on their backs and started a trip that was to impress it. self on their memories.
 They had travelled about 100 miles through the country, when they en- drifts of snow that reached g feet Unable to use their mules, they sold them to trader on the trail and put their goods on dog teams.
 After about two weeks travelling. they decided to rest for a few days, and for that purpose, they searched around for a suitable site on which to pitch their tent
 Tent Life In Snow
 Mushing along the trail. they final ly came to spot that had snow base cut out, the size of their tent. Here they pitched camp. On one side of them, the timber was 15 miles away and on the other side. no wood was to be had in any great quanti- ties for 10 miles. They unloaded their supplies outside their tent door within easy reach and settled down to a few days rest. By this time psrt of the glamor of easily found wealth had worn off and it was a luxury to be able to lie down in n bunk and stretch their aching limbs.
 Life here, however was not destin- ed to be path of roses and their new found luxury was to be turned nto their greatest hardship. On the second day, about o'clock in the ,fternoon, a few flakes of snow began