6
THE COLUmBtAN, BLOOMSBURG, PA.
MAI) RUSH Putt GOLD
RUNNING THE RISK OF STARVATION
TO REACH KLONDIKE.
StoMnen Crowded With Men Some Wo
awn A tun na FHrna;eriiTnlcs of Ore at
Knrnlngs The raclllo Const llm Gouo
. Blud.
Pjieolnl San PranolBco Lottor,
The entire Pacific, coast hai gone
gold mad since the discoveries of the
yellow metal in the Klondike refrlon,
in Alaska. The Alaska Commercial
Company's steamers will not be able
to carry a tenth of the hordes now pre
paring to start for the frozen gold
fields. Great processions of men and
some women, have been filing In and
out of the steamship offices, asking
particulars about transportation and
rates.
Tacoma reports that men of wealth
In that city are farming syndicates,
marie up of from ten to twenty men.
Each one signs a contract to receive his
ebare of the proceeds. Each party will
scatter on reaching the placers, and it
hi estimated that at least two out of
wch party of te"n will strike it rich and
bring the average of all up to not less
fian 110.000.
The biggest scheme of all Is to char
One Pan 000, Actual Size,
ter the Northern Pacific steamer, City
Seattle, provision her and load her
own with all sorts of goods suitable
or use in the far North. It ie pro
posed to send the vessel u the Yukon
river as far as possible and to utilize
l daring the winter as bJead quarters
fbr the Tacoma colony. All the ex
perienced Yukon miners insist that
those who venture Into the Klondike
aonntry must have at least one year's
supply ef provisions, but sues warn
logs are not heeded by many who are
only anxious to get into the gld
fields, and then trust to luck to iriako
& living. All classes of people are Join
ing the gold hunters, but street car
exmduotors and policemen take the
land in point of number. One capital
ist who proposed paying men J5.00 a
day and meet all their necessary ex
penses, besides dividing earnings with
them, was overwhelmed with appli
cants and had to withdraw hfs offer.
It is leaking out that many who re
turned last spring from Klondike were
careful not to give a true version of
the wealth of the country. Maps of
Alaska are in demand.
. The centre o the new gold region is
not within Alawkiau territory, but for
ty miles are not much on a map, and
thousands of prospective adventurers
ou the Pacific coast are studying the
somewhat uncertain lines and charts
that will serve to guide fortune hunt
ers into the, northwest.
The advent of the Excelsior, with
the load of gold dust, has dispelled
some of the hazy notions of this dis
tant Yukon region, which generally
has been regarded as a dreary succes
sion of Impassable buow, and moun
tains of illimitable ice prairies. Tbu
goM hunters wh returned with for
tunes tell of a country rich, not alone
In minerals, but in variety of climate
! resources. It is not an endless ice
carnival up there. There are two
months of sunshine and summer.
There are trees, and ferns, and flowers,
and where cultivation of the soil has
been attempted, according to the re
quirements of that latitude, it has been
successful. Nevertheless tho dangers
from cold and famine are great, nnd
the menace of snow, ice and the re
lentless winters will have a restraining
Influence on the exodus.
There has already been a rush from
all parts of Alaska to Dawson City,
and the Klondike camps. If at the laa".
moment there should be an unexpected
rush of prospectors, with the importa
tions of additional supplies cut oft by
the close of navigation, starvation
would be the result. If the matter is
left to transportation and trading
companies the supply of provisions
ay readily be regulated, so as to keep
prices at the proper figure; for the op
portunity of cornering tihe market will
be perfect. There is, however, talk of
one or two Bteamers going north on
Independent speculating trips.
The miners recently arrived in San
Francisco from the fabulously wealthy
placerd lgglngs are aghast at the out
look and predict no end of suffering
within the next twelve months. They
say, that the people do not appreciate
the magnitude of the underaklng, nor
the dililcultiea that surround it. Two
million dollars, plckod up in less than
nine months, and fif'y times thai
eniount awaiting those having tho
courage to lnvnde the cheerless region
and strength to handle a pick ana
shovel tells the story of the mania
that has seized upon tho people.
