The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1897-07-23
The Alaskan Gold Fields.

Washington, July M.-Dr. William
Fl. Dali, one of the curators OF the
national museum, is familiar with the
country in which the Klondike gold
fields are, having been through them
on several geological expeditions to
the region in Alaska adjoining the gold
district, and he says that in his opln-
ion the reports from there probably are
not exaggerated. He says: "When
was there did not find gold, but knew
of it being taken out in profitable
quantities for fifteen years or more. III
was first discovered there in 1866. III
1890, when I was up in that country
my last trip having been made two
years ago, party of prospectors' VINO
make mining profit, started out.
The gold is found on the various tri-
butares of the Yukon and ! have been
within a comparatively short distance
of the Klondike fields. l made one
trip to Circle City, just over the boun-
Diary of Canada.
'The gold bearing belt of northwest
ern America contains all the gold fields
extending into British Columbia what
is known as the Northwestern Terri
tory and Alaska The Yukon really
runs along in that belt for 6oo or 'oo
miles. The bed of the main river Is IN
. the low land of the valley. The yellow
metal is not found in paying quantities
in the main river, but in the small
streams which cut through the noun
taips on either side. These practically
wash out the gold. The mud anc
mineral matter is carried into the mali
river, while the gold is left on tn
rough bottoms of the side streams. II
most cases, the gold lies at the bottom
of the thick gravel deposits. The golt
is covered by frozen gravel IN tn
winter. During the summer, until tn
snow is all melted, the surface is cover
ed by muddy torrents. When the sno'
is melted and the springs begin t
freeze, the streams dry up. At the ar
proach of winter, in order to get at tn
cold. the miners find it necessary
dig into the gravel formation.
y "Formerly they stripped the grave
: off, until they came to the gold. NO
they sink shaft to the bottom OF u
gravel and tunnel along underneath
in the gold bearing layer. The way
h, which this is done is interesting as
e. has to be carried on in cold Weath'
90 when everything is frozen The M
- n ners build fires over the area Whel
a. thew wish to work and keep the
st lighted over that territory for the spa
H. of about twenty-four hours. AT Il
expiration of this period the gravel W
ey he melted and softened to depth
g perhaps six inches. This is then tax
"a. off and other fires built until the 70
bearing placer is reached When |
;s shaft is down that far fires are oullt
a the bottom, against the sides OF T.
nv layer, and tunnels made In this ma
:, ner. Blasting would do no good'
account of the hard nature OF the ma
,os rial and would blow out just as out
ct gun. The matter taken out conta'
s,,, n ing the gold is piled up until spril
-, when the torrents come down ana
-, manned and Graded by these. II
~ certainly very hard labor.
81 see many reasons why the 9
VS. fields should be particularly rich. l
i II streams which cut through the mot
II. tains have probably done 50 for G
eo- turies, wearing them down seve
ay hundred feet and washing out the g
'p'' into the beds and gravel.
ing ut is a country in which it is "
on hard to find food, as there is pra
IRA; cally no game. Before the whites w
ore into the region there were not m
Ser than 400 natives. They have hard W.
to support themselves, on account OF
scarcity of game"