The San Francisco call., 1896-05-04
Hundreds of Men Compelled to
Await the Melting of
the Snow.
MANY VESSELS ARE OVERDUE.
California Expeditions That May Have
Been Lost-Excelsior Party's
New Town.

ington Press Association, who reports his
observations as follows:
"The rush this spring to the gold dis
trict of Turnagain Bay, Cooks Inlet, was
unprecedented. Although comparatively
une1plored, numerous creeks on the bay
have given up gold dust and nuggets of
such value as to encourage the hopes of
prospectors, umbering into thousands,
that wealth may be rapidly amassed there.
During the past six weeks a score of yes
sells have headed for far Alaskan shores;
but they all started too early this year. for
an unexceptionally severe winter has left
its impress in huge cakes of ice that have
not yet been blown out to sea and snow
that still remains on the ground to
depth of several feet. A feet of vessels is
lying off Coal Point, in Kachekinak Bay,
awaiting favorable opportunity to go 100
miles farther up the inlet.
81 spent two weeks cruising on the inlet
and from careful examination of the ex-
listing conditions and authenticated re-
ports of Developments and finds along
numerous creeks, am firmly of the opinion
that the proper kind of men hazard no
chance in casting their lines into the
golden waters that flow into the inlet.
Every creek and river shows traces of
fine gold, which increases in coarseness as
the streams are ascended, while pieces of
gold-bearing quartz are frequently found
in placers, demonstrating that farther
back toward the mountains are mother
Lodges. Auriferous deposits cover terri
tory of almost unknown extent, while
prospecting titus far has been compare
lively slight.
''1t was late in the summer of 1894 that
the first discovery of coarse gold diggings
was made in Resurrection and Six-mile
creeks. In early spring, 1895, a couple OF
hundred men were on the ground, with
the idea that they had but to reach out
and gather in a golden harvest. Many of
these men wandered around from creek to
creek, without concentrating their efforts
at any particular place. AS consequence
their findings were meager, and by the
middle of the summer possibly 100 had
taken their departure. But there were
many old-time, practical placer miners
who soon realized that they were in
country of rich promise. They went up
the creeks and back into the hills and
gulches prospecting, with remuneratiye
returns. They found that Six-mile.
Canyon, Resurrection and other creeks
contained bars bearing coarse gold.
Before the summer was oyer $50 pros
pectors took up claims, many working
them as late as November 1, realizing from
$40 to $40 per day, and in exceptional
cases, as high as $50 per day. The claims
are 600 by 1900 feet in size, comprising
twenty acres, one claim allowed on each
creek, and the only cost being So for
recording.
"At Sitka, Fort Kenai. Kussilof. Coal
Point and other places on the inlet 1 met
and talked with prospectors who have
claims on the creeks and worked them late
last year. Several had but recently come
down on snowshoes and were awaiting an
opportunity To get back by boat. All were
positive in the belief that gold field was
about to be opened up that would bring
forth untold wealth, and in a few wears
give the persevering prospector a COM
potency for life.
Probably 1000 men are now on the inlet
waiting to get to the creeks. Several hun
dred more went from Sitka to Prince Will
liam Sound, there TO cross a portage
twenty-five miles, half of which is
glacier, when the head of Turnagain Bay
can be reached. Boats will then take
them down stream fifteen miles to Six-
Mile Creek, or twenty-five miles to Resur-
rection, twelve miles beyond being the
mouth of the bay. A large number of
stores will be opened at different settle
ments.
Representatives of the Boston Alaska
Company, numbering sixty, who left San
fl II
taken possession of Coal Point, strip five
miles long. laid out streets and called the
town Homer. Major Homer Pennock is
chief of the expedition and A. E. Gull.
bault superintendent. Both are from
Oakland, CAL, as are also most of the
other prominent men.
"A fine quality of Ignite coal is found in
inexhaustible quantities in the surrounding
hills. The company will build railroad
and bunkers from which coal will be
shipped to San Francisco. They have
already built big floater, 72 by "a feet, to
hold 40 tons of freight. The steamer
General Candy has been chartered and
will bring supplies and sixteen men from
Seattle. The manager says most of the
party are going to Turnagain Bay to mine
gold, but many think that their hydraulic
is to work gold deposits near
Coal Point. A petition for postoffice at
Homer has been sent to Washington.
'The steamer Lakme carried over 200
passengers and IT'S tons of freight. Leav-
ing Seattle on April 5, it reached Cooks In
let on the 18th and remained until the
25th. During that time three attempts
were made to get through the ice up to
Bay without success. Captain
Anderson exercised due precaution and
refused to imperil the lives of his passen-
gers and the safety of the steamer by
to the reckless entreaties OF many
of the gold-hunters, who were anxious to
reach their destination. They were
lanoed at Coal Point, So tents pitched
and Camp Andersonville established.
were made whereby the
steamer Utopia, which was also anchored
off the point with 102 passengers, was to