It Is certain that there are now on
the way to St. Mlchnel's more than 6,
000 tons of provlolons, but it is impos
sible to get these supplies further un
-tbe river this year. There will, &f
course, be enough tor those already In
the camp, but for any greater number
Intense suffering Is feared. As the fa
vorite route is by way of Juneau, It Is
certain that a large number of adven
turous people will take advantage of
the weekly boat between this city
and that point. This boat stops at Se
attle and is crowded on every rip. Tho
fare from Sun t'Yancisco to Juneau Is
I'AO, which Includes board. From Ju
neau to Lake Llndermann is really the
hardest part of the entire Journey.
Most of the distance, 200 miles, Is over
a mountainous country, though snow
does not begin to fall until September
15. After this there is scarcely a let
up before the middle of the following
March. Just before reaching Lake
Llndermann the famous Chilcoot Pais
Is encountered and woe to the traveler
who is caught In one of the snow
storms, which spring up with the sud
denenss of an April shower and rage
for days. They are frozen simoons.
Nature has provided at the pass a pro
tection against these terrific outbreaks
in the ehape of an immense overhang
ing rock. At the top of the pass it
was the custom in former years for
the Indians to corral the wild sheep
and goats, which were to be found In
large numbers In all the surrounding
mountains. The species now is practi
cally extinct. This route by the way
of Juneau le a fine trof 1,000 miles
or so. For an individual' it is more
costly, but lor a party it is cheaper.
At the head of Lake Llndermann is a
sawmill, where prospectors are per
mitted to prepare the lumber for the
bo.ts accessary to complete the Jour
ney to the camp. This work generally
consumes five or six days, but if the
prospector Is In a hurry he can pur
chase a boat, the average price being
f SO. Then he floats on and on for
hundrads of miles and finally reaches
the gold and the miners and the Arc
tic Circle.
Just what placer mining in. Alaska
means Is difficult for eastern people,
or in fact, any not familiar with arctlo
methods, to realize. For instance,
placer mining in a country where un
frozen water is at a premium nine
months in the year, presents an appar
ent contradiction of conditions. The
Yukon basin is full of such paradoxes.
Here, where for three months the sun
shines from eighteen to twenty-four
hours a day, the thermometer often
registers eighty degrees. Here the ex
treme dryness of the atmosphere is a
specific for every fleshy ill. There has
never been, a case of .severe sickness in
the Yukon yet the whole country Is a
marshy bog, and the foot sinks ankle
deep in the morass at every step.
The Yukon basin occupies an im
mense area, moat of it still terra Incog
nita. This generation, the next and
the next will not have time to survey
nil Its plains, measure its mountains,
trace its rircrs and discover its wealth.
Hold, platinum, copper, iron and coal
Ate known to exist In vast Quantities,
lis furs alene equal in value the pur
chase price of the entire territory. The
extent of the richness of its placer
mines have been established beyond
gueskion. Not a stream yet prospected
has failed to "show color." No bonan
zas have been uncovered, nor are they
to be looked for in the future, anles3
uew and especially adapted methods of
extracting the gold are invented. But
with pluck, perseverance and industry
many moderate fortunes will undoubt
edly be made.
The Yukon was one of the earliest
streams to be worked. Its bars are
not yet exhausted, but have been some
what neglected since the discovery of
coarser gold in surrounding gulches
tributary to Sixty-Mile and Forty-Milo
ereeks. These in turn are likely to be
given up temporarily for the treasures
of Klondike. A man who gets to the
Yukon with the determination of mak
ing a good stake expects to stay at
-least three years. The best part of
ais first season is spent In Beaching the
diggings and locating his claim. Tin
process of Retting out Hie gold is slow
and difficult. The soil is merely gla
cial drift and is always frozen solid,
paving for a few Inches near the sur
face, and this is thickly covered with
- - . vat
Bananza Creek Valley.
s growth of moss called tundra. To
remove the tuuda, except in small
area-, is impossible. It cannot be dug
up, blasted, or otherwise destroyed.
