The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-07-26
Alaska'S Winter Weather Averages %
Degrees Below Zero.
PLACER MINING IS NOT EASY
Only Three Months in the Year in
Which Work Can Be Done.
IT sA ROUGH JOURNEY TO MoADYSE
The Miners Boat and Provisions Must
Be Carried Overland Frequently.
Land Staked Off Rapidly.

Tho stories OF fabulous finds OF gold
IN Alaska are attracting the attention OF
the world TO that section just now II 70
happens that the richest gold deposits thus
far found are British soil. There IS no
question about that and the klondyke
placer mines are over the line on the BRIT
ism side and not really in Alaska some
Atlantians are talking about going 10 tho
gold fields.
Tho Journey is long and expensive ana
perllous No one ought to start on less
than 500 20 pay for transportation an"
tue outfit which is required 10 get to the
gold district and then one must I'VE
after getting to the diGGings. The present
excitement mildly reminds old-tmerS OF
the California fever back in the days or
forty-nne. The hest way TO reach the
gold field IS 10 so first to Seattle thoh
take steamer W TO Juneau. This part
of the trip Is pleasant From Juneau the
best route is by small steamer 70 Chl-
coot Pass. Leaving that point, the Jour
ney has TO be made on foot across country
to Lake Bennett. The outfit must be
packed This IS done by Indians, who
charge a good figure for the work. AZ
Lake Bennett the traveller makes himself
"a rough boat or buys ono II he can 10
reach Lewis river. Several portag"s nav"
10 be made and IL Is lahoriouss dragging
the boat overland. The Lewis river is fol-
sim several days journey 70 Klondyke
and Sixty Mile creek. The principal place
for buying more supplies is Circle Guy
or Forty Milo creek. This trip is made
by going across country ana sailing down
the Yukon. That is altogether distance
of 600 miles There is another route
around by the mouth OF the Yukon and
thence up the river but that IS 5000 miles
from Seattle and would take all summer
10 make the trip.
There are only three good working
months in the placer mines. Right now
the temperature averages about IS degrees
In winter the temperature averages -
degrees below zero. In the spring 10 is
rcvkou,d "a balnly. pleasant day when the
mercury gets up 10 IA degrees above
zero. In midsummer the ground thAwa
for depth OF three or four feet. but IL
never does thaw out altogether. The mi
utr has Co burn wood on the ground 10
soften II enough 10 die hole down twenty
fect to tho sraYcL The pay gravel Les
on the bod rock OF The OLD stream and Is
from two TO four feet thick. 1t is reported
that this gravel VIII often pan out $lVV 70
the pan.
Planning IS an art. but anyone can save
some gold III thor Is plenty of d. The MINI
cts VINO went into the hloudyl,e country
last iau SUNK their shafts 40 the gravel
ami tarcw out what they could OF TINS
ttud i,lt 10 upon tAc surface until summer.
lu tuu winter ANA spring ~ b Impossible
- wash out tue .>'.a, because tAr streams
.9t frozen ai'" ttteit Is ho water. LAWNS y
tAi'-a.Nv' 4. 'v a'1+'h-ei'eta h'No ny ti'"4l'
A"' even - " at"I Nt"h man hd9 ""6'a
al i"s4l. ~ All "P""i"
me uhoA - one '1 TOE 4aISest sti'iihs
la tno world. but AIS mouth Is 50 shallow
titt ihbc FNs7tis '1lihvt as''l"-
Altsh4 a. hlue lilCa as LARGE as NCW
England. The United states bought ~ oi
Russia ma ISIS Tor half "a cent an acre.
ln inc rl'ntst camps tn'rc is not foot
OF ground 10 D. bought oAcept ~ a uiS
lfiSe. a mah VINO ~ 4l t.le III .t.'t Wt+tea
from lawson saying ia 'le course 81 h'S
4.',t '... A., ...,... . - s,a . e.. =. ,..
III. - ~ 80 ~ Fiv ~ 49,.
VIZ" -, - - 49, .1t ~ ~ ~ 80
80 ~ ~, -, ~. -, ,. ~,
W. i"g'"' t.N't I IN ",
- is9 .,,, 80 ~. ,,,,.t
r't'.. H.. - .,t H., r.t.'l't #, ,..., ~.
h,.r., b. fsn.t 80 much Thrv nav prfreip.. 81.
in ,...il ,iu-t - elF I'm ,ilf...,
~ -ol1 r.lrt ~ nv stock 81 pr,yf-i,ls
YDu remember 1 brought with mo "A fuI
wears supply and as / intend to rcturn
homo in the fan I retained but enouel
20 last mo / have made enough GA Tho
provisions / sold to pay aN my expenses
Ia getting here ana ais, my return home
Isvru h ann mot lu.itv enough to strike ~
rich (aud have great hopes of succoss) i
cannot lose.
81 sold one gallon or whisky mat cost
me ia seattle = Tor -. hocon that cost
me II cents sold Tor % 'chts p'f pound
] sold o. lS'-lonnd sack or Hour Tor t5lt
tea that cost me - cents Der round Tor -
por pound. sugar sold Tor to cents pcr
.hnd, nl" SUR ~ underwear ,"H I.f