Iowa Old Press
Fort Dodge Semi-Weekly Chronicle
Fort Dodge, Webster co. Iowa
January 1, 1898
ORGANIZING FOR KLONDIKE
About the Park Hotel Tuesday and all day you could hear nothing
but Klondike and gold. It is the worst attack of gold fever
probably that ever struck an Iowa community. Furthermore, it is
an earnest one and one that nothing but a liberal supply of the
metal or long cold years will cure. Men are here from four
states, all bold, congenial spirits and are determined to go
whether anyone else goes or not.
Strangely enough the majority of the men are middle aged,
probably not a man under thirty years. All look as though they
were successful business men and talk of the expedition in a cold
blooded, businesslike way. The meeting was held last Tuesday in
the dining room, the parlors being unable to accommodate so large
a crowd. A temporary organization was at once affected. F.A.
Benjamin, of Marshalltown, being elected temporary chairman and
C. A. Walsh, of Ottumwa, chairman of the democratic state central
committee, temporary secretary.
The plan and the object of the meeting was given in detail. The
meeting was held in this city because of it being centrally
located and most easily reached from all points of the state. All
well regulated Klondike expeditions should start from Fort Dodge
instead of Seattle or any other western point.
J. M. Starbuck, the promoter of the scheme, was from his a youth
a fast friend of Frank J. Davis, who after a series of romantic
adventures claims to have struck it rich in the mountains near a
small village on the Yukon several hundred miles down from Dawson
City. Davis claims to have more wealth than he can carry away and
has written Starbuck to take a limited company to where he is,
promising to enrich them all. The account of his fabulous find
has been published, but Starbuck has another letter telling where
this gold is to be found and how to reach the place. This letter
has never been seen by anyone but himself. It is said that he has
received two offers, one of $5,000 and another $7,000 to read
that letter to men intending to go to the Klondike but the offers
were refused and unless it was read in the secret meeting last
Wednesday its contents are known only to himself.
Mr. Starbuck offers to guide a select company of fifty men to
this place by their each depositing $100 with him. This makes a
neat sum of $5,000 and it is easy to see that he doesn't have to
travel far to his Klondike. This money is merely a fee to Mr.
Starbuck and pays no part of equipment or transportation.
Prominent among those taking part in the meeting Tuesday was
secretary Walsh, who showed close study and minute knowledge of
the conditions confronted. The plan of taking the Strickeen river
route instead of entering the territory by the Yukon was selected
on his presentation. Owing to the Yukon's running north, the
river breaks up far into the interior much earlier this month.
The plans to therefore to cross the trail in sledges, leaving
here about February 15th, and then float down the Yukon. In this
way, the gold field to which they go will be reached while the
mouth of the Yukon is still blocked with ice. Another man
prominent in the enterprise is James Stuart, of Webster City.
After discussing laws and constitutions to govern the enterprise
a committee was appointed to prepare the same and report
Wednesday. The gentleman composing the committee, C.A. Walsh
chairman, was busily engaged on the same in the forenoon in room
28. The company will be known as the "The-Iowa-Alaska
Co-operative Mining Association."
Immediately afterwards, those who had pledged themselves to join
the enterprise met in secret session to make final plans and
agreements. Fort Dodge is represented, Messrs. Hoagland and Allie
Ristine joining the enterprise from here. Among those present
from other cities are the following:
C.M.C. Stewart, M. McKeean, G.A. Watson, Mason City; J.D. Conway,
H.E. Martin, Iowa Falls; J. M. Starbuck, Chas. P. Geise,
Cherokee; M. B. Boyd, Sanborn, Iowa; Dr. Bunham, C.A. Walsh, A.E.
Park, Carr Doran, Ottumwa, Iowa; B.D. Milam, Miller, S.D.; E. R.
Babcock, D. A. Rutledge, S.J. Powell, Storm Lake, Iowa; F.W.
Moore, J.W. Taylor, Independence, Iowa; E.G. Corwin, Sheldon,
Iowa; Thomas Manson, Jasper, Minn.; Dell McCord, F.A. Benjamin,
F.E. Peck, E.M. Vail, W.M. Sherlock, Marshalltown, Iowa; F. W.
Foster, Ontario, Iowa; J. B. Keables, Pella, Iowa; A.W. Pearson,
Union Falls; A. S. Barrett, Elms; Joe Kaiser, Anita, Iowa; N. A.
Ross, Waterloo, Iowa; E.C. Hutt, E. G. Abbott, Charter Oak, Iowa;
M. S. Marsh, Renwick; James Stuart, Webster City, Iowa; S. K.
Myers Cedar Rapids, Iowa; G. H. Rienour, Webster City; W. S.
Hanna, Iowa Falls; Cal Whinery, Union; M. T. Burnett, Luverne;
F.P. Moffett, N.A. Russell, Marshalltown; M. Walrath, Arlington.
Thirty-two of them pledged themselves to join the expedition and
paid $50 down, making a total of $1,500 received by Mr. Starbuck.
[transcribed by L.Z., March 2006]