Miuing on the banks of the large
rivers Is easier but not so profitable.
All the coarse gold and nuggets have
been found in tributary streams, the
size of the grains increasing as the
Btreams are ascended. The briefness
of the summer season Is the greatest
disadvantage of placer mining so near
the pole, The time from June 1st to
August 15, gives but little opportunity
for profitable work, especially when
the expense and labor of reaching the
mines Is conslderel. Impossible as the
proposition appears, winter mining has
been experimented with for two sea
sons and soon promises to yield fair
results. But this work can not be
started until the cold weather is set
tled beyond the possibility of doubt.
About 100 days can be relied upon.
Winter in the Yukon basin is not nn
altogether unbearable season. The
thermometer often falls to 70 and evsi
80 degrees below zero, but there is
neither wind nor moisture, and the ex
treme cold is not therefore realized.
When working out of doors the miner
wears a thermometer as he wears a
watch. He consults It ever now and
then, for prudence's sake, and when
the mercury freezes he knows thnt it
is time to go in.
Witt All Tired Out. '
"Well, little girl, what is It?"
"If you please, sir Mr. Slimmer will
aot be able to come down this morning.
He's Just got back from a two week's
rest In the country and he's all tired
out."
1 AN UNFAIR DIVISION.
Cshhy Ilnd A Strong Leaning Towatd
Fnlrnena to Himself.
Hnuk Miller of New York, some
limes curled tho "Omnibus King,"
was good-nntured, ami full "of fun,
nnd ho enjoyed a patronage whlou
eventually netted him n neat Income.
One evening Hunk wna milking hi
rounds f tho ntaMe, nn was-his wont,
when lie overheard tho cblnk of
money nnd a mibduod muttering,
(lnnrln? over n tttall, he discovered
one of his drivers counting his fHron
ns follows:
"Tlwit's two'shiUun' for Hank, nnd
two for tiu" laying the shillings in
two piles. Ho kept on dividing Ills
farea, until he manie to the last pieee
of money, an odd uhllllntr.
"There," said he, "that's too lin'd to
come out uneven, 'cause I want a to be
square and go halves with Hank. Let
mo see, hIiuiJI I throw this iu his pile?
So, I'll toss It up; hoHds for mo and
tails for Hank," ami he spun It up lu
the air. "Toils It la!" he crk-d ns It
fell. "Well, that's Hank's I suppose,"
but he hesitated. "Xo, I guess I'll
t(ws again." This time It fell down
bonds. "All, I knew thnt first too
wasn't fnir!" and hu-ving divided tho
money to his satisfaction, he slipped
away 'without knowing that llanl
had been watching him.
Hank gained his office befowt the
thieving driver arrived to leave his
fares. "tot evening, Jack," sulci he,
as the niun entered. "Luck good to
day?" "Untlier poor, Mr. Miller," nnd he
laid the money ou the desk.
"Well, Jack, I guess we can dls
Iwiimc with your services from now
on."
"Kh! How's that? Wbnt have I
done?' crLed tho astonished Jack.
11. ink gave a quiet smile, and then,
looking the man In the eye, snld;
"You see. Jack? you didn't treat me
fnlr. By rights, I should have had
another chance at thnt odd shilling."
A TORTUOUS TOBOGGAN SLIDE.
None but the Ihirlnr Could Ever Have
the Cmi-Hge to Try It.
The steepleehcise course of the tobo,?
guni up world is a twisting, winding
moiHitnln pnth nn icy iueline three
quarters of a mile long, with u descent
of over 000 feet running from St. Mo
rltz, la a valley of the Swiss Alps, In
the province of Orisons, to the fields of
Cresta, nearly a thousand feet In-Iow.
St Morltz Is nenr Davos-l'lntz. nnd,
like it, is a famous Winter health re
sort. As coon as a foot of snow has fallen
the St. Morltz tobogganers tregm to
lay out the course, which it takes
twvjve skilled laborers, with soniemnu
teur help, six weeks to construct. In
the beginning four men,, arm in arm,
tramp oer the pnojaeted course sev
eral times, beating down Uie snow.
