The Klondike News, 1898

Dateline: March 17, 2024.

    Keith Johnston of Whitehorse recently uncovered what appears to be a miniature copy of Volume 1, No. 1 of The Klondike News, published at Dawson, "N.W.T." April 1, 1898.

    Mr. Johnston's wife Dorothy has cleaned up the newspaper to make it legible, and it makes fascinating reading.

    The cover shows the discoverer of gold in the Klondike, George Carmack, with the heading "Output for 1898 - $40,000,000".

    Inside are articles on Eldorado Creek and the businesses and miners who were in the Klondike at the time of publication.

    Belinda Mulrooney is written up, as are Charles Lamb, Emil Gay, "Big Aleck" McDonald, the "King of the Klondike", G.L. "Tex" Rickard, Editor Virgil Moore, Manager Chas. Meadows and artist W.C. Wilkins, all of the staff of The Klondike News.

    "Arizona" Charlie Meadows, who later built the Palace Grand theatre is discussed at length.

    The artist has sketched the Dawson townsite, which is accompanied by an ad for "The Dawson Townsite Company and Harper and Ladue Mill Company". Among the other sketches are Pete McDonald's "New Pavilion" called "The McDonald", "The Monte Carlo" with onion-shaped dome and Persian-inspired windows and doors, and a drawing of the "proposed" new luxurious hotel, “Ho-La-Na" named for the proprietors, Lloyd-Harrison and Nash.

    The editor uses two pages to discuss "whether to go" to the Klondike (yes, if you can carry a year's supply of provision); when to go (unsafe after September to climb the passes); what to take (the human system demands the use of oil and fats so don't forget olive oil, and take along a few yeast cakes, to start your sough dough, and one pound of tea is worth a dozen pounds of coffee in cold weather!); and how to go (the Edmonton route, the Copper River route, the Stickine route, the Takau route, the Dalton Trail, White Pass or Skaguay trail, the Chilcoot Pass or Dyea Trail and the St. Michael's or all-water route).

    With regard to the Edmonton route, the author merely said "The Edmonton route is out of the question at present for anyone taking in an outfit, as it involves long portages between rivers and lakes and hundreds of miles of travel through an unknown country. It would take full six months to reach Dawson this way". The Dalton Trail, the Dyea and Skaguay trails and all-water route via St. Michaels get the nod of approval.

    There are many photographs of the men and women discussed, and of the mine workings, particularly on Bonanza and Eldorado creeks.

    The editor, Virgil Moore, said "As the first and only newspaper ever attempted on the great Yukon River, the Klondike News occupies a unique place in journalism, and promises to serve the interests of the miners and business men of Dawson and vicinity."

    Mrs. Johnston, owner of the copy of The Klondike News, said that her husband found it in one of the old buildings in Dawson early this summer. She said she intends to keep the copy for a time to enjoy reading it, and perhaps give it to the museum iater. Mrs. Johnson is employed in the Medical Records department of the Whitehorse General Hospital.

    The front and back cover of The Klondike News is of particular interest to The Star, since it is the same one used in the 1966 "Discovery Day" edition of The Star last August. How The Star came to have the prints is a story in itself.

    In 1962, during the Dawson City Festival, a young hitchiker from France Henri Meriguet passed through Whitehorse on lhis way to the Klondike. He had in his possession the (full-size) cover of the paper which had been handed down from his grandfather Emil Meriguet (known in the Klondike as "Emil Gay" after whom Gay's Creek was named). The Star photographed it and young Meriguet.

    Henri wanted to see hi grandfather's property, and did, later that summer in Dawson. He returned to Whitehorse after Discovery Day, August 17, and proceeded to hitchike down the Alaska Highway on his way home to France.

    Many months later, after he had failed to appear at his home, inquiries were started, and eventually the RCMP found some bones, identified as those of Meriguet, near Mile 691.

    A man called Karoli Marsi, who was identified by several witnesses as being the driver of a car in which Meriguet was seen travelling, was held by police in connection with the disappearance. But since they were not able to prove exactly how Meriguet had died, no charges were laid.

    Meriguet's camera and his packsack containing his "Klondike News" were never found either.