The klondike, what did they carry?

J

jackknife

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Oct 2, 2004
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So I'm sitter here watching a blizzard, again, (:grumpy:) and I got to reading some old Jack London stories. Yeah, maybe sort of twisted seeing as we're snowbound again. But after reading a few stories, I started to wonder what the stampeders would have had in thier pockets. I'm sure the adventures heading off to the Yukon looking for gold must have brought along a fair share of cutlery, some of it in thier pockets. So what would a Yukon bound prospector have had in his pockets?:confused:

A moose?

A folding hunter?

What pocket knife would go along with a Winchester rifle and Colt revolver in the great frozen north?
 
I can picture some of these men carrying muskrat patterns, as there would be a good chance that these guys would also be harvesting pelts and whatnot for supplementing their income.
 
Klondike Cornelious yelled "Eureka" a lot. Bet it was a Eureka Jack. :D
 
No Muskrats or Trappers as these are more modern patterns. Lots of fixed-blade hunting or camp style knives and maybe a big Jackknife or Barlow as a pocket knife. Just speculation without specific evidence at this point.
 
Also, I don't think any of them were headed up there to do any trapping. The only skinning they were planning to do was of each other. A harness jack would have certainly fit the bill -- mules and horses were important - each man had to have more than a ton of supplies, much of it food (considered to be a year's worth I think) to be allowed thru the passes into Canada.
 
Panning for gold in that cold climate must have been rough on their hands. Their knives probably had a nail file and maybe some of those cute little manicure scissors. :D
 
A large Clasp Knife or something similar to a Daddy Barlow?

An MOT Congress....no!
 
I wonder if folding knives were a rarity up there. I'd have preferred a fixed blade in mittens-and-gloves weather.
 
Since they came from such a diverse background. I would think that the knives they carried much reflect such diversity.

God Bless
 
I would think a good number of laguiole knives would have been in evidence along with fixed blades. Lot's of French traders along the route...
 
I was thinking that since they were in RCMP territory when they got there, some of the trading posts must have had some of the Sheffield products on hand.
 
I think the need for harness jacks decreases substantially one's folks got underway. Most of the horses and mules died before they were out of site of Skagway, couldn't make it over the first passes due to the ridiculous weight of supplies and treacherous footing. I read that the ground underfoot was covered with horse carcasses several deep over long stretches. If they were available at the time, I'd think a hobo style would have been mighty handy.

Eric
 
This is the list of goods that Dan and his partner, Ned Dyers, purchased for their planned two-year stay in the Klondike gold fields, quoted from a letter sent to his sister and brother on August 1, 1897:

"Our latest improved rifles, with plenty of amunition
Two Colts Revolvers
Six pairs snow glasses
2 Axes - 3 shovels - 3 picks
Some pick steel & Borax for [?]
3 gold pans and one rocker Also Some quicksilver
1 Whip Saw -- 1 Hand Saw
1 Box flat files - 1 claw hammer
1 Frying pan - 1 Baking Pan
1 - 8 quart granite kettle
1 - 6 " " "
1 coffee pot - 6 granite cups
2 large spoons - knives & forks & spoons
4 granite plates - 1 Brace & set of bits
Epsom Salts - quinine - Soda
Mosquito bar (Silk) - 1 tent
200 ft. 5/8" rope - Oakum
Batchelors buttons - needles & thread
Wax ends - Awls - Shor nails
Shor tacks - Wire nails
Leather soles, already cut out
Rubber patches - rubber cement
Our large magnet, also magnifying glass
A quantity of Lime juice to keep off scurvy
Alcohol - Carbolic Acid (for gray backs)
Oiled canvas sheet to lay under blanket
Sheet iron stove - Reflector for baking
2 heavy pocket knives - Candle wicks
250 lbs. Bacon Smoked extra heavy - Matches
100 " Evaporated Peaches - Baking Powder
100 " " Apricots - Salt
50 " " Apples - Black Pepper
100 " Self rising Flour - 2 cases Milk - Condensed
400 " Graham Flour - 250 lbs. Beans
500 " Wheat Flour - Cayenne Pepper
100 " Rice - 20 lbs. Coffee - 30 lbs. Tea
Castile Soap - Candles - Mustard
Evaporated Potatoes & Onions

Now there are likely quite a few articles we have not thought of yet, but I put everything down as I think of it & guess we will have a good outfit. Now the next thing is clothes. We will probably get underclothes of chamois leather - 2 suits outer clothes, each, made of very best woolen blankets, also 2 Suits each, either best duck or corduroy - then we will get woolen blankets - four pairs each, also two sleeping bags, these bags are made of oiled canvas and lined with wool and at night you just crawl in, close up the bag and go to sleep as warm as if you were in some other place. Then, there's Caps, Silk gloves & Heavy Mittens, Woolen Socks, German Socks & overshoes--Leather Shoes - extra heavy - Rubber boots &c. We also have to fill up our medicine chest yet. Now after this is all packed then we have to take along enough horses, Pack Saddles etc. to carry it all over the Mountains, so you see we will have quite an outfit.

Now I have shown this list to my partners & they tell me to get it all & as much more if I want it & charge it up to them."

Be interesting to know what the 2 "heavy pocket knives" were.
 
Worse than being a person trying to get that Klondike gold, is being the poor mule having to carry all of the stuff.

The things that people put themselves through for some of that shinny dust.

God Bless
 
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