Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-07-24
THE RUSH FOR GOLD.
The Growing Demand For Trans
portation to Alaska.
TALES OF FABULOUS RICHNESS

4 Thousand Dollars to the Pan Not
an Uncommon Thing in This Land of
Wealth-Preparing For a Big Rush
in the Spring.
San Francisco, July 22.-The steam
ship Umatilla, which arrived yesterday
from Puget Sound ports. brought down
almost 100000 worth of Alaskan gold,
of which s19e700 was in gold dust from
Seattle. consigned to the Wells Fargo
company. There were several other
shipments of gold in sacks. Some was
shipped directly from Juneau, and adj
vices from that place are to the effect
that at least $4,000 worth of dust was
waiting shipment at various Alaskan
stations.
Among the sensational advices re-
ceived was one from st. Michaels to
the effect that over $4,000, 900 in gold
dust, which had not been included with
the fortunes brought here by miners,
win be skipped through the Wells
Fargo company, other lucky miners
having reached the island since the de-
psrture of the Excelsior and Portland,
who have secured greater fortunes, in
dividually, than those whose stories
have already been told.
Although the capacity of the steam
ers Portland, which sailed today for
St. Miehaels, and the Excelsior, which
sails on the 18th, is limited to about
40 passengers, over 1000 applications
have been made for berths. Most of
the disappointed ones are making ar
engagements to travel hence TO Tacoma
by rail and secure passage on the Mex
leo and Topeka, which sail thence next
week, but many must inevitably wait
until next spring.
The Alaska Commercial company
yesterday closed its books of the Ex-
celsior. Scores foeked to the COM
pany's Office again yesterday A
great majority go from San Fran
cisco, but number belong to the in
terror of the state, which is largely sup
plying recruits for the Yukon.
Is. W. Shaw, formerly a well known
insurance man of Seattle, has written a
letter to a business man of that city
in which he states frankly that he does
not expect to be believed. This is a
great mining strike says Shaw, prob
ably the greatest on the American con-
tinent or IN the world Gold has not
been found in great paying quantities
except on two creeks covered by about
200 claims. Some of the pay streaks are
nearly adj gold. One thousand dollars
to the pan is not an uncommon thing.
and as high as leo ounces have been
taken out in siAgle pan. 1t is not
unusual to $50 men coming in with all
the gosa xslst they can carry. You
usejA noe essjAvs pae when teil you
that went into one cabin and counted
five five-gallon oil cans full of gold
dust, but It is a fact. 1t is the result
of the work of two men during the
winter, and the dump is not much more
than half worked out. There has been
about 81, 100000 in dust taken out SO far
in the district. 1T a low estimate
believe there VIII be $50, 900 taken
out during the next year"
A Port Townsend. Wash, dispatch
says: Owing to the present rush to
the Klondyke gold fields, and the still
greater rush which is expected next
spring, the Puget Sound Towboat com
pany has decided to put steamer on
the Yukon river to carry passengers
and freight from st. Michaels to Circle
City and the KloHdyke valley. Steam
boat men here estimate that, begin
ming about the first of next April, a
large steamer can leave the sound for
Alaska daily with all the passenger
and freight accommodations crowded.
There are promises of an additional
steamer service between Seattle,
Wash, and St. Michaels, also line of
Yukon river steamers. Arrangements
are now being made in Seattle by a
company that is being organized by
local and eastern capitalists. The
scheme is to build a seagoing steam
ship and light draft river steamer
for the business between st. Michaels
and Dawson City. The company is
organizing on 100000 paid up CAPT
tai basis