Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-20
AND BEYoNp

1hc Wihib8 FfoopCos Ahic cSheOu-
What May be Expected OF the
Carbonate Discovery-Some
Alaskan Experiences.
Pioneer Press.
DEADwooD, OAK, April 3.-Minine
communities live on excitement, nov,
city, change; which, If not bestowed,
engenders discomfort, restlesnness and
emigration. Uniform prosperity on.
joyed in fixed localities and running
In established grooves becomes monot.
onous and unappreciated. Hence 4,
Is that with the occurrence of spring
the average miner casts about for new
and distant "diggings"-the more re.
mote the better-and Is allured by
the fsintest report upon often the
Widest kind of a wild goose chase, In.
volving the abandonment of very rich
or very promising claims.
Alaska, the present goal of many, Is
doubtless the only territory on the
continent, remaining undeveioped.
As frequently pronounced nova days
the name is very comprehensive, being
made to cover not only the Seward
purchase at Behring Strait, but all of
British Columbia and much oontigu.
Gus territory. In fact, ~ I prosecute
my Investigations I discover that the
threatened stampede will not reach
Alaska proper at all, but Is destined
for the headwaters of the Yukan,
about 800 miles north of Kootensy,
B. @. transportation IL secured at
San Francisco, by coasters, to Vioto.
ria, thence across the sound to the
main land, and sixty miles up q river,
the zane OF which I cannot recall,
where canoes are obtained and an as
cent OF the river continued for 150
miles further. From this point the
trip Is completed on foot, dragging
supplies In sledges over the 800 miles
of 10y steppes and mountains of snow
that characterize the Kootenay dtu.
trict ten months out of every twelve.
ALASKAN PRosPECToRs.
1t was recently my good fortune to
meet two old friends, Charley Howard
and j. 7. Kretzinger, who, two years
ago, accompanied a prospecting party
through that region. They were alb.
sent an entire season, made a thor.
ough exploration, returned to the
Hills, and are satisfied to remain here.
According to their testimony, a wilder,
more rugged and more uninviting SEQ
ton, generally, 1t would be difficult to
conceive, much moro to discover. The
mountains are Of great altitude, thick.
~ covered with fallen timber, rocks,
snow and Ice, while the gulohes are
very narrow and present an In.
desoribable jungle Of dead tim
Der and the accumulated
debris of ages, beneath which
run, with unmusioal roar, vast volumes
of water. Occasionally streams Of con.
siderable magnitude are encountered,
one Of which, for upwards Of 80 miles,
the party descended at the imminent
risk of life and limb by reason Of
numerous rapids, falls, immense boul.
ders and the terrific rush of water.
Happily, they escaped with only q few
bruises and the loss of considerable
property. Prospecting Is absolutely
out of the question six months Of the
year, 30 severe Is the weather and &C
abundant IL the snow, and 10 ct al
times attended with the utmost diff
Guilty. The ground IL never bare mol
rec of frost, and Is marked with about
the same facility and slmilar appli.
snoes a. are here employed II
opening 1lnty quartz mines. Min
eral exists In great variety, including
gold, silver and copper, but In quanti'
ties that could not bo determined by {
brief seasons prospecting which from
the very nature of things must hav'
been largely superficial. To all sp
pesrances my friends were of the frs
party to penetrate this inhospitabl'
locality. Not a trace n sign Of
human being, either trapper, hunter
or miner was found until, on theil
return to Victoria, and wher
within 100 miles or 30 OF the coast
they came upon q Chinese camp o
about 100 souls engaged In place.
digging. True to the instincts of thei
race, the Mongolians were shy, suspio
ious and %reticent, and would not I'm
part any information of value, bu
from close observation the visitor
considered that the dlggings ere pay
Ing about $6 q day to a man, and wer
very shallow = not to exceed ten feet
1t was also apparent that q working
season could not be over three months
duration.
Such, In brief, Is the country to
ward which SO many unreasonable,
dissatisfied miners are now looking
and In which many will find bitter dis
appointment and sorrow before tn
year shall close. Difficult Of acces
and with an incomparably unfavor
able climate, l fail to see how tn
country can create any excitement, o
at least how excitement and continu
when the truth shall be known.
A BRIGHTER PICTURE.
1t is pleasant to turn from q pictur
Of such abject gloom to q oontempls
ton of a situation 30 replete wit
promise as II exists in the Hills.
notice In q recent report from Wash
ington that there was Q perceptible
not material decline In the preclou
metal output OF this locality durin
the paAt year, and, while I am nc
prepared to demonstrate the truth G
falslty of the statement, / cannot oil
stain from declaring my disbelief, an
from insisting that no individual, CON
pany, department or bureau can q
ouratsly state or closely spproxima'