Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1930-09-04

When I returned / became an owner
and employed men to do this work
for me. | was gone only two years
and | don't know that | was any
smarter than when | left, but | had
, money! | had been lucky enough to
find gold where | dug Some of the
others who dug nearby didn't find
gold They worked just as hard as
did and some of them knew far more
about what should be done than
did Luck was with me-"
His first real initiation in the
school of hard knocks came when he
toiled with dragging feet over the
famous Chilkoot pass with fifty
pound pack on his back. Snow was
everywhere. A biting wind conspired
with temperature of 40 below, to
stab and then to numb every bit of
/ flesh in his body.
There were moments when it
seemed as if he could not take
another step unless the pack was dis
carded. There were other moments
when it seemed that if he retained
his pack he must stay forever in this
wilderness of snow. But he did not
dare let go Of it for it contained all
Of his equipment, and all of his ra-
tions. The klondike had no depart
ment stores or corner groceries. 1t
was just barren land. Men who in
vaded it had to take with them all
the things they needed
IT was a land where men made
their own rules and their own laws.
Courts Of Justice were too far away
10 Of
preservation. Men who had q
surplus OF food stored it away in
caches to protect it from wolves and
human marauders. If any man asked
for food and was refused, it was all
for him TO take it from a cache If he
could find one. If he took it without
having asked, he was strung up over
the limb of a tree and a rope around
his neck did that which the electric
chair does in more civilized places.
Twice did White see this punishment
meted out.
Men had TO get along with each
other in order to succeed No man
could dig alone because he had to &C
down in the frozen earth too far tC
do all the work himself. Every man
who wanted gold had a partner. Oc-
casionally they quarreled with each
other and each sought new part
ner If they failed their chance Of
reaching gold was very slight
Most sQuabbles were due to rea1
or fancied shirking Under stress OF
priyation tempers were Quickened
Little things magnifed. Partners in
sisted on carrying loads of absolutely
equal weight Food and most OF the
equipment could be divided evenly
1t was difficult TO divide a stove OF
boat, but difficulties were often sci
at naught by angry prospectors.
No one had any doubt as TO wha1
had happened when two men were
seen in a boat which plainly showed
marks Of having been cut into two
parts and then painstakingly put to
gether. 1t was obvious that partners
had quarreled and that for a time
each had carried half of a boat anG
then they had made up their diff
ficulities and decided to stick it out
together. George White saw many
patched up boats floating down the
river.
The quest for gold brings out both
the worst and the best that is in
man Mems moods and thoughts
caused infinitely more trouble in the
Klondike than all the physical hard
ships encountered
Rumors ran riot. Men passed by
rich claims because they heard OF
richer ones which proved to be no
good Men who were easily discour-
aged stopped digging when gold was
within a few feet Of their reach.
Those of faint heart yielded their
mines to the hOrny-handed, quick
SHOOTING men who Jumped claims,
these latter men being the predeceS-
sOrs of modern day racketeers. Some
sQuandered their wealth in the rude
gambling dens which gave a pros
rector chance TO test his luck.
Others having found gold We're not
satisfied but spent the fruits OF their
first labor in searching for richer
deposits.
We shall give no praise to Gcoree
White Tor his success in the klOn
dixie. In this. as i'm other activities
in his life, his record speaks for IL
self We shall simply point out that
White and his partner found gold;
that they didn't squander what they
found. nor was it taken from them.
They brought it back with them to
Seattle whore they received cash
for it "a modest competence that