Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-13
A VALUABLE GOLD MINE.

their household utensils bear curious crests
and hgures-but more of that anon.
VALUABLE GOLD MINE.
Our next stop is at the city of Juneau,
lying on gentle declivity at the base of q
huge mountain. 1t is one of the largest
towns OF Alaska, having about 1000 inhabi-
tants, including, always, the Indians. Snow
capped mountains are in view on every
hand, and streams seeming like silver
threads cut the black and green of their
sides, but viewed through the glass these
waters are rushing torrents of melted
snow. Opposite, on Douglas Island, is the
great Treadwell gold mine, with its 250
stamp mill running night and day crushing
the quartz, which assays from 81 to SO per
ton, and enough in sight to last 80 years.
Leaving here, higher still we 60 through
this maze OF marine pictures to Chilcat, the
most Eortherly point touched by regular
ships. Here, in Pyramid harbor, we anchor
in view of Chilcat Peak, rising 4, 900 feet
above the level Of the sea. We are now
about the 600 parallel, and, although snow
mountains may be seen all around us, yet it
is not so cold as the latitude would suggest.
Heavy clothing is comfortable, but the ther-
mometer does not register more than 400.
Nature has provided warm stream to tenn
per these northern shores, called the Kuro
slwo, or Japan current, which flows around
the islands and up into Behring Sea, making
the climate of the whole coast one of the
most equitable in the world. The winters
are not severe, the summers delightfully."-
cool, the only seeming drawback
being the humidity Of the atmosphere. The
rainy season is long and the rain comes
down with the wet side out" In fact at
/ Irac t01H oil hot fbo nrlr
difference in the climate there, seemed to be
that it rained harder some days than others.
We can now read our books until II
O'Clock P. M, and the after glow lasts until
almost IL o'clock. United States Marshal
Adkins, at Sitka, told me that in June they
played tennis there until IL o'clock P. M,
and only stopped then because they were
tired. At that time, allowing for twilight
and the breaking Of the dawn there is prac-
tically no night
From this point we come south again and
round the Dome Peak Mountain into Icy
Strait, and again steer northward to
Glacier Bay, and in seemingly strange
waters, looking upon shore and mountains,
which seem to burst for the first time upon
the view of man, and five great glaciers in
the distance, four of which we pass with only
a wondering gaze. Thus, on August II, we
near Muir Inlet, approaching narrow pass
age OF the great deep.
THE MUIR GLACIER.
Flanked on either side by dark green
clad hills soon we emerge into the great bay
filled with floating ice, which seems at first
like flock of huge white swans gliding
about. Then we feel the chilly breath of
the great ice monsters in the distance, and
as we move along the ice begins to grow
into larger bodies resembling castles of mar
bic or iridiscent glass or assume fantastic |
shapes as of animals-huge beings sculp- |
tured by some cyclopean hand. Among |
these we move slowly in and out say 20 |
miles and enter Muir Inlet, the head of |
which is closed with ice. Slowly we move |
toward the base of this frozen torrent. The |
shores, scarce mile away on either side, ARE |
now bleak and rocky; vegetation has disap- |
peared; on ahead the mountains rear their |
frosted heads high in the distance and their |
Scared faces look down upon the frozen |
monster which seems to writhe between and |
around them with outstretched arms like |
huge octopus. Struggling and glistening in
the sun it moves toward the sea, but, stayed |
by mighty hand, pauses before making
the final plunge into the aqueous depths. |
This is the Muir glacier.
As the Grand Canyon is to "the Yellow
stOue 50 IS Gldcler bay 10 the Alaskan
crowning feature. This is
studio of sculpture, that her school
'f painting. Both are inspiring. One
with the warmth of color and enchantment
IF fairyland, the other cold, statuesque
grandeur that awes and enthralls the ad-
hiring senses. Here is frozen cataract
with its two miles of front, beautifully blue
n the recesses of its stalactites. Imagine
core of Niagaras frozen from base to brink,
With 80 feet added at some points for height,
md place them side by side; then you have
ome idea of the face of the Muir rising out
If the sea, and it extends down into the
water 450 feet. 1t widens and deepens for
niles back between the mountains, thou
ands of feet above the sea. Then think of
he suns rays glistening from the myriads
# pinnacles, and the rainbow tints playing
bout its face, as with kiss and roar, huge
cebergs djslodge and drop into the sea;
lown, down they go a hundred fathoms,
ending the water in spray high in air, and
hen, rising slowly to the surface, float off
With the tide to melt in the warm embrace
# the southern winds. This vast body of
ce is moving at an average rate of 40 feet
Iav, according to measurements made by
Prof. G. f. Wright. S. o. R.