The morning call., 1895-02-08

eiiOAl representative, NIL OOH3 l1oNO ii4eUO
an offer to put up cyanide plant in Bodie
for crushing and working low grade ore.
They require a guarantee of certain
amount of rock Should this plan mater
lallze there will be great increase OF
activity in the Bodie mines, particularly OF
the smaller ones. The low grade rock,
even II It only paid expenses, Will make IT
hrontaole to prospect Tor petter rock. N b 5l
there is good reason to believe 1T Will do
much more than this, particularly when
the process has passed the experimental
stages.
With reference to this item it may
be stated that should the owners
OF this patented process require
guarantee of certain amount of work
from the miners, the miners should also
require some sort of guarantee that they
can work it satisfactorily. The Macarthur
Forrest, or cyanide process, while success
tul on some ores, is not so on others, even
IN the same camps Possibly the people
they send from Denver are not always as
sklllful as they should be, for the process
where scientifically applied serves its pur--
pose well. In Bodie, however, the largest
mine, the Standard Consolidated, tried the
cyanide process for many months without
success until radical changes were made
by. Superintendent Leggett himself. The
mine now has extensive cyanide works
operating satisfactorily. When first tried,
however, as stated, the results obtained
were not at all what was expected. 1t is
time 1t should now have passed the expert
mental stage, in view OF the satisfactory
work in South Africa, Australia and this
country. Yet there seems to be more or
less dissatisfaction in some cases, probably
because of lack of sufficient knowledge of
details. A metallurgist with knowledge of
chemistry is necessary TO make the process
work smoothly and with profit.
Alaska No Place for Poor Prospectors.
A number of those sanguine individuals
who are preparing to spend their last dol
lar for steamship fare between Seattle and
Juneau, says the Seattle Press-Tlmes, will
probably be brought to realization of the
fact that all that glitters is not gold. The
exaggerated reports OF the rich strikes
made on the Yukon River and the ire
mendous reduction in fares have excited the
hopes of scores of wandering nomads who
are always willing to take chance in a
new country.
1nasmuch as the trip one way consumes
the better part of five days many people
will undoubtedly take advantage of the
cheap rate simply to view the magnificent
scenery of the inland passage to Alaska
and with no intention OF stopping in the
country. There will be another class,
however, who with barely enough money
to pay steerage fare and a nights lodging
on reaching Juneau will make the journey,
trusting to luck to strike something on
arriving in Alaska.
The latter class is doomed to not only
bitter disappointment but to actual hard
ship and suffering. Already there are
many more men in Juneau and on Doug
las Island, Immediately opposite, than can
be given employment at the Treadwell,
Boston or NOVEL; mines, vacancies in any
of the three companies rarely occurring
among the white operatives. This is due
to the fact that all through Alaska, at both
mines and canneries, the "siwashes "-na-
tive Indians-are employed to do the rough
and more laborious work, white men only
being employed when skill or technical
knowledge is necessary.
The Indians of Alaska are industrious
and possessed of wonderful endurance,
doing labor day in and year out exposed
to the pouring rains of the country, which
no white man could or would attempt to
perform. For instance, the breaking of
ore in the Treadwen mine pit. Here over
100 Indians are employed reducing with
hand-hammers the masses of rocks blasted
from the ledge to sizes fit for the rock
breakers of the big mill to handle. All the
packing, freight-handling and longshore
work is also done by Indians, and white
man going to Alaska with the expectation
of finding work of an arduous nature is
almost certain of failure.
AS for expecting to reach the diggings of
the Yukon River, after landing at Juneau,
without being properly supplied with an
outfit and money, the project is impossible.
After landing at Juneau, the prospector
contemplating a trip into the interior must
spend at least $3.50 for provisions, or, not
doing that must pay the prices charged
at the diggings, and as he must pay the
Commercial Company for the packing be
himself can do, the saving in Quitting at
Juneau is obvious. After the outfit is
bought, the prospector joins party-a
total of four men is desirable-and trans
portation is secured to Chilkat by
Indian canoe. After paying this ex-
pense another Immediately occurs
in the ascent of the Chilcoot River.
Reaching the head of the stream, the party
is obliged to engage packers to take their
grub and tools over the Chilkat divide to
the shores of Lake Lebarge, the headwaters
of the Yukon River. For doing this packing
the Indians charge $40 per 100 pounds, and
there is no alternative but to pay them, the
Chllkats claiming sovereignty over the
trail and enforcing their alleged rights.
Reaching Lake Lebarge, lumber is whip
sawed and a boat built, with which the de-
scent of the Yukon is commenced.
To attempt this trip without being pro-
vided with funds wherewith to pay packers,
canoe men and ontttters would be almost
certain to result in the perishing of the
party so doing, and as for obtaining work
in Juneau or vicinity, there is no employ
ment to be had
Decided to Be Mineral.
An important case involving the min