The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1895-06-07
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Scientific American Last seasons
WELD of gold from the Yukon River dis.
trict in Alaska was about $4,000. nc
coriing 10 an estimate gathered from
miners and business men In the district
10y the Alaska Ncvs. The returns are
undoubtedly tig, bntihe labor u getting
tie gold 10 described hy one Of the old.
eft miners in the region, Is very great.
Tie Yukon district H. remarkably din.
cult II arcc.s anda great many adven.
iurers who have started hopefully from
juneau have failed even to Get near tho
gold region. Il isan expensive journey,
too. Then the character Of the gold
mining and 'hc limitations under which
u must be done have sent many fairly
experienced miners back In despair.
In many districts the collaborating
rock u twenty or more feet below the
surface. and shafts must bc sunk 10 that
depih through gronnd frozen solid and
by most lal orions process. The pros
peci holes are usually about three and
hat feet vide ly ok feet long. Enough
wood mnst he eat 10 cover this space,
aud ronsing tire be kept up for almost
wholc day before the ground is .uf-
hcieuily thawel for the miner to get out
about foot orr foot and half oi gravel
aud soil. One man can burn hole down
about foot % day. The work can be
done only when all the surface water il
frozen, otherwise u would drain into the
prospect holes. In this regions have
bcrn sunk ssventy-fvc feet or more, all
through frozen ground, and the miners
say they never got below the frost line.
In other districts the work can be
done only In the very brief summer,
from the middle Of May until abou, tho
middle oi September, and usually Tor
only about ninety dayN. In these re.
gionr the ground IL not frozen 20 deep.
aud the gravel and soil cnn b. washed
from the bed rock. Fumes must be
built from the creeks and the water con-
Quoted 20 the claims. The bed rock Ia
from ten TO twenty.threc feet below the
surface, and all the everything soil must
be washed away before the gold il ac-
cessible A wording sgpply Of water is
rarely obialnablc for more than ninety
days Of the year. Usually almosttwo
entire seasons are consumed In this ur,-
urinary work before a sight Of the GOLD
i obtained, aud the miner must have
money a. well ~ pluck TO keep him 90.
ing until he strikes pay gravel. The
gravel needs 20 he remarkably rich IN
compensate for the arduous and tedious
labor Of reaching IL.
When the claims are worked by burn.
ing prospect holes Ia the winter. hot
water il needed Tor washing the gravel
when il IL obiained. Usually when the
gold.boarlne gravel has been reached
the returns have been handsome. Along
Miller Creek IN the past season or two
the yield has averaged ~ much as Al or
N.bO pan, and claims stAked out two
or three years ago are now held At prices
varying from - 900 To 10000 each.
The extent Of the gold belt OF north
west Alaska and the Canadian north.
west territory il still a matter Of specu.
laiion. From the information brought
by prospectors It Il believed that the
belt covers district from seventy-nye
to hundred miles wide, commencing
ON the head waters Of the Hootlinqua
river. In British Columbia, and follow
ing closely the course Of the Yukon
river to and beyond the Arctic Circle.
distance VI about nine hundred miles
II Is probable that dozens OF tributary
streams, as yet unmapped. many doubt.
less unknown, are rich In gold aud sll.
yer. The vast region II practically an.
explored. The mining at present going
on is but nibbling on the edge Of the
rich region. But when the gold and
silver mines are systematically opened
up. Il will be a region for tho capitalist
and not for the Individual miner. The
ground must be exceptionally rich in
gold to pay one Or two miners working
for themselves. With capital large dis
tricls could be worked ina systematic
way and big profits be realized. From
all accounts, thar il how the Yukon gold
and silver region will be made 70 give
up IL riches.