Then snow shovels are used to fill up
Inequalities, and to bank tho curves
and corners. Tlie whole Is then iced
mitil it Is more slippery from start to
fin Mi than the fabled descent to
Hudes.
' If It wore In a straight Hue it would
be nothing remarkable, and sliding
down It would be the child's play that
It Is on the long direct chutes In this
country, Canada nnd Ilussla. But Its
course In, instend, most devious nnd
desperate.
It twists and turns, describes semi
circles and S's, goes downhill nnd up,
or, on occasions, keeps level. It bus
"leaps," and "eorners," "banks" and
"straights," which give the- daring
coaster wildest excitement of the
most varied 'sort during every one of
the forty-odd seconds while he Is
hurling headlong down Its length.
If the very sharp coriivrs nntl
curves were not banked high, like i
cycle truck, there Is no telling where
the adventurous tobogganer would
finally land. New York Journal.
Ki'fiiseil to OMiclute.
The Mayor of a village lu Brittany
recently resigned rather than olllelute
nt the marriage of a divorced num.
The assistant Mayor nnd four Munici
pal Councilors were asked In turn to
perform the aeroinouy, and, rather
than comply, resigned one after
the other. The Sub-Prefect of the dis
trict refused to accept the resignations
nnd the dlsnpiolnted brhlegrooin sued
the recalcitrant ofllcers'fbr damages.
New York T-ribune.
lSualnesa Kiid Honor.
Said Judge Tetorby to Rev. Whang
doodle Baxter:
"Just tliink of the deception prac
ticed every day. Why,' It Is dreadful.
Now, If you could make $150 by a He,
your sense of honor wouldn't allow you
to do it, would it, Mr. Baxter?"
"Dunno 'bout dat ar," replied
Whaugdoodle. "Seems ter me dut am
a niiittali of btsncss, whuriu hoimli
hain't got uullin ter say. Say, Jedge,
who Is de niun wld the $150?" Texas
Sittings.
Muie. I'Httl'n Fear of llurglitri.
Burglars are tho great terror of
Mine. Paul's life at Cralg-y-Nos
Castle. She has lind all the window
shutters fitted with electric bells,
which start ringing at the slightest
touch, while by the same machinery a
gun Is fired, and a number of dogs are
let loose lu the grounds. Special
watchmen are told off every night ou
"round" duty.
A I'ulite Omolul.
BUI the 'Burglar "Do warden 'f dig
penitentiary ara't got a bit 't feelln',
1 told hlru dls morn In' dat dls wux de
touth anniversary of de day I came In
here." '
Petey the Pickpocket "Wot did ha
eay?"
Bill the Burglar "Ho wished ma
many happy returns 'f de day. From
Puck.
MORE THAN A MILE DEEP.
Boring Into tht Bowels of the Earth tor
Purposei ot Investigation.
Near Pittsburg, Pa., a curious ex
periment is in progress. It is the
boring of a well to the lowest possible
depth, with the view of discovering
not only the variations of temperature
at the different levels, but the discov
ery of elements which may be utilized
on the surface. The operations are
under the direction of Proiessor Hal
lock, of Columbia College, and the
deptn already attained is 5,502 feet.
At the outset it was intended to stop
when a depth of two miles, or 10,560
feet, was reached. But the present
intention is to fix no limit to the un
dertaking The plan now is to bore
until it is impossible to proceed any
further, for it is believed that at some
stage the power of the machinery to
operate will be exhausted. No one
ventures an opinion as to when that
point will be reached, and there is no
certainty that it ever will be reached.
But the difficulty of operating is aug
mented as the distance from the sur
face increases, and that fact strength
ens the impression that there must be
an end to this, as there is to all other
things.
The deepest well in the world at
present is near Leipsic, Saxony, where
salt is brought to the surface from a
depth of 5,740 feet, at which point
the temperature is said to be 135.5
degrees Fahrenheit. The tempera
ture of the Pittsburg well at a depth
of 5,000 feet was 120.9 degrees.
