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Feature Article on the Gold Rush.
Topic: GOLD RUSH
Written by Rich Wallace in May,
1996
GOLD RUSH MINERS FROM SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO |
| Many dream of
becoming instantly wealthy, either by way of winning the lottery or receiving an
unexpected bequest from a long-forgotten uncle. A century ago, lotteries were nonexistent
and virtually no one had much wealth to pass on to relatives. For Shelby County residents
in the late 1890's, the one word that spelled riches was 'gold.' A half century
earlier, weeks of dusty and dangerous travel followed by disappointment were all that that
most of the California '49ers' experienced. Now it was 1897, and only faded memories
remained. Word raced down from Alaska that gold had been discovered. This time, it would
be different. There would be plenty of gold to go around. This is the story of some
of the adventuresome men from Shelby County, Ohio and their exploits in pursuit of a
fortune in the frozen tundra of Alaska. Staley brothers seek gold
Joseph Staley certainly thought he would find gold. This Salem Township farmer
heard the news of gold prospectors in Alaska and Canada from his brother, Daniel, who
lived in Spokane, Washington. Joseph decided to pack up and leave on short notice. He was
single, and 44 years old. The Sidney Journal reported in an article on April 2,
1898, that Joseph and his brother were "On Their Way To Alaska." Their
destination: the Yukon gold fields by way of Juneau, Alaska.
None of the early adventurers knew what to expect, other than that the weather would be
cold. Few anticipated that the trip by sea from Seattle would pose a serious challenge.
Joseph Staley reported in his first letter home that "We got here...after a rather
rough trip and lots of sea sickness, especially off Queen Charlotte's Sound. There are 500
passengers, all bound for the Yukon diggings, and all of them got sick."
Ben Anderson of Sidney was not quite as fortunate on his journey. He spent the
exorbitant sum of $900 on supplies, which he had shipped directly to Alaska. Anderson also
received a guarantee from the steamship company that he would arrive in Alaska by October
1st. Anderson left Seattle on August 10, 1897 on the 'Eliza Anderson.' After 28 days at
sea, in a voyage that he later described as being "full of peril," his vessel
and several others returned to Seattle when the foul weather made it impossible for them
to continue.
The weather that awaited these men in Juneau, the initial
destination of the gold seekers from Seattle, was often horrendous. Former Sidney resident
Horace Ley arrived in mid-April of 1898. In a letter to the Sidney Journal
published the next month, he described the channels approaching Juneau: "It is very
dangerous, the channels being very narrow and rocky, and a number of vessels have been
lost." He reserved his choicest comments for the wind: "You have no idea what
winds we have...It blows a hurricane here for days at a time...Just before my arrival they
had a blow which burst every west and south window in town."
The prospectors pouring into Juneau had several options from which to choose. Many
stuck with their original plan to strike out on their own and stake a claim. Some opted to
work for other miners. Horace Ley reported in a letter home that "I have obtained a
place with one of the large companies here, and will learn mining from A to Z." The
going rate of pay was $12 a day, with a day off every two weeks.
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