The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-09-05
be made, and the amount d ore to lie
worked has not been aScertained.

worked has not been aScertained.
On the mainland just back OF juneau
is gulch which tan only be reached ai-
ter a struggle through three miles Of mud
and water. When you get there you are
in silver low Basin, which Is something
Of a misnomer, since the rork is ireckIcd
not With silver, but with gold. In this
locality three new mines have jIst been
Opened-the Takou Union, the Gold
Mountain and the juneau Gold Mining
company's claim. Owing to the altitude
If the loles and he lack Of water Mt that
hei hit, the mill owners are Obligel to
build tranways resembling coal elevators
to lower the quartz to the mills. Tie
tramMays work automatically, the lO .ded
cars on the down grade pulling the empty
ears at the other end Of the cable. The
plant Gf the Takou will cost when com.
pleted about $40 D. liz ears VII run
about a quarter OF mile. Che trLmway
of the Gold Mountain will I've thr e,qanr-
ters Of nile lonG, and the cost Of It's
plant will be about slJ0,OJO. The Ju.
nean's tranIway will he two miles loR...
Its mills will be situated at the conhien
Of SnoWslide GUlrh with Upper Bow
Basin, Is, 0 feet above sea level. As Ice
Gulch is ia the imme late vitality, the
miners need have no fear OF sunsi rOke
even in July. The veins OF ore in the
basin 10 not crop out extensively at the
surface. They are believed TO lie smaller
in size, but Of higher .ra'lc than that Of
the Tresdwell mine. All Of the ore yet
found in Alaska is Of u quality known IN
'free milling UTe," and can he easily
worked.
Outside Of the three Basin mines no
quartz mills are being constructed on the
mainland; but the couniry is covered
with claims staked out by enthusiastic
miners who expect 10 realize fortunes from
them some day.
A recent silver discovery has greatly
excited the town and will probably lead
to new influx Of miners and prospect
ors. Some three weeks ago three plos-
pectors were ssilinS along the shore OF
Holcomb bay, sixty miles from juneau,
when one Of them, from sOme trivial
cause, took notion TO land. When he
was put ashore he thOughtlersly raised
his pick aud struck random blow at the
rock by the beach. A l.iere was chippad
of, and us it fell The sIeam Of the quartz
caught his eye. Picking !; up he exam.
ined it with close attention, and then, in
eat excitement, rallerl to lis conipan-
ions to pull ashore. The three sOIn had
their heads close together over the quartz
snd their joy may be imagined when II
dawned upon their minis that they had
"struck it rich." The quartz was full II
silver. Specimens Of the rock were
taken, claims staked of, and the happy
men returned to Juleau. An assay Of
the ore showed it TO coIitain from 3JJ to
40 ounces Of silver per ton ol quartE
The news sp, edily leaked out, and all the
boats Of the town were chartered by prOs-
pectors, who sailed or rpwed down 10 the
new Eldotado. MANY Of them are there
vet, and many claims have been staked
of in the vicinity OF the ori .inal strike,
A ion Of ore IRON the original claim is
now on lis way to San Fnlnvisco to be ex-
perimentaliy millet. The claim has al
ready changed hands several times, and
il now held by 4 dozen men in partner.
ship. It's value is still purely speculative,
but II il held at from s0 80 10 q. o, ,JJ.
Verify, Alaska is A Iand Of great ex-
pectations. but thus far Of few ruIiza-
tons, That Yold and silver are to lie
Iound In large and payinS quantities
amonY the almost Inaccessible hills il
more than probable, Prospectins :, how
ever, is exceedingly difficult, and there
are lar e tracts OF country into which the
harliest miners have found il impossible
to force their way.
The forests OF Alaska are ne, uliar,
cboked with fallen trees and ulorasses,
into whEih man may sink up TO, his
armpits. not to sneak of other obstacles.
which make MO ress throu h the tangled
mass always labOrious and sometimes
impossible,
nlllef9 have titRke0 l0tf1 this glIn0tfV