The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-08
Ready to Fall at the Feet of
Seattle Merchants.
uNosvsLoPso ALASKAN wEAlrH
Miners Are Swarming to the Yukon
Basin for It's Gold.
Trading Companies Ready to Buy whole
cArwoes Here ~ They Can Get oeoa
rerms-obstaoies to the Mlainx af
Gold.

'. wilson. who recently returned fror,
trip to the headquarters of the Yukon.
and who visited every place of note in
Alaska, whittier he went to gather ma
terlass Tor a guide 10 Alaska, is sanruins
over the possibilities of the trade which
Seattle may build up with that re-
gion II the merchants will only
ealuvate and cater TO IL. He will have
his book out early next year and il will he
invaluable TO those who intend TO visls
Alaska Mr.. Wilson was after informal
tion, and he got 1t by visiting the mines.
mills and fisheries of Alaska, and he u
therefore fully qualified TO speak UNDER
standingly on all matters appertsining TO
that country.
lie saws that the Yukon basin. when 10
IS opened by good trails and roads Will.
IN few years, 30 populated by 100000
miners. The basin is as large as the en-
tire Pacific slope. and every tributary Of
that great stream has gold along its banks
aud bars. Mr.. Wilson thinks that ii tho
Alaska trade Is properly fostered
by Seattle merchants. this city
can control the trade of
what he considers the greatest gold coun
try in the world. The trade of the Yukon
basin can be retained here. no says. pro-
vlded that those who are engaged in sup
plying the miners with their neccssarias
can get Rs good terms here as they can at
other places. This city has the trade ana
can keep il by very little care.
Mr.. Wilson left juneau Tor the Yukon
on June :, 1894. going across the mount
aims by the Chllcoot pass. He went down
the Yukon river distance OF 2 500 miles.
shooting the canyon, visiting various
tributaries and taking while en- route over
20 photographs of the scenery along the
route. He Is the only man who ever
brought out pictures of the leading scenic
points Of that wonderful region. In speak
IN she Yukon basin trade, he said:
Capt. Heaiy, of the North American
transportation and Trading Company.
bought from Schwsbacher & Co alone
$1,000 worth Of goods last year, besides
what he purchased of other firms in tins
city. All these goods went into the
Yukon basin. Next year he will purchase
three ship loads, which viii cost about
100000, in this city. The goods
ing such as are used in
mining in the Alaska placers. Thsre are
besides the placer mines, numerous quartz
lodes. but the development of these will
be matter for the future, M the country
will have to be in an advanced state of de-
Fe1opiueut bstore tuosc lOucs can De de-
yeloped. A few years ago the piacers
were only worked in summer Now
they work down through the ice, get out
the auriferons earth and work the gold
out of IL in summer when the weather is
warm. In my opinion there are no richer
mines in the world. l saw one claim out
of which s35, 900 was taken in six or seven
weeks by eight men. The space out Of which
came this fortune was only 30x9O feet or
about half as big rs one of your city lots
here. Four men worked in the day time
and four at night. There will be- 1000 men
In the Yukon basin next year. Nine hun
dred and ninety are wintering there this
winter and there are twenty-nine white
women there. There are two small saw
mills on the river and lumber costs 800
per thousand.
Just as soon rs better roads and trails
are constructed so that We can ger in aud
out without losing almost an entire sea-
son the country will I'll up. There is
plenty Of room, as the country Is larger
than all the Pacific coast states.
look for a population Of at least
10000 within very short period.
Thousands of fortunes will be made
along the banks of the tributaries Of the
Yukon by the hardy and adventurous who
are willing 10 rough IL for few seasons
in order 10 dig out their pile in this
auriferous region.
''You can readily sec from the brief out
line that | have given that the trade 10
worth looking after. III IL amounts To
something now il will in n few years grow
10 enormous proportions. Therefore il
behooyes the Seattle merchants who have
the first call on il TO nurse II and IL will
bring them great prosperity ia the days
that are to come"