The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
F1ERoE 1wDIAxs, bur LITTLE eoLD.
A wsrninE AEnirst storiss or Rich E1nau on
stewart River. Alaska,

WARRINGTON, Sept. CAN interesting lettc,
about tho reported rich finds OF gold on Stewar
River, Alaska, has been received here from Z
former officer Of the United States Coast and
Gcodetic Survey, who spent several seasons II
Alaska and is familiar with the Yukon country
near Forty.Mile Creek and Circle City.
Il havo read with a great deal of interest,"
he writes, ';ac many articles that have up
peared in THE SuN from time to time on Alaska
hut AIN moved To utter n warning word Just
now on account OF n statement that / saw In II
several times and which was repeated in an arti
clio in the issue of Aug. 20. In this article the
writer spoke of the great things to be expected
In a short time In Alaska, and went on to say
that wonderful developments were to DO looked
for on Stewart River ind that tho Canadian
Government had secret Information about the
river that would prove startling.
stewart River is not an untricd stream. 1t
was worked by hundreds OF miners before the
riches Of Forty-Milo Crock werc known, and
the gold cannot be picked off the bars in chunks
and is not awaiting the touch Of the first Corners.
hcQuestin. Harper and Mayo had q store there
and did not leave until tho stream was practi-
sations with those traders and men who had
been on the river l never heard of any one max.
Ing more than fair wages on 1t. Tho stream
was followed far TO It's head, particularly by
two men, TN old American trapper and miner
named Joe Gee, and a Canadian Scotchman
otic and would not desert British GhI soil ian and this.
they say, Is why he remained In Stewart and re-
fused to go to Forty.Mile Creek when the rest
must, have spent Mt least eight years prospect
ing the st stream cam and ,d,s 90 many men had been in i
ul the richness OF FL Dorado.
The hrst application OF machinery and steam
TO mining was made in this river. The bars
but being very fine, the gold could not profit
ably he taken out by men working by hand.
New Racket up to Stewart with two men, Al
Mayo and Frank Dinsmore, in charge. They
had pumps and were to use the engine of the
Ittlo steamer for power. and n summer was put
in in mining on a large scale. 1t proved IA fail
ure, however, and mining. was practically
Near the headwaters OF the Stewart is a
usually hear called the MaRonys. The Yukon
reported to be mcrci!ess. II is claimed they
kidnap children; carry or women and slay all
suspicion that they have come near the country
OF the Yukon River Indians will drive the lat
ter from the invaded section for years. The
traders seem to fear them, too. and stories Of
their cruelty and fercencss kept many a man
back from the headwaters OF the Stewart. But
met a man who had seen one of the Mahonys
in the Yukon, Valley, but ! have heard that
when bands of them came to the Hudson Bay
Compnnys post the stOckades were shut up
and all business was done by both parties with
very open precaution against surprise and
of his trip down the Yukon. In 1888. l think
you will find references to what had been done
on the Stewart and Of Information he got from
Mcdonald.
There will be stories enough and to spare
about Alaska, and ! think it is only right that
country with wild stories of the unlimited
wealth to be found anywhere, anything known
about that section should be made public. 1t
Is no Coney Island trip TO the Yukon, and I
fear that many a poor devil will rue this win.
ter the readiness with which he accepted the
Klondike."