The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-25
FROM NUGGET LAND.
Cook Inlet as Seen BY 4
Newspaper Nan.
POOR MINER HAS LITTLE CHANCE
Extensive Hydraulic Plants Would
Yield Rich Returns-sfany Ihous-
and Claims staked on.

So many conaictinr stories hare heen
tod or The Cook inlet country that a dis
tAak observer has difficulty in forming an
loeA or that country As = mining section
But al reports " 70 the present agree
IL stating that Cook inlet Is nos the place
for poor man. Additional IsghI IS
thrown en- the condition Of affairs at the
inlet By 5 r Fraser. who returned 10 this
city ID the steamer Al-KL M. Fraser
says:
As every steamer and schooner from
Cook inlet - Juneau and TO Puget sound
brings fun list OF passengers. each %
whom tells the same story OF disap2osnf-
nsens ana failure. the criticisms made con-
corning those who retained promptly from
TIE place considered fun OF promises oniy
have oeal changed 20 words OF praise for
their horse sense. Seldom do men stop
with simply coRdemning ths inlet as being
10 good They argue the matter and pre-
sent reasons OF various kinds and weight.
al OF which leads one 20 doubt whether
they are really convinced OF the corFect-
ness OF their judgment or are anxious 20
give plausible reasons why they did not
stay. PROFESSIONALLY large number VINO
speak most unqualisedly in condemnation
OF those who had much TO do with the
excitement OF interest tn the Cook inlet
placer dsggings never did much prospect
ing there, or. II they ala. no; very thor
o1ghly. They TO a great extent. are re-
peating the general talk Of the place. TIE
miners who are really working intelligent
ly ana pArseyeringly do very little talking,
good or bad They are quietly pegging
away. Even the reports that do drift in
from claims that are said 20 be paying ara
not reliable, except as evidence that they
are worth working. Not infreqacntly a
~ a. ~ - Az fay
ounces OF gold. bat whether that quantity
represented a week or more OF hard work
or only a few days cannot certainly be
determines. The miner can be depended
upon TO nix the time as low SIS possible, and
yet appear 10 be telling the truth. A rather
common trick Is TO melt the waShingS OF
week or more into a so-calied nugget,
and present * as sample OF the richness
OF the claim. The truth appears 10 be
that some few claims are paying big. and
that high water has most to do with the
failure 10 develop others that ara also
valuable. Doubtless the prediction, often
made, that those who remain until late in
the season Will make strike viii DO
verified.
"one OF the greatest difficulties THAI has
retarded development is the fact that ths
entire district Is plastered over with claims.
on the theory apparently that gold could
he found in paying quantities anywhere,
those who went there early fled on every
thing in sight, some having a large num-
Der OF claims. Then when the crowd came
in these claims were for sale az prices
ranging all the way from $40 up. In most
instances those who filed sat down, adj
versised their claims by reports colored
to the height of their imagination. and did
nothing The newcomers scattered them
selves in an almost vain search TO find
something that had not been filed on. thus
fTuitlcssly expending their time and ener-
gies. There appeared 10 be no satlsfac-
tory organization Of the miners. AT their
meetings only those who were working
mines were allowed TO vote, and IN this
way a majority OF those on the ground
sat disconsolately on the outside with not
even a bone TO pick. Many of those who
filed and left the place assigned their
claims to friends who remained. once the
tide OF discoura cement became general,
then the crowd simply sat down, eat three
meals a day and denounced the place
The fact appears TO be that there -
gold in paying quantities generally over
the country, but it cannot be extracted by
the poor mans method. Hydraulic mining
on large scale would unques ttonahiy pay,
with expectations based upon even the
minimum OF results determined by pam
ming In addition to this would be the
chances OF striking pockets and obiiterated
beds Of ancient streams
MANY think the district was thoroughly
worked years ago by the Russians ana re-
ports which are by no means authenlc
state that numerous evidences may yet ne
seen of the presence OF miners there, such
as. according TO rumors, nearly obliterated
wing dams bits or rusty iron, taken TO
have been implements, and arrangements
Of logs which appeared 10 indicate taAt
cabins had been constructed. Color ts lent
to these stories By the fact that Fyoheih'
now "A fishing station. about nfty mics
from Six-Aiile creek, along the Inlet, was
once a penal settlement or course all the
evidences may be otherwise accounted for,
but q Is entirely probable that many years
ago the Russians did wash gold In the
creeks entering the inlet at various points.
Mans desire for gold and the methods OF
securing it are literally, almost. as old as
tho hills
"An experienced miner. who in various
capacities has had practical experience IN
mining. and who has visited most OF the
mining districts OF this and southern coun-
tries saws he is unable 70 advance any
theory for the existence or loose gold IN
the inlet district. Investigations thus Tar
made have thrown no light on the prom
lam OF where IL comes from. Nasi3ings
OF dirt on the very tops OF the mountains
have produced colors. lie Is inclined %
the oplnfon that the gold was brought
there by the ice.
'.It - pr1bable the experience az this
year viii prevent anything approaching
a like rush next year. bat Il Is not believed
that the district viii he practically abau-
donea. However. unless there are more
extended efforts 10 secure the gold that
section will remain a wilderness Tor there
e nothing else "a attract people 20 Turn
AGAIN arm. Game Is limited ia kind and
numbers Moose. goat and bear about
complete the list There are no hsn IN
-r,,rvsrafn arm. Salmon fishing is carried
an n some extent At points in the Inlet
Navigation IS attended ny special difficult
tics The tides IN The arm ran literally
sS a torrent and long bars and the waves
sudanrer craft Of whatever size. Tnen,
while in he summer the days ere pFsc-
tirally unhroken ~ darkness. the warm
season s. short"
Another feature Of the country. az noted
50 Mr. Fraser. was t1e lack Of reliable
information relating 10 the richness OF fhe
claims and employment OF labor. Many
owners unhesitatinEly aver that their re-
snectfve claims pay 80 per day Tor each
mar employed. That is the story folG 20
fausta1izts seeking Investments and 10
.stev,sa ~feet Bat when a lsh0rer wants
work at say = a day. & f. a different sto-
rv-nr, work and no money 10 pay labor
Tho flnvrftten law Of TIRE human race -
that II a man IS making - Gay o. the
labor az each workman re- Wiz At@ 10"
opparturlty OF engaging al TIE labor ne
ear possibly obtain-and more particularly
vroui8 that be the case fn a country like
cook lniat A poor man has no business
engaging In placer mining IN Cook inlet.
sad Nr. Fraser. To Re successful eTtsT-
ssya hvarau3cEfnz plants must he corr
str7lrtea. and there wIa - plenty Of re-
turns. OF the people generally frsseF
snoks 10 the higaest terms ch2Tsct efsz-
49, sAaf~ hrs~,gfa1Gtv with those OF the
co,,eR a., rte-te'}nrn DAVIS. IN q fes vesks
- -,---.sw =. 80 n sha Yukon river