The record-union., 1897-08-27

Many Abandon the Trip, Sell
ing Their Outfits at Ten Per
Cent. of the Original Cost
Those Going via Dyea and Chill
kat Pass Getting Along Very
Well.
| JUNEAU (Alaska), Aug. 21.-(Via Sc
attic, Aug. 26.)-The latest news from
| the north still confirms all previous
statements regarding the in-going Yu-
koners, their successes and failures in
! getting over the trails. AT Skaguay
| there is found a glutted condition, no
passage made in going over the summit
| at what is known as the White Pass, it
| having proved a complete failure this
year, according to all reports. There
are now between four and five thousand
persons camped along the trail between
salt water and up five or six miles. They
will remain there, eating up their sup
plies until spring, or until they make
up their minds to either go over to Dyea
or return to Juneau or the States. Many
have already sold out and abandoned he
| trip altogether, some gladly taking 10
per cent. original cost of their outfits,
and leaving that part of the country for
milder fields
| Those who started via Dyea and the
| Chilkat Pass are getting along very we'll.
The Indians are charging at present 30
cents per pound for packing from salt
water to the lakes. Under present con-
ditions, it is expected that all who are
now on that trail will safely reach Klon
dixie before the winter sets in
| Advices from the interior under date
of July Oath are a repetition of what
! has been said before as to the richness
| of the diggings that have been worked
| up to that date; also that some less
valuable finds have been made near
Stewart River. High prices and wages
remain as heretofore reported. Ac-
cording to recent reports from Yukon,
| water has been scarce for hydraulic
purposes, but better arrangements will
| be provided for these operations next
year. Flour is still selling in the in
terror for Sc per sack of 80 pounds, and
like prices are asked for other staple
articles.
| Miners who We're employed in mines
near Juneau and who went to the Yu-
|
| filed by recent arrivals, so that now
| there is no special demand for labor
here, and it would be worse than folly
| for a man to come to Juneau expecting
! to get work during the winter months.
He should be provided with money
enough to take care of himself until
| spring.
The weather has continued favorable
