The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-23


OF the first accounts sent out of the
marvellous richness OF the new placer
diggings in the Yukon and KlondIke
regions. the organization of the district
is being completed. Two years ago the
department of the interior despatched
a force of twenty northwest mounted
policemen to Fort cudahy, on the Ca
madam side of the Alaskan frontier. The
oficer in command. Inspector constan-
tine, established two posts, one at cud-
ahy and the other at Forty Mile creek,
and proceeded TO administer laws and
collect revenues for the customs de-
partment. He collected about $4,000
the first year. Encouraged by the
prospect OF revenue. the government, In
1896, appointed d. w, Davis, a former
member OF parliament for Alberta, to
the position OF customs officer for the
district, and his returns, recently ar
rived, swelled the total collections In
Yukon to about $4,000.
This work OF organization was first
suggested to the government by the
North American Trading and Transport
tatlon Company, which was anxious
that the British territory should be ad-
minlstered so'as to guarantee the safe
~ OF its interests, 1t was not under
taken by the dominion authorities. how
ever, until the surveying parties then
IN the field had more or less definitely
located the Hist parallel OF west longi-
tude, which forms the boundary be-
tween Alaska and the Canadian North
west territories from Mount st, Elias to
the shores OF the Arctic. When this
had been accomplished and the erection
OF police posts began grumblings from
the Seattle and other American coast
newspapers reached the ears OF the
government. here. It was boldly charg-
ed that the Canadians Were grabbing
territory in Alaska that did not belong
TO them.
Doubts rs TO boundary Settled.
William ogilvy, chief of the Canadian
international boundary survey, set at
rest all doubts as regards the Cana
dian posts by reporting that the obser-
vations OF the Canadian and American
parties as TO the boundary differed but
a few feet-sixty feet at Forty Mile
camp and six at Cudahy. Since then
nothing more has been heard OF the al
legged grab.
Ogilvy stayed in the country all last
winter and busted himself stalking off
claims for the miners on the newly dis
covered placer grounds, the latter be-
ing well in Canadian territory, as the
creeks or rivers flow into the Yukon
from the east, namely Bonanza Bould-
er, Eldorado, Carmacte. Klondike, and
Stewart. OF the mounted police who
formed Constantine's first detachment,
not one re-entisted upon the expiration
Of their terms this spring, so that an
entirely new force had 10 be sent up
this spring. 1t was not expected that
men would continue to work for 81 q
day from the government when wages
all around them were $40 to SIS. Five
OF the returned policemen are reported
to have brought $500 900 as the results Of
mining during their spare hours.
C~onstantine's last report. which only
reached the department yesterday, says
that he Is building q third post at the
mouth of Klondlke river, which flows
Into the Yukon on the east side about
fifty-three miles southeast Of Forty
Mile. He has asked for q larger force
In this his suggestion has been antlcl-
pated as well as In the appointment OF
q gold commissioner, while a Pacific
coast firm is being negotiated with for
the supply OF a steam launch to ply as
a police boat between Klondike, Forty
Mile and Cudahy, Ogilvy was ordered
10 return to Ottawa last fall, but in
stead he determined TO remain In the
country and forward o full report u
the government Of his doings, from
which / make the following extracts:
Starting from here say December 1,
Il would be February before l reached
Ottawa, and during thirty-hve or for
~ days Of this time we would be expos
cd 10 much cold and hardship and some
hazard from storms. The journey has
been made, and | would not hesitate to
undertake II were things more reasona-
bic here and dog food plentiful, but II
would take at least 1000 TO equip US
with transport and outfit, which sum
I think 1 can expend more in the inter-
est OF the country by remaining here
and make II survey Of the Klondike-a
INSTRUMENTATION OF Indian word or
words 'Thron dak. or duck which
means plenty OF fish. from the fact that
Il is q famous salmon stream.
First DiacoyerIcs OF Gold.
at is marked 'Tondak' on our maps,
II Joins the Yukon from the east, n few
miles above the site OF Fort Reliance,
about Afty miles above here, The dis
coyery OF gold in the branches of this
stream, / believe, was due to the reports
al Indians. A white man named j.
~. Carmlch, who worked with me In
1851, was the first TO take advantage Of
the rumors and locate a claim In the
first branch. which was named by the
miners, Bonanza creek Cnrmtch To-
Gated his claim late In August. but had
10 cut some logs at the mill here to get
n few hounds Of provisions 10 enable
him 10 begin work on his claim. He
returned with n few weeks provisions
for himself. wife and brother-ln-law,
UBdIaBs}, In the Inst Of August, and
Immediately set about working his
claim.
"The gravel itself he had to carry In
n box on his back from thirty to one
hundred feet Notwithstanding this,
three men working very lrrcgularly
washed out 1900 IN eight days, and
Carrnioh asserts with reason that hud
he had proper facilities II could have
been done In two days.
"a branch Of BONANZA cdhed Eldorado
has prospurcd mngnlncontly, and an-
other branch named RILEY creek has
proapeoted well. There are about i70
claims Btaked In tho main creek, and
the branches nre good for nB many
moro, a%ggrcgating, say 40 claims,
which will require over 1000 men 10
work properly,
enters Klondlko. and II has been pros
nnnlad md lnrnLnh ON. Ah0mI tWnlYn