The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-24
ALASKA'S GOLD MINES
FACTS BoUr THE VALUABLE TER
RIToRY WHICH BRITAIN CovETs.
The Country Has Already Yielded
$4,000. 900, and There Are CO.
Iosssl Fortunes In sight.

questions which will probably come before
the next Congress in the discussion OF
the Alaskan boundary line. The English
are schemlng TO get hold Of the rich placer
deposits on the Yukon river. They also
want TO move forward the southeastern
boundary of Alaska. so that the precious
quartz mines about Juneau will be in Brit
ish territory. If they succeed. we will lose
the best gold territory of Alaska-a terri
tory which is now producing nearly a mil
lion dollars a year. and which may produce
tens of millions in the future. The best
OF our Yukon mines are within about
twenty-five miles OF the boundary Of Alas
ka and British Columbia. The Canadians
say that IL properly run 1t would include
them. BY the treaty of England with
Russia in 1926 Alaska began at the Port
land canal. about 81 degrees 40 minutes.
and ran northward to the main boundary
OF Alaska proper along a line which was
20 be about thirty miles back from the
coast. The wording OF the treaty Is such
that there is no doubt but that the main
coast line was meant. Now England wants
TO make this thirty miles begin with the
outside shores of the numerous large ISL
ands running along the coast, and not the
coast proper. For seventy years she has
made her maps according to the old I'M
derstanding, but now that the gold mines
are found she wants to change the con-
struct on OF the treaty and move out the
line so that It would cut US out of our best
harbors and the wonderful gold territory
which we nave begun to develop.
GOLD MINES OF JUNEAU.
How valuable these gold fields are we
are just beginning to learn During the
past week 1 have talked with a number
OF men who have just returned from Alas
ka- I have gone over the maps with the
members of the expedition Of gold experts
sent by Congress TO investigate the mines
of the territory, and have looked over the
collection OF specimens which they have
just brought back. There is no doubt that
the Alaskan mines are very valuable.
Between 1850 and 1890 the whole gold
yield OF Alaska was less than 5000, 900.
Now the territory is turning out more than
81, 100000 a year. and there is a single mine
near Juneau which has already produced
more than 100000 worth of gold. The
owners of this mine have refused, 1t Is
said. $200.000.O00 for their claim. The gold
in it seems TO be practically inexhaustible.
and the mine is now turning out more
than $500, 600 a year. 1t is owned by Sen
ator Jones and several leading San Fran
cisco men. In many respects ii is the most
remarkable mine in the world. 1t has a
iow-grade ore, the most Of which does not
average more than $3.50 to a ton. Still, it
can be worked at more than 100 per cent.
profit, and the mine is considered one of
the finest gold properties Of the world.
This Is known as the Treadwell mine. 1t Is
situate just opposite the town of Juneau,
on Douglas island. 1t was located by a
French Canadian. known as French
Pete" who came from Sitka to Juneau
20 prospect for gold. He had an Indian
woman for a wife, and his brother-in-law
told him of this gold ledge After locating
the mine he sold 1t to a man named Tread
well for $500, and 1t made Treadwen's for
tune. A company was organized to de-
velop 1t, and about five years ago the mine
was capitalized. at five million dollars.
More than 10000 900 have already been
spent upon it. and it is said to have the
largest stamp mill in existence. 1t is sit
uated so close to the sea that the ore can
be handled very cheaply. The gold-bear-
ing ledge is several hundred feet wide, and
It crops out upon the surface. Tunnels
have now been run into 1t on all sides, and
hundreds OF incandescent and arc lights
make these so bright that the work can go
on night and day. Prof. Becker, who Wis
tied the mine last summer, speaks In high
terms of its workings. stating that the
Immense profits OF the mine are largely
due to its being located so near the water.
There are other gold mines on Douglas
island, one OF which is paying very well.
There is also valuable gold territory on the
main coast. The whole strip Of land. which
will be cut of If John Bull has his will. is
undoubtedly more or less mixed with gold.
juneau is a mining town at the mouth of
Gold creek. It now contains about two
thousand people, made up of miners and
traders. It lies on the edge OF the sea,
backed by precipitous mountains. Gold
creek, which flows into the ocean at this
point, has valuable placer mines, and it
was in the canyon along this creek. just
back OF Juneau, that the first gold OF this
part OF Alaska was discovered. This was
about 1850. In 1881 the Silver Bow mines
were opened. These are up the creek, back
OF Juneau. They are on the side OF a
canyon more than one thousand feet above
the sea, and. curious 10 say. they are
placer mintes, situated, SO DR.. Becker tells
me, in the bed OF a long-since dried up
lake. The ordinary placer mines are found
In the beds of creeks and this mine is til,
only one of it's kind in the world. 1t i
worked by a tunnel. out Of which have al
ready been taken hundreds Of thousands
of dollars. More than 10000 were pro-
0uCCQ liz AASN 0SO Nh6t AN AALAC "oS
opened and it is paying very we'll to-day.
SAWED OCT A FORTUNE.
No one knows how much gold there is in
the mountains waIling Gold creek. The
whole region Is denseIy wooded, and 1t is
almost impossible TO prospect on account OF
the woods. Some OF the trees are one hun
bred feet high and hundreds Of years old.
On a ledge OF quartz that was discovered
not long ago II took the miners ten days
TO clear of a small patch of ground around
the o~utcroppings and the vegetation is so
dense that it is almost impossible TO tell
where the gold IS. Now and then mines
are discovered in curious ways. Not long
ago a laborer took a cross-cut saw with
him and went up into the mountains to
cut wood at so much a day. He had not
gone more than a mile before re tumbled
over n log. and. as il were. sawed out a
fortune. When he fell he threw the saw
and tried to save himself. On rising and go
ing 10 where the saw had fallen he found
that the earth was torn up and a streak OF
white quartz showed out through the black
dirt. He stopped TO examine II and found it
full OF yellow specks. These specks were