The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1895-04-10
MINING IN ALASKA.
Prospecting In That Country Resembles
the Old no Days In California.

dcrmist of Livingston, send the fol-
lowing ncwsy letter to the Living
ston Enterprise:
Having several inquiries from
hunters and miners in Montana re-
garding the Alaska mining country.
| will answer through the columns
of your paper if you care to publish
it. In tue first place March and
April are the proper months to so to
Alaska if one intends to go over the
trail by land.
The fare from Tacoma to Juneau
is now cut down to $40 by opposition
boats. This includes berths and
meals and is as cheap as one can live
on land. How long this rate will
last ! can't say, but a great many
are taking advantage Of the low rate
and almost every boat has 4 load.
One can take a boat for Juneau every
two weeks. ! would advise men
contemplating tri p to the mining
fields in Alaska to purchase late
Yukon guide book by V. Wilson, who
was all through that country last
year. This book gives valuable in
formation and maps.
Those who do not care to take
chances on the hardships going over
the trail afoot for six or seven hun
dred miles can 60 by steamboat
around and up the mouth Of the
Yukon, Il trip OF 1000 miles by water
for SI75. The first boat will leave
Seattle May 25th.
l have talked with a good many
men who have been in the gold fields
Of Alaska and they say it is no place
for Il man without money, and a good
strong make up. A man going into
that country should have at least
800 on arrival there to live on.
While the prevailing wages there are
$40 i day there is work only for q
short time, and man going in
there does not want to depend on
working for wages. Miners in that
country throw up ground that they
cannot wash S2O q day on, as it will
not pay them to waste time upon it
on account Of provisions being 50
high and the season short. Ihcrc is
no doubt That Alaska is the greatest
rod country ever discovcrcd but the
/, extreme cold weather and the high
price of provisions arc keeping IT
back. Men who can 90 in there will
: two or three thousand dollars, enough
to live on two or three years, car
!. make a stake If not 4 fortune. Some
miners took out as high rs S35. 900 in
gold dust cut OF Of Il claim last sea
sod. A Tacoma man washed out {
!, nugget that weighed 5JJiG last yeal
:, on the Yukon. suppose 200 n1cI
have left Tacoma and HCactle during
:, the past month for the Yukon. \
great many Of them worked on Tho
Yukon last year and came out TO-
the winter are now going back tt
their claims. There is Il great deu
Of quartz, coal, iron and copper II
haska. but the miners are not pay
ing attention to anything but dust
Dust is legal tender in the canps
Every man has lis scale, and is yer
- adept in weighing the dust.
), Everything that goes in over tn
trail is carried on mems backs Q
:, packed by Indians and dogs. ul
derstanu that some fcllu" is going I
:, run i pac!; Outfit Of horses this sun
:. nlcr. i good pack outfit ought
pay a, freight is 80 cents per poul
: 8 from Chilcat to the mines. II
freight from Tacoma TO the min
- amounts to nothing in comparison
80 about 500 per ton.
am informed that the climate
>: that REGION, alt hnu1n very cold
winter and warm in summer, j, Ec
J, agreeable. The snow in tho upp
= river country never exceeds three
four feet In summer little IA
falls except during occasional thu
der shows. The summer i, ono 10
dream Of sunshine. I'i;c sun shin
in til" summer ci @htccn hours 4 q
- and at midnight it is light cnou
y, to read.
. :. The Yukon basin IS 4 line ga!
country. Al who have visited
admit that the cpuutE "DulildS vi
moose. bear. caribou and SnIHl
game and valuabl" fui'. v
-, trust the avcraG" Montana miner W
,;a, has tcci living on bah ;:.> for 1
,,o last - year., to e~o; along on
y, :. l'uI:nn.
Platinum, is ruunti in nearly all
-. cpusl1r! in ;S,o,i;t, ipn with !ho g
.n,. \ fine quality %; marble vi differ
,,,, trol,,Gs is l,n found in lar" q'l'I!
,,or tics.
49, 49,. At Forts Mj!a i'a,t ,nrrc is