Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-12
ABOUT sKAGIT.
What a Correspondent Has to Say Con-
corning the New Gold Mines.


corning the New Gold Mines.
| lThe following letter dated Yale, B, c.,
May 20, 1880, is from a former resident of
FL Dorado county,
| Well, after pleasant railroad trip from
| Sacramento TO San Francisco, and then a
fine ocean voyage to Victoria, B. c., and
| still another journey on steamer up the
navigation on Frazer river, at the little
mountain town of Yale. AT Victoria and
while coming up the river, and during my
brief stay of a few days here, | have tried
| to get at the facts about the famous Skagit
mines.
l find men here who have claims on that
and several other streams that are tribu-
| taries to it, and not one of these men
| speaks very confidently of the mines. Yes
| terday two men came from there In con-
versaticn with them last night they said
that no work could be done there now as
there was plenty Of snow on the ground
yet and the water was getting higher every
day. AS to the richness OF the mines
they could say nothing, as only little
gold had been taken out. Both of these
men went to work on the railroad to- day
for 0nderdonk at 81 rs per day, and,
presume, had no money.
Our steamer brought quite number Of
men from California that took the Fort
Hope trail for Skagit, so you see they
are going in and coming out.
In the mad excitement to locate claims
some of the ground has been doubled and
trebled with stakes, some stalking last fall
while the ground was bare, and then later
on the snow, and now in some cases staked
by new corners, who find, as the snow set
ties, the stakes set by the earlier pros
pectors.
There is gold on Skagit river without
doubt; also on many other streams near it.
But men who are familiar with this section
of country, and have lived here since 1860,
tell me they don't think the mines justify
great rush or excitement. Still men
are coming daily, some from Oregon and
some from California, who seem TO think
the fortunes of 40 may be found on Sbagit
this summer, while the men who are best
posted are earning their bread among the
mills and logging camps on Puget Sound,
and at any other labor that can be obtained,
waiting for summer. The fact is, Skagit
has a much better reputation in California
than in British Columbia. | presume that
after the middle or perhaps the first of
August all these mountain streams will adj
NIT of miners working for the precious
gold ON their banks But for any one to
come to the mines at present with the au-
ticipation of getting gold is the worst kind
of folly. [ am satisfied that when the
water subsidies diggings that viii pay s.
per day with rockers can be obtained But
cannot hear OF big bonanzas being the
expectation of men well acquainted with
Skagit river. Cariboo miners are leaving
daily for the north. This whole section
has awakened, after a long, hard winter,
into spring life and the sunshine of hope.
Huge banks of snow greet the eye ON
every mountain side, and the waters make
music, as they come tumbling down the
steepest OF steep mountains and are lost IN
the nladly turbulent water of Frazer river.
AS to the cost of getting to the mines the
steamers leave San Francisco on the 10th,
10Th ana 30th OF each month for Victoria.
The fare is $50 cabin, and $40 second
class. Much complaint existed among the
steerage passengers on our steamer at the
fare furnished. The ocean trip to Victoria
takes seventy two hours. On the day fol-
lowing the landing of the boats river
steamers leave for this place, stopping
over night at New Westminster. This
is a fine quiet town on Frazer
river, Of perhaps twelve hundred inha5it-
ants, and about eighty miles from Victoria
fare, two dollars This does not include
meals. Next day light draught steamers
start up the river, and seem to work hard
as they breast the boiling current of this
mountainous stream. The steamer puts
81 do nj tba,- ,aI
to trees on shore over night. Next day
at early dawn we swing out into the seeth-
ing waters, and passing Fort Hope, where
the Skagit trail strikes the river tthe mines
are 60 miles from Hope, and snow on the
trail, otherwise the trail is called good, we
arrive at Yale in the afternoon, fare IS,
and most interesting voyage we have had.
The grand old mountains almost surpass
themselves in beautiful and eyer-changing
scenery all along the Frazer from New
Westminster TO Yale.
There are perhaps $50 white men and |
SO Cinnamon working on the railroad,
Work has been started on two of the 30 /
tunnels that must be made along Frazer |
river in the pass from Yale to the open
country beyond. Much complaint exists
at the small wages offered by Mr..
Onderdonk-Sl so per day, and 81 per
week to be paid for board, is too small pay.
Several men get 81 70 per day. One gang
OF Cinnamon started to work at S24 per
month, and worked one day, then struck
for $50, which was granted them. No SUBJ
contracts are let. I think the road will be
built mostly by Cinnamon. if they can be
Almost all the white men say
that when the water will permit they in
tend going into the mines. Four thousand
men, it is said, are needed to work on
this railroad, and five years will be
required for its completion of one hundred
and thirty miles. The steel rails have laid
on the bank of the river for some four or
FIVE years. Large piles of them can be
seen from my window. Piles of wheel
barrows and other railroad making imple-,
ments are all about the town. Work has
begun in earnest, and l suppose British
gold is ready to pay for the same. Mer-
chants, hotel-keepers and saloon men
smile to see the railroad boom, while |
drop my pen after uttering the shibboleth
of the region, SKAGIT