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MONROE
COUNTY APPEAL.
OUR MOTTO: SOUND PRINCIPLES AND SOUND MEN.
Sept. 8, 1897
Facts Which will Dampen the ardor of the Tenderfeet,
----
Seattle, Wash., Aug. 30, -- John F. Miller.
ex-district attorney of Seattle, writes to a friend
from Dawson City, as follows:
"There
is an enormous amount of wealth in this country, gold
by the thousands and millions, but it is just as hard
to acquire it here as elsewhere. As elsewhere,
it is in the hands of a few, while the many are
hunting and searching--the same old story. El Dorado
and Bonanza Creeks are the richest of all in this
locality, and in fact are so far practically the only
diggings of great value, and I can say that one might
just as well try to 'get in' on Wall street in New
York city. He could do so with no more money than
here. Men on these creeks value their claims at
enormous figures, from $100,000, $200,000 and $300,000
and even higher. The amount taken out last winter may
justify such valuations, but of course, there are no
purchasers. You can inform anybody and everybody
intending to come here that if they expect to find
gold scattered around at random or get something for
nothing, they will be disappointed.
"While
it is true that the gold deposits in the locality were
found almost accidentally, it is not encouraging to
note the fact that it is the first
"accident" of the kind in thirty years'
searching. New diggings will doubtless be discovered
from time to time, but when and where the sages cannot
tell. One in this country is quite a creature of
circumstances; if he chances to be within reach of a
discovery, he may stand a show of obtaining a claim,
but should he be some distance away, he stands no
chance whatever. I have been out on a 'stampede' or
two and staked a claim, but the chances are there is
nothing to it. Some have an idea that they 'will go
out and find something.:" If they should stop to
think that every creek, gulch and recess has been
prospected years ago by experienced miners, their
enthusiasm must lessen. The gold in the country is
from 12 to 50 feet under ground, and frozen ground,
too; so you see the 'free and wandering' avocation of
the prospectors is not an easy task. It takes two or
three weeks of the hardest labor to sink one or two
holes on a creek. It is not like other countries where
gold is on the surface. Here surface indications count
for nothing and all prospectors' rules are worthless.
One creek may be rich, while another in the
immediate vicinity and much more inviting may be
absolutely worthless. Of all creeks El Dorado and
Bonanza are the must uninviting, low and marshy,
covered with willows and all kinds of undergrowth, but
there it was found lying like grains of corn awaiting
they eyes of man.
"Indeed,
I may be pardoned for again repeating that people who
come here should not expect too much. Where one has
become rich a thousand remain poor. My advice is, if
any one comes bring at least a year's provisions and
enough money to pay passage back home. It is no place
for a man to attempt to play gentleman. Every one
works hard, the hardest of his life. Don't let the
reports of the greatest amount of gold going out turn
your head; it all came from the creeks above named and
the owners of the claims realize their positions too
well." |
