Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-28

white men who ever Ventured into the savage aid unknown wilderness, cross ing the mountains from Fort Mackenzie ill the far Northwest Territory It was not until 1872, however, that the coun- try Was prcspected. Then one miner who vcnturCd in reported finding coarse gold, but because of the dangers and hardships of crossing the mountains and rivers the trip was not again taken until 1880, when a party of 25 went i'll and found gold ill many places. One year later the first paying diggiDgs were opened, and in lSS6 the remarkably rich CasSiar bar diggingS were discovered. Every year since then more gold diggerS have made their way tO the Yukon fields, going in the spring and coming out in the au- tumn with the fruit of their labOrs. They found it impossible to winter there, for all supplies had to be packed from the diggingS on their own backs over the mountains and then floated down the rivers on rafts or boats built on the spot for distance of 500 miles Sometimes the thermometer goes down to so below zero i'll the winter. and it is practically impossible to do any travel ;ng in that region after September.
 In 1892 forward step was taken. Two Chicago men, P. D. and l.. E. Weare. were told about the situation by Captain T. T. Healv. an old Montana miner who had spent ten years in Alas ka. The WCarcS and John Cudahv. to- gether with number of other ChiraSo capitalists, then formed the North Amer ican Trading and Transportation com pany, and transported the timbers and machinery of 320 ton steamer to St. Michaers island, so miles off the mouth of the Yukon. There the steamer was put together and launched ill time to make trip up the river with n cargo of supplies that same fall Sixteen hundred miles from the river $ mouth Fort Cuda- ny was built the following year; ware houses, a sawmill, a free reading room, billiard hall and many fine cabins | were also erected, and the new fort was made general trading station.
 Since that timo tho mining interests of Alaska have increased enormously, | and this spring a genuine stampede to | the Yukon fielGs has begun. Hundreds | of miners will this year he at work there with p:ck and shovel. Owing to the dry ness of the climate, what is known as | hydraulic mining, which requires great quantities of water cannot bc employed. The Alaskan region. therefore. may prop | erly hr termed a poor man s paradise, for | ill placer mines. where the work has tO | be done with pan or cradle. machin- cry can never take the place of muscle. | PrnSptCtOrS who gn into the country i'll search uf fortune outfit at Juneau ill southeast Alaska, 2.0O0 miles southeast | of the mouth of the Yukon. After 100 miles river navigation to the fout of the coast range the h,lrdShipS of the journey begin. Everything must he packed over | tho mountains. 25 miles. t0 Lake LindC | man. a naviguhie body 0f water. trihu
 tary "f the Yukon. There pole raftS art l built. and an 500 mile trip of 'umhiucj lake and river navigation alternating with hc,,vy r'rta2rS lNSinS. Many boat: and rafts arc lost every year by venture | some crews who prefer Sl'ut ug the rap
 ids to packing their belongings around
 them.
 The first and one of the oldest of the diggings reached by those who enter th' I blllS IOutC AS H ata ACNC"
 art river. Seventy miles below this il
 Sixty Mile creek. Several lesser digging
 are found along the river during tn,
 next 100 miles, when, at Forty Mil,
 creek. Fort Cudahy is found. Other dig
 gings are Poker, Davis. Glacier, Littl
 Gold and Miller creeks, the last nameC
 being, until the Birch creek strikes O
 1894. the richest diggings found. GolC
 amounting to $500, 900 was taken ou
 last year, and $37 ,OO0 was cleaned al
 from a single claim in place only S'
 by 100 feet in extent. Perhaps 125 mel
 are employed in these claims, witt
 wages at $10 day. whisky $1 glass
 butter SI.5O pound, potatoes $1
 pound and other things in proportion.
 Blouse For Boy.