The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-09-24
FAILTOREACH YUKON
SIXTY FORTuNE-HUNTERS RE-
TURN FROM DYEA.
Bring Discouraging Reports of the
Condition of Affairs on the Trails
Over the Divide-Company to Ship
Dogs to Alaska.
New Route Into Alaska.

Sixty fortune-huntcrs who were en-
gagged in an Intellectual attempt to cross
the divide from Dyea and Skaguay into
the Yukon gold fields via the White and
Chilkoot passes returned to Seattle on the
steamships Rosalie and Willamette. They
report distressing state of affairs along
the trails. Less than 1000 Of the 1000
persons who sought to go over these
routes have been successful. Among the
Rosalies passengers was Sylvester SEQ
vel. He left his wife encamped ut Lake
Lindeman. In a few days Mr.. Scovel,
who, with the assistance of New York
paper, has been assisting the miners to
put the trail in better condition, will re-
turn to Skaguay and push on to Dawson
City. His mission back, he says, is to
confer with his paper relative to matters
of private nature.
Mr.. Scovel is of the opinion that the
Skaeuay trail can never be made Il prac-
tlcable route. 1t is now in such condi-
ton that possibly 1000 persons will get
across, but not in advance of the freeze
up of the Yukon. They will endeavor to
pass the winter on the lakes, so as to
make rush for the Klondike district as
early as possible in the spring. The
heavier outfits are going over the White
pass; the total cost of packing being about
6O cents a pound. Horses which were so
valuable for packing purposes, the re-
turning gold-seekers report, have come to
be drug on the market. Many are dy-
ing from starvation, their owners refus-
ing to buy feed at the exorbitant prices.
Seek Gold in Copper River.
One OF the most interesting expeditions
that have yet gone to the gold fields Of
Alaska or the Northwest territory left
Fort Townsend last week in a twenty
ton schooner called the Janus, headed di-
rect for the Copper River country. The
party is in charge Of a man named George
j. Rinnacks. who has spent all of five
years in the Copper River country and has
brought out large sums of money at diff
fernt times, aggregating fully 100000.
The other members of the expedition are
mostly Californians. The party is in
corporated as the Oakland Mining and
Trading Company" and starts out under
copartnership agreement that binds
them to remain together for two years.
Ihelr schooner was purchased at a cost
OF $l,ooO, and they put on board $4,000
worth of provisions and supplies. In ad-
dltlon to this each man is supplied with
two repeating rifles and 500 rounds of
ammunition; also two revolvers.
Ihe schooner Janus is headed direct for
Fort Hidalgo lagoon, which is new
route for entering Alaska, the Janus
party being the first to go in this way. A
landing will be made at point called
Iurnlgar, at the head of the lagoon, a
place where no boat has yet landed, and
which in reality has no official name. In
order to reach this lagoon it is necessary
to sail through the narrow passage be-
tween Seal rocks and Cape Hinchum-
brook--a dangerous undertaking, on ac-
count of the shoals and treacherous cur
rents. This passage leads into Prince
Wllllam sound, with open-sea sailing I'M
I'll Snug Corner cove is reached, when
another narrow body of water must be
sailed through with Bligh's island on the
left. Here the lagoon is entered and the
Journey to Turnigar is continued. This
lagoon is narrow neck of water, at
places very shallow, which makes it diff
hcult of navigation.
Inc Janus party expects to reach
Iurniear within thirty days. On the way
north the schooner will call at Juneau and
Sitka to take on board thirty dogs that
VIII be used to transport the supplies over
iand from Iurnigar to the Copper River,
which will be reached at a point iust
above Beaver River From this place t6p
general direction of the river will be fol-
lowed northward, and it will be crossed
three times, the final destination of the
expedition being Tonsina creek. Six
members of the party will be left ON
Ionsma creek, where Rnnack's partner.
Mlchael ODonnell, is now holding their
claims and doing some work, and the
others Will be sent eastward to tribu-
tary of the White River, where it is
claimed that location can be made that
Will not only rival but surpass the famous
klondke
Copper River Indians.
van BURN, second partner of Rim
nacks', says the Indians found near tbe
mouth of Copper River are perfectly
harmless, but those found little farther
up are quarrelsome and aggressive. lie
claims that the scheme to send an armed
force of miners to the Copper River for
the purpose Of driving out the Indians is
lmpractlcable. The Indians he says, are
themselves we'll armed, to begin with,
and are good shots. They occupy such
formidable positions in the deep rorres
and ravines through which the Conner
River runs that they could slay an army
of white men, no matter how well armed.
by rolling rocks and powders down on
their heads from above in any one of n
half dozen passes that must be gone
through in going up the river.
THE largest strikes made by my part
ner. O'Donnell and myself, said Mr.. Kim
nacks, 'were in placer diggings on Teik-
hell river, Alta creek, Beaver river and
Tonsina creek. The largest clean-up
made in one day was at Tonsina creek.
when So, 100 was washed out. One pan
yielded $31O. l do not care to state now
much we have taken out of the Copper
river country altogether. You can put it
down at 100000. l have with ME here
papers and receipts showing that it was