"Well, we paid $45,000 spot cash for a half interest in Claim 32, Eldorado. We also loaned $5,000 each to four parties on Eldorado Creek, taking mortgages on their claims, so you see we are well secured.
"No, I do not want any better security for my money than Eldorado claims, thank you. I only wish I had a mortgage on the whole creek.
"We had a great deal of trouble in securing labor in prospecting our properties. Old miners would not work for any price. We could occasionally rope in a greenhorn and get him to work for a few days at $15 a day. Six or eight miners worked on shares for us about six weeks, and we settled. It developed that they had earned in that length of time $5,300 each. That was pretty good pay, wasn't it? We paid one old miner $12 for three hours' work and offered to continue him at that rate, but he would not have it, and he went out to hunt a claim of his own. My son, Samuel, and Charles Worden are in charge of our interests in Alaska. George Worden and I came out, and we will go back in March and relieve them. Then they will come out for a spell. George goes from here to his home in New York State to make his mother comfortable.
"I am an American by birth, but of Irish parents. I formerly lived in Western Kansas, but my claim there was not quite as good as the one I staked out on the Eldorado Creek."
HOW TO GET THERE.
CHOICE OF TWO ROUTES.
There are two routes either of which can be taken to the Klondyke. The best but the most expensive is by steamer from Seattle to St. Michael's, and then by river boat up the Yukon 1,700 miles to Dawson City. By this route it takes thirty-five to forty days, and the fare is $180. The steamers permit only 150 pounds of baggage for each passenger. Two steamers that will leave before the river is closed by ice cannot carry more than 150 passengers each. The other route is by land by way of Juneau. The passenger goes from Seattle to Juneau. There at this season all packs must be carried on the back or on mules. When snow falls sledges can be used and the trip can be made much more easily. The distance is 650 miles. This trip is thus described: