In approximately 1898, brothers
Vinton and Elmer Dilley arrived in the Yukon Territory, in the
area where the Klondike and Yukon Rivers meet near Dawson,
participants in the famous Klondike
Gold Rush. Each of them secured a few claims for Placer mining
(see below).
Elmer Ellsworth Dilley (1863-1950)
was proprietor of the Dilley Hotel, located
"No. 17 above, Eldorado"
in 1900.
(Click here for a link to list of Roadhouse and Hotel
owners in the Yukon circa 1900)
Photo courtesy of Mike
Dilley (descendant of Vinton Dilley). If you look closely,
in the top left hand corner you can see "E. Dilley, Prop."
written at the bottom of the Hotel sign. The little boy sitting
on the steps with the fur hat is Homer Dilley, son of Vinton which
is sitting next to him.
Living conditions in the Yukon Territory
were (and still are) very harsh. The temperature in the winter
can plummet to -50 degrees F, with only about 75 days out of the
year at above freezing temperatures. During mid-summer, temperatures
reach about 61 degrees F. From the following Placer Claims, we
can see that Vinton and Elmer lived for at least 5 years in the
Yukon Territory (1898-1903), braving the elements in search of
gold.
Click
here for link to Vinton Bailey Dilley's Placer Mining Claims
Click
here for link to Elmer Ellsworth Dilley's Placer Mining Claims
Map of Yukon Territory. Vinton and
Elmer were located very near the town of Dawson.
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Photo Album