The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-04-08
r,om We1needayb Dosly.
GOLD
:. the Mines Of AlA0ho.
A, 1ptsrestane Letter nom srosmsr
lGout0nian.

,,terest,ng Letter nom . 1oemss
Nootonian.
srrxA, ALASKA, March 4, 1852.
nstor Butte Miner:
c,r: Perhaps few lines from this
..e country may not be wholly un.
s.e.tins. After leaving Montana
. direct to Alaska BY way Of San
en.isco reaching Harrisburg, now Ju-
f :. c;ty. ON the eth day Of March last.
Sss mining campis about l76 miles
1rI +heast Of sitka, and will, I think,
s.. fully developed prove rich in
"a Most of the prospecting last sea
:" xas for quartz, and a great number
.,oe.tions were made, some Of which
1.h;nk will pay well when suitable ma
'.;nery i. brought here to work them.
".,a haring quartz is found in this
:.,.r.l belt 20 fur ~ the same has been
.-..L and from surface appearances
'|...re a number of well defined lodes,
I'D inspectors and even mining ex-
.srs appear to feel certain Of immense
r+unes here in the near future. But
'..lr work however has been done q
-. ,ti,l from the great Number Of rich
::,o'n;ngs, and other indications, I am
slIy satisfied that there are large depos-
-. ~ cold near here. This whole
,ouutry hears evidence Of recent volcan-
:. .ction. and has = nswness about it
.,,,.vouble to extensive placer mining,
.h.rp being hut little decomposed quartz,
and rs a consequence the best placer
mine, are found near the quartz lodges
=, tho mountain side, instead Of in the
h.d. Of creeks Or ravines. Placer mines
h.vevcr had to be found and worked,
q, il was a ground hog case with
many Of the poor fellows who
h,d driftcd here from the worked-out
mining camps Of California and British
columbia. Good placer mines were
s,ud when men began to prospect for
them. but new systems had to be tried
and experiments made to save the gold,
4 heing 80 very fine. Miners are pro-
verbally ingenious, and by carefully
n,emretl rifles. blankets and quicksil-
yer. fair showing of gold was made be-
iore the close of the season. The heavy
s,ovs IN the mountains furnish sufli-
lent water for the summers work.
nut in most of the season, with my
Montana partner, prospecting for
ouartz. aud made nine locations, some
ofthem showing we'll, and all Of them
bearing traces Of gold. I then decided
70 % to Puget Sound to winter, and
while waiting for the steamer was in
duced by friend Of mine named Will
Iians to join him in little prospecting
on Douglas Island. As . result We
struck ounce "diygings," took in two
other partners, founded . new mining
district, and have ground enough to
keep forty M,cn busy for the next three
years.
We also erected u new town called
Coopertown and have free town lots
waiting for hundred good miners.
We worked our placer mines until
the storms came ON, and then concluded
to enjoy northern winter. 1 am writ
Ing on the lth Of March, and 1t has been
the mildest winter, so fur 10 cold wealth
er is concerned, have ever seen. We
nave lad storms Of rain, snOw and
wind, hut the coolest weather was four
degrees aInvc zero, and most Of the
weather little il any below freezing
This will probably seem strange to peo-
PIE who lave thought Of Alaska as an
Arctic region. suppose the warm ia
pan current that scientists tell 10 about
must help Us out during the long winter
nights. for the nights are long here in
the winter, but in May and June we
seldom lose sight Of daylight during the
4 hours.
The indians are queer set, AMI seem
10 lie dcgsnerated MongOlians, with
seifsl'ntss and treacllery us prominent
ei'arscterietics. They will work for pay,
however and are employed to do the
Parking and other drudgery around the
"a p. They hunt and fish during the
winter season, are generally beref"ot,
and wear very little clothing, but seem
srisk and content with their surround
inSs.
The Russians are mixed breed, aud
hardly up to the Indians in brains or
muscle, but have most II not NIL Of their
tad qualities.
The country along the coast IL noun
'a'n"''< and unrxplored, much less pros
I~r'e': and will, he to say the least
very hard to explore or prospect hack
INN :hc coast. In many respects this
Stru'y \ wonderful country, and y de-
~r!'i'n. even . partial description,
"""Ii occupy too much space. Public
"''n'i"m will s.xn liz called 20 1t, for IN
~! Judgment it has great possibilities
IlNl Sl,,lr,.s ~ r...,& -oolf1, The fish.