Measurements taken during the pro
gress of the work show, moreover,
that the rise of temperature averages
about one degree to every fifty feet in
depth, and at a depth of 5,500 feet
the Pittsburg well showed 128 degrees
of heat. At this rate of increase the
boiling point 212 degrees would
be reached at the depth of two miles.
It is not improbable, however, that
as a greater depth is reached the rise
in temperature will bu more rapid.
But the experience in Leipsic contra
dic.s this supposition, for the differ
erce between the depth of that well
and the Pittsburg hole is a little more
than four degrees higher What will
occur when the depth of two miles is
reached, or what conditions will be
found below that is, of course, a
matter of conjecture.
All sorts of hopes are entertained
in connection with the experiment.
For example, Prof. Hallock believes
that the heat found in the interior of
the earth may be utilized for power,
light and other purposes. He rea
sons that when the depth is reached
at which water boils steam may be
made power by turning in water from
the surface or utilizing subterranean
stream that may be discovered during
the progress of drilling. If that ex
pectation is fulfilled the value of the
enterprise will become inestimable.
It would be scarcely safe to dismiss
the scheme as impracticable and to
look upon it as a wild goose chase,
for this is an age in which everything
appears reasonable and attainable
through the aid of science. Kansas
City Star.
You and Tour Grandfather
Are removed from each other by a
span of many years. He travelled in
a slow going stage-coach while you
take the lightning express or the elec
tric car. When he was sick he was
treated by old fashioned methods and
given old fashioned medicines, but
you demand modern ideas in medi
cine as well as in everv thins else.
Hood's Sarsaparilla is the medicine of
today, it is prepared by modern
methods and to its preparation are
brought the skill and knowledge of
modern science. Hood's Sarsaparilla
acts promptly upon the blood and by
making pure, rich blood it cures dis
ease and establishes good health.
Soma People Still Blow Out the Gas.
The following is what a hotel man
says : I venture to assert, without fear
of contradiction, that for every death
from asphyxiation in my hotel during
the past five years I or my employees
have rescued 25 persons who would
certainly have died if we had not been
on the alert. We are indeed always
on the lookout for guests who think
they are doing right when they blow
out the gas. Only a few nights ago I
discovered as I passed through my
hall a strong smell of gas and traced
it to a room where a man and his
little child had been assigned but a
few hours before. The door was soon
burst open, and two unconscious forms
were found in a peaceful repose, which
would have ended in death if the dis
coory had been made two. hours
hter. When the man was resuscitated,
I as':ed him what he meant by turn
ing the gas on after it had been put
out.
"I'll give you my word, sir," he
said earnestly, "that I blew the gas
out and didn't touch the pipe after
ward." When I told him what a mistake he
had made and what a lucky escape he
had had, his joy was unbounded, and
between his sobs and exulting cries of
joy he hugged and caressed the little
boy with him, w'io was just coming
out from the effects of the gas, as if
MMttttttttttttttt'T -MrM-t
REASONS
Walter Baker & Co.'s
Breakfast Cocoa.
a cup.
Re lure that you get the genuine article made by WALTER
BAKER A CO. Ltd., Dorchester, Mat. Established I7K0.
-
ALEXANDER BROTHERS & CO.
DEALERS IN
Cigars, Tobacco, Candies, Fruits and Nuts
SOLE AGENTS FOR
Henry Mail lard's Fine Candies. Fresh Every Week.
SOLE AGENTS FOR
F. F. Adams & Co's Fine Cut Chewing Tobacco
Sole as onts for the following brands of Cigars-
Honry Clay, Loadros, Normal, Indian Princess, Samson, Silver Ash
Bloomsburg Pa.
fVidefi Iow kqd Gfcod Wofk.
For the finest and best stoves, tinware, roofinp;, spouting
and general job work, go to V. W. Watts, on Iron street.
Buildings heated by steam, hot air or hot water in a satisfac
tory manner. Sanitary Plumbing a specialty.
I have the exclusive control of the Thatcher steam, hot
water and hot air heaters for this territory, which is acknowl
edged to be the best heater on the market. All work guaranteed.
IRON STREET.
