Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-24

that there were probably 1000 miners in
the Yukon district during the season, the
larger number of whom were actually en-
gagged in washing gold. Probably 1.5W OF
them working in American territory,
although the migration from one district
to another is SO rapid that one year the
larger part of the popula tion may be IN
American territory and the next year in
British. AS rule, however, the miners
prefer the American side on account of the
difference in mining laws. These miners,
with few exceptions, are engaged In Sulch
digging. The high price of provisions and
other necessaries raises the price of or
binary labor in the mines TO $40 a day, and
therefore no mine which pays less than
this to each man working can be even tenn
porarily handled. Yet, in spite of these
difficulties. there WIS probably taken out
OF the Yukon district the season of which
he reports mostly from American terri
tory, approximately, Sl,0oo.ooo worth of
gold.
An Overland Route.
Mr.. Spur suggests that an overland
route should be surveyed and constructed
TO the interior of Alaska. He says all the
best routes that can be suggested pass
through British territory, and the co-opera-
ton of the two governments would be
mutually beneficial since the gold belt lies
partly in American and partly in Srltsn
possessions. AT the present time MT
Spur thinks that the best route lies from
Juneau by way of the Chilkat Pass over
land to the Yukon at the june with the
Pelly. This is the Dalton Pass. The Chill
kat Pass is considerably lower than the
Chilkoot, over which the geologic Al survey
party of 1896 passed If wagon road or
even a good horse trail could be hullt as
indicated the cost of provisions and other
supplies would be greatly reduced, many
gravels now useless could be prom AMY
worked, and employment would ne af1orded
to many men. With the greater develop
ment of places of diggings would come
the development of mines in the bed rock
The report says that in summer the eli
mate is hardly to be distinguished from that
of the northern United States Minnesota
or Montana, for eXample-and although the
winters are very severe, the snowfall Is
not heavy. Work could be carried on un-
derground throughout the whole OF the
wear quite as well as in the mountains of
Colorado. Mr.. Spur says gold is known
to occur in the great un-Xplored regions
south of the Yukon because of its presence
in the wash of the streams, and Ii is quite
probable that the Yukon gold belt eNtends
to the north and west: that this can be
determined only by further exploration
That a second California gold belt exists
in Alaska. he states, may not be probable,
but that the prospect of a steady yield OF
gold is certain.
There are some eXtraVagant stories told
of large nuggets being found in the klon-
dyke region. The largest nugget claimed to
have been found so far was picked out by
Burt Hudson on claim 6 of the Bonanza
and is worth a little over $50. The next
largest was found by J. Clements and was
worth S231. The last four pans Clements
took out $1,000. on an average of $500
each and one of them went $40. A young
man named Beacher came down by loot
and dog sledge, starting out early in March.
He brought $4,000 to $4,000 with him. He
was purser on the steamer Weare last
summer and went in after the close of
naVigat ton I'm October or September. About
December Is he got a chance to work a
shift on shares, and in sixty days made
his stake. which is about $4,000.
Charles Clements and Frank Summers,
two ''tenderfeet' from Los Angeles, went
into the Yukon a year ago without having
had any previous experience. After pam
ming out 5000 worth of gold Clements sold
his share for 81. 600 and two weeks later
Summers sold his share for $4,000. One
nugget taken from this claim is worth S2;S22.
Suffering Last Winter.
There was great suffering in the gold
fields last winter, and though one
starved, food rates and rates for every |
thing in the supply line We're beyond be-
lief Flour was $40 hundredweight at
one time. and beef from 81 to 81 pound.
Moose hams sold for about $50, 81 per
pound; Ordinary shovels for digging
brought SIT to SIS each, and other stuff of
that kind could not be obtained
A few crates of eggs were brought in
about March 1 by pack horses. and these |
sold readily for s. to 81 a dozen, although |
they We're not fresh by any means. Wages |
were propCrtionate; 81 per hour was COM |
mon wages. and even in the long days a |
man can command 81 80 an hour up there |
or from $l5 to $50 day. The river steam |
ers cannot keep crews this summer. for all |
run away to the mines as soon as they |
get in that region. Indians are all the |
help that can be kept and even they are |
doing something in the line of locating a /
claim. There are several women in the |
diggings. The only known claim holder \
among them So far is Miss Flora Sloan of |
Naniamo. British Columbia.
There are two well-marked seasons in
Alaska, the winter of eight months from |
October to June, and the short summer
In winter occurs by far the best weather |
because of the long periods of beautiful |
clear days. which are welcomed in spite of |
the intense cold. The average tempera- /
ture for summer is from So to 81 above /
zero. In winter the thermometer goes to /
more than go degrees below. In March |
last the thermometer showed from 81 de-
grees to Il degrees below zero.