The herald., 1897-08-30
THE CLAIMS PROMISE WELL
BUT MEN CAN'T BE HIRED TO
WORK THEM
Of the Thousands at st Michaels and
Dyea Almost None Have Gone
Through to the
Mines
Associated Press Special Wire.

SEATTLE. Wash, Aug. 29.-While the
small amount of gold brought from the
Yukon by the steamer Portland was q
disappointment to many, the miners who
return unite in saying that the country
is fabulously rich. The claims which
have been worked promise well, and.
in fact, many of them give assurance Of
proving very rich. All estimates Of the
amount of gold which will be taken out
of the Yukon next year must neces-
sarily be very rough, as there is no
means of determining how much work
will be done. If men could be secured
to work the claims already located there
undoubtedly would be many millions or
dollars taken out, but the majority OF
men who go there prefer to prospect on
their own account, notwithstanding the
fact that high wages can be had wher-
ever claims have been located and have
proven rich.
Statements have been made that the
steamer Portland on her next trip VIII
bring fully 100000 in gold, but the
most reliable men from Dawson City say
that no such amount of money will come,
as it has not been taken out of the
ground. One miner who came down
places the outside figures at s1,000,o00.
Now that El Dorado and Bonanza
creeks, where the richest strikes were
made, have been staked out for many
miles and desirable claims are scaroe.
the prospectors are beginning to scat
ter out.
When the rich strikes were made at
Bonanza and Ell Dorado hundreds OF
miners left paying claims and rushed to
the new diggings. Many of them struck
it rich, while others secured nothing and
either returned to their old claims or
went prospecting anew. 1t is stated that
the North American Trading and Trans
portation company brought down $780,
600 of their own money on the steamer
Portland, but it was generally under
stood that this money would not be
brought down until the next trip of the
Portland, when she would be conveyed
by a United States revenue cutter.
John F. Miller, ex-district attorney OF
Seattle, writes to a friend in this city
from Dawson City under date of July
Sd as follows:
There is an enormous amount OF
wealth in this country gold by the
thousands and millions, but it is just as
hard to acquire it here as elsewhere.
Here, as elsewhere, it is in the hands OF
a few, while the many are hunting and
searching-the same old story. Ell
Dorado and Bonanza creeks are the
richest of all in this locality, and, in fact,
are so far practically the only diggings
of great value, and 1 can say that one
might just as well try to get in on
Wall street in New York city. He could
do so with no more money than here.
Men on those creeks value their claims
at the enormous figures of 100000, $780,
900 and $300000, and even higher. The
amount taken out last winter may
justify such valuations, but of course
there are no purchasers. You can inform
anybody and everybody who intends to
come here that if they expect to ma
gold scattered around at random. or get
something for nothing, as Col. Sellers
once attempted, they will be woerully
disappointed. While 1t is true that the
gold deposits in the locality were found
almost accidentally it is no encourage
ment to note the fact that 1t is the hrst
accident of the kind m thirty years
searching. New diggings will doubtless
be discoverede from time to time, ana
when and where the sages cannot tell.
one IN tnlS country 10 Quit< a u Ca III = VI
circumstances; if he chances to be with
in reach of discovery he may stand
show of obtaining a claim, but should
he be some distance away he stands no
chance whatever I have been out on
stampede or two and staked claim,
but the chances are there is nothing In
it. Some have an idea that they will go
out and find something. If they should
stop to think that every creek, gulch and
recess has been prospected years ago
by experienced miners their enthusiasm
might lessen. All the gold in this coun-
try is from twelve to twenty feet under
ground and frozen ground, too, SO You
see the free and wandering avocatlon
of the prospector is no easy task. 1t
takes two or three weeks of the hardest
labor to sink one or two holes on creek.
1t is not like other countries, where gold
is on the surface. Here surface indica-
tions count for nothing and all pros
pectors' rules are worthless. One creek
may be rich while another in the same
vicinity and much more inviting may be
absolutely worthless OF all creeks Ell
Dorado and Bonanza are the most un-
inviting, low and marshy, covered with
willow and all kinds of underground,
but there it was found lying like graino
of corn awaiting the eyes of men. In
deed, 1 maybe pardoned for again re-
peating that people who come here
should not expect too much. Where one
has become rich thousand remain poor.