The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-08
AREA 700 SQUARE MILES
THERE rs PLENTY OF. ROOM FOR
MORE PRosPHCTORS.
RULES AND PENALTIES PREVAILING
Ten Dollars Per Day is the, General Wages
Paid -Banishment For Stealing and Hang
ing For Murders Have Been no
Murders Yet.

Washington, Aug. THE report on the
Yukon gold region by Josiah Edward
Spur. the geological survey expert who
headed a party that made a thorough in
vestigatiOn in Alaska last summer, Civ
ing new facts about the interior, was
made public to-day. 1t is comprehen-
i've document, and reviews in detail the
work in the various districts. 1t says
Is to the Forty Mile gold district, that
n the latter part Of 1887 Franklin Gulch
yas struck and the first year the creek
is estimated to have produced 1900.
Ever since it has been a constant payer.
The discovery of Davis Greek and a
tampede from Franklin Gulch followed
N the spring Of 1888. In 1891 gold min
ng in the interior, as well as on the coast
It Silver Bow Basin and Treadwell, re-
deived great impetus. The event of
S92 was the discovery Of Miller Greek.
the spring of 1893 many new claims
were staked and it is estimated that so
men took out 100000. Since then Mil
er Greek has been the heaviest producer
the Forty Mile district and until re-
.ently of the whole Yukon. Its entire
ength lies in British possessions. The
utput for 1898, as given by the mint
director for the Alaskan creeks, all but
Miller Greek being in American posses
ions, was $19S,000, with mining popu-
alton of 1876.
The total amount produced by the
Yukon placers in 1894 was double that of
he previous year. In 1895 the output
lad doubled again.
The following is the report on the KlOn-
yke district;
with the announcement OF gold here
the interior in 1S96--'97, there was a
genuine stampede to the new region.
Forty Mile was almost deserted. But
80 men spent the winter on Klondyke.
n the gulches and at the new town OF
Dawson. he more important parts of the
district are on Bonanza and Hunker
reeks. According to latest information
90 claims have been located up to Jan
nary 1, 1897, about one-half as many on
Hunker creek. There is plenty of room
or many more prospectors and miners,
or the gulches and creeks which have
hown good prospects are spreld over an
rea of 200 square miles. The estimated
Alaskan gold production for 1896, made
by the Spur report is $1,400.000.
The report points out the difficulties
the way of speedy development Of the
country. First, the climate, with short
summer season and long winter. Pros
pecting Is done in the winter and more
and more every year because frozen
ground renders travelling over this
wampy, moss-covered country more
easy and the miner is thus able to be-
gin work with the first spring thaw.
whatever Alaska may be in the future
t is not now self supporting agricultur-
ally. Moss caribou are here and variable
n quantity, abundant one time, and dis
ppearing from the region for twelve
months at a time. Ten dollars day is
he general wages paid, $12 for day of
ten hours being paid in some Of the more
remote gulches. In winter the price for
labor is IS to So per day of six hours.
Many times the miners have been at the
point of starvation; hardly a winter
when they hare not been put on a ra-
ion basis. Universal suffrage is given
nd all have an equal vote. Penalties
include: For stealing, Punishment from
he country; also whipping; threatening
with weapons, the same; murders, hang
ing, but there have been no murders so
ara
The mining laws differ for different
gulches. Generally the claim is for 500
feet for guleh diggings from rimrock to
Timrock; but in some gulches not paying
well an effort is beng made to stake
claims 1920 feet long. Crowded creeks
are, too. staked 800 feet TO the claim and
man is allowed to stake more than
one claim IN his own name, save the
'iseoverer, who Is allowed 1000 feet tn
stead Of 500. The only officer in the
Cepablle Of miners is the recorder, ap-
'ointed by popular vote, one in each
Ulch or creek.