The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-03

some of them killed in the fall will
dress 900 L. .5to pounds. | killed Il
veurling that would dress about 900
pounds. Besides this there are an
abundance of wild sheep. | have not
AS yet had the pleasure OF bagging one.
not having hunted for them. In fact
have not done any hunting. although
have killed two moose and great num-
her of grouse and touriSen and one
lynx that l happened to run across
while prospecting. There are all kinds
OF water fowl in great number: the
natives sell geese for 10 cents each.
ducks (mallard) cents.
Bears are quite plentiful. / have
seen two in my travels but did not get
them. Furs are not good this time of
the year, therefore there is but little
hunting done except fen sheen and
moose. There are 10 skins oc any kind
for sale at present. The company have
a large quantity but the agent is not
allowed to sell thcm here.
The natives have small gardens and
raise nearly all kinds Of vegetables.
They denend uDon their rifle for sup
port. They hunt the FUR bearing ami
mails in the winter II does not get az
cold here as one wOuld suppose. II
has not been over II degrees below
zero at this place for several years and
then for only few days. II gets down
L. 20 degrees below at some of the 9TH
er nests. They have quite a heavy
snow fall. three to seven feet. 1t varies
in the different localities. there being
only about two feet here. The days
are Very short in winter. The sun
rises about 9i5 o'clock and sets between
= and 5, although the twilight lasts a
At..t.l fNgNE
June Ii To July Il. We frequently
night. The sun is only out Of sight
about hours.
There are some very good placer
mines here, | refer to Cooks inlet i'm
general, but they have been overesti-
mated. that Is as far as the discoveries
are concerned. There are about tWen-
ty-tve good claims in Tumagainarm
that We're discovered last year. There
has not been very much prospecting
done this year as the creeks have been
too high until about two weeks ago.
There Is no doubt in my mind but that
there will be some good discoveries
made this year. The discoveries We're
not made last year until September
Probably one third of the peonle that
came here. 5000, have left disgusted
ami | don't believe that there We're five
misses in that number. The most Of
them We're carpenters. butchers, mer-
chants and mechanics Cf all kinds. and
they had no conception of the hard
ships connected with prospector's
life, such as taking a blanket and
pick, shovel and pan and fifty or sixty
pounds of provisions. and tramping
back in and over mountains 1900 or b.,
900 feet high. frequently going back
100 or ll0 miles. 1t is safe to say that
two-thilds of them We're not three
miles from tide water and great many
never left their tents. However those
that are left are glad to be rid of that
class of people, as they are great
hindrance to an honest prOspector.
There have been quite a number Of
quartz hedges discovered ! have To-
Gated two. but have not had time 10
ascertain what they will run. have
what I believe to be a good placer claim
sixty miles from here. l shall 81 up
and prospect it more thoroughly "a soon
as the agent returns II it prospects
as we'll at "a depth of ten feet rs it does
ON the bank or surface it Will be u rich
claim 1t IL fine gold and can be worked
10 good advantage by hydraulic power.
| shall stop M there about two weeks
and then ! expect 10 81 up tn"
Sushetna river about $50 miles to look
al quartz ledge that IL native dis"ov-
cred The samples that hr brought out
contain quite a quantity of fine gold.
don't think that there will BE- "A
large quantity of gold taken out tins
year as most of the people are devot-
ing their time to prospecting. When
they lind q claim that they think VIII
pay they locate it and move on to an
other creek and 80 ON. There are two
or three COMPANIES using improved or
mOdern appliances. but most of them
are using u rocker or Sliire boxes.
There are som. very large coal veins
here. | discovered one Of the largest
veins I ever saw about twelve miles
from tide water. II is II mountain "f
cUal. the vein is exposed for 200 feet
long and 100 feet high. but ii is "f an
inferior quality. 1t is the same class
as the Natchemack Bay coal. 1t is uUt
very good for StcalniuE, but ! consider
il good coal for household use az
used II for over one year III Silka. We
use il here There are l0v1a foot veins
running into the hay and the natives
keep us stumbled with it,