The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-17
WHERE NATURE IS TOUGHEST.
OBSTACLES LIE THICK IN THE PATH
OF COPPER RIVER MINERS.
Two Futile Attempts to Stem the
Raging Torrents-CanyOns where
Boat Cannot Liye--A. j. Pax
sons Trim in 1896 Described.

Great interest is being manifested re-
Gently in the Copper river district. Alas
ka. What has caused the country 10 gain
such sudden favor In the eyes of pros
pectors Is hard TO imagine. since no gold
discovery of the least Importance, so far
as known publicly, has ever been made
there. Particularly in gold. only poor
indications have ever been found of the
existence of the metal in paying quanti
ties. The name of the stream indicates the
mineral in which 1t may be reasonably
supposed to excel.
The Copper river Indians coming TO
white villages to trade display large mug
gets of copper. The ore comes either from
the river gravel bars at that point of the
river directly north of Mount Wrangel. or
from deposits on the headwaters of the
east fork of the Chittyna river. which is
the east fork Of the Copper. More def
ntely speaking. the latter location is at
point nearly northwest of Mount St.
Elias.
Ii is positively asserted by those famil-
lar with the district that up to the present
date no white person has assembled the
main Copper river up as far as the place
where the Indians report finding their
nuggets of copper; at least. IL any pros
pector has ever penetrated there he
has never returned to civilization again.
Indian geography places Mount Wrangei
much farther 10 the north than do some
maps, and the main head of Copper river
as rising almost directly south of Mount
Wrangei, the mountain being nearly sur
rounded by the river. which makes about
a two-thirds circle. The river forms
sickle, with the opening on the southeast.
The north base of the mountain lies the
closest to the river. The point of the
sickle reaches much farther to the south
and west than the maps. show. The Tan
ara does net have its source as far to
the south and east as the maps indicate.
as crossing over Mentasto pass and strik-
Ing across country in a northeast direction
To the Yukon. the Indians say they cross
no large streams The White river has its
source. or the northwest branch of it, in
the locality where the head of the Tan
ana Is marked on the maps.
The difficulties of reaching the head
waters of the Copper river by going UP in
boat from the mouth are almost insur-
mountable. A trip made b. 4. J. Paxson,
OF Friday Harbor, In the summer OF 1896
Is illustrative OF the many obstacles to be
encountered. Paxson embarked in a
small schooner from Port Townsend with
ten men in the party. and on June IL crossed
the Copper river bar and entered one of
the deitas OF the river mouth. They were
lucky in getting tow across the bar by
one OF the cannery steamers. The Cop
per river delta IS sixty miles wide; the
waters across the bar are very shallow. and
vessel drawing over four feet of water
cannot enter. In company with others of
the party. Paxson started up the river in
search of reported mineral wealth. They
built a siauneh river boat with the idea
OF ascending the river. If possible. by
water. They reached Baird canyon. eighty
miles from the Coast. but by the water
route could proceed further rains
had swelled the river and tho current WAS
too swift to make Roadway against *:
| to portage around 10 the head of the can
| yon or rapids was not AT all practica BILE.
| and they cached all supplies not needed for
/ the down Journey and returned back 10 the
! Coast number OF the party had fam
flies below. and they gave up making fur
/ Their explorations and returned 20 them.
! later on III company with r.. X Fir
bush Paxsou started on his second Jour
/ ney up the river They built another river
! boat OF somewhat smaller dimensions than
/ the first one. and took along an additional
! supply OF provisions Reaching Baird can
/ yon. they built cabin and went into win
| ser quarters. with a good supply Of provis-
! tons and Jared comparatively well. The
I winter weather n that point on Copper
river had mean temperature somewhat
! colder than on the Coast and warmer than
+ farther hack In the interior II being about
/ the center af the Coast range. A depth II
J
( attained bu; most of II was drift snow
I thcy being located IN somewha, Of a basin
! with glacial walls TO the left glacial walls
70 the right and behind and the open can
/ Won in front.
In the early spring they started shedding
up the river. Ru; no surface crust had
/ formed upon the snow. which was an un.
/ common occurrence. as during the month
( % February such can generally b. reliec
upon. so they were unable 20 make much
( Roadway or cover any great distance
ahead. A. the Alma river lumber was
! whlpSawesi aDd another boat built, and
with an Indian packer ana guide. named
I Jack ny Lieut. Alien, they continued thet.
/ Journey hy water They procsettsi Up trt
/ river as far as the mouth ~ the second
( canyon, about Is miles up from the coast
/