SHOES
We buy right and sell right.
OUR SUCCESS IS BASED ON THIS FACT.
Honest trading has won us hosts of customers but we want more.
We are selling good shoes,
them.
Drop in and
Cohner Iron and Main Sts.
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF
CARPET, MATTING,
YOU WILL FIND A NICE LINE AT
W. ffil. BIO WEE'S
2nd Door above Oonrt Ilotihc.
A large lot of Window Curtains in stoct.
all heaven was his at that moment.
If you will take the trouble to visit
the other large hotels of Boston in
which gas is used in the rooms, I
think you will find the ratio of rescues
to deaths is at least 25 to 1. You sel
dom hear of a rescue, but invariably
learn of a death. Boston Herald.
A God sent Blessing. Mr. B. F.
Wood, of Easton, Pa., was a great
sufferer from Organic Heart Disease.
He never expected to be well again,
but Dr. Agnew's Cure for the Heart
was his good angel and he lives to
day to tell it to others, hear him : "I
was for fifteen years a great sufferer
from heart disease, had smothering
spells, palpitation, pain in left side,
and swelled ankles. Twenty physi
cians treated me, but I got no relief.
I used Dr. Agnew's Cure for the
Heart. One dose relieved me inside
of thirty minutes. Seven bottles
cured me."
Sold by C. A. Kleim.
HOW TO BE EEEOT.
1. Make it a rule to keep the back
of the neck close to the back of the
collar.
a. Roll the shoulders backward
and downward.
3. Try to squeeze the shoulder
blades together many times a day.
4. Stand erect a short intervals
during the day "head up, chin in,
chest out, shoulders back."
5. Walk or stand with the hands
clasped behind the head and the el
bows wide apart.
6. Walk about or even run upstairs,
with from ten torty pounds on the
top of the head.
7. Try to look at the top of your
high-cut vest or your necktie.
8. Practice the arm movements of
breast stroke swimming wh'le, stand
ing or walking.
9. Hold the arms behind the back.
4
FOU USING
Because It Is absolutely pure.
Because It Is not made by the so-called Dutch Trocess In
which chemicals are used.
Because beans of the finest quality are used.
Because It Is made by a method which preserves nnimpalred
the exquisite natural flavor and odor of the beans.
Because it is the most economical, costing less than one cent
eeeeeeeeeeeeee44t
W. W. WATTS,
Kloontiibur. Pa.
io.sf.ir
SHOES
so good you ought to see
we will make it pay you.
W. H. floore.
10. Carry a cane or umbrella be
hind the small of the back or behind
the neck.
11. Put the hands on the hips,
with elbows back and fingers forward.
12. Walk with the thumbs in the
armholes of the vest.
13. When walking, swing the arms
and shoulders strongly backward.
14. Stand now and then during the
day with all the posterior parts of the
body, so far as possible, touching a
vertical wall.
15. Lcok upward as you walk on
the sunny side of the street. iVW''
York Sun.
A Fiue Head of Hair and the Reason.
A woman with a fine head o( hair
says she does nothing to it but wash
it when it seems to need it, and she
can tell that by the soil it leaves on
the white comb she uses. She wash
ed it with soap and water and noth:ig
else. She takes an old tin can
into it puts a cake of soap, and pours
over it half a pint of hot water. Thii
she places on the back of the stove
for a few' hours, stirring it occasionally
as she passes. It is soon reduced to
th consistency of jelly. Then it i
ready. She takes up a lot on her fin
gers and rubs it right on the sea
and does this till her head is in a fine
lather. She rubs and manipulates
her hair and scalp till it beg' to
smart a little, and then she begins to
rinse the soap out in warm, not hot,
water. She keeps getting clean water
till it is not a bit discolored by her
hair, ''"hen she takes towels and
rubs her head and strips her hair
through them, till most of the water
seems to be out, then she sits do'D
and shakes her hair out to dry. She
never touches a brush or comb to her
hair till it is perfectly dry, just shakes,
and catches it up in her finders and
lets it run through them. Her hair
never knots or snarls. Washing
Star.