The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-11-20

Mr.. James f. Chapman, an ole
mining man, arrived in Portland
Oregon, recently, from two-years
prospecting trip on the Yukon river
and its tributaries in Alaska. HI
gives quite an account of the coun
try, differing greatly from the re-
port made by party of miners, who
last summer passed over the same
ground Mr.. Chapman says that
the members of this party did nc
work at all, but simply went down
the river and took the steamer fOr
San Francisco, where they gave the
whole country a very "black eye"
The country, he says, is rich,
very rich, with a fine quality OF
dust which cannot be handled to
any great advantage with the old
time pan and rocker. Mr.. Chap
man brought a gold brick worth
1921 II, the return for two months
work. Others of the small band OF
miners who have been at work this
summer have made sums ranging
from $500 to 5000 each, and all
feel confident of finding rich de-
posts up at the head of Stewart
river, which comes into the Yukon
from the north. All the work done
so far has been on the bars of the
Stewart river, and where so much
fine gold is found great confidence
of striking it rich at the head wa
ters of the stream is felt. Two
parties, he said, did push up toward
the head of the stream this year but
as they had not returned at the
time of his departure he of course
does not know what they found.
A store has been established by a
trading company at the mouth of
Stewart river and the place called
Fort Nelson. Of the 100 men who
have been working this summer the
greater number will winter at Fort
Nelson. The climate reaches Sc
we're extremes, the thermometer GO
ing as low as so degrees below zero
in the winter. In summer the
mean temperature ranges from so
to 40 degrees, with very little rain.
The distance from the coast to where
Mr.. Chapman was is 500 miles. The
journey, which takes about six
weeks, is rather rough after leaving
salt water. The cascade range has to
be crossed, and then the Yukon is
reached, a distance of about thirty
five miles from the coast. There a
raft or boat is built and passage
made to the mouth of Stewart river,
which is then assembled. "A small
steamer is already running and
navigation is easy and practicable.
The whole country is rough and
heavily timbered and abounds in
game of all kinds, moose, caribou,
bear and other large game, while
the streams are alive with fish. The
Yukon is full of salmon of large
size and superior quality. There
are few Indians, and they are quiet
and peaceable and anxious to trade
with the white men, whom they
seem glad to see. The Indians are
in their native condition, dressing
in furs and skins and using the
bow and arrow in hunting, though
of late some few firearms have been
introduced among them.
Mr.. Chapman was engaged for
many years in missionary work for
the Presbyterian church among the
various tribes of Indians in Alaska.
He is now on his way to Southern
Oregon to look into some new in
for separating gold dust.
He intends going back to Alaska in
the spring, starting in March and
travelling on ice; there is absolute
ly no way of travelling except over
the water courses, in the summer by
boat and in the winter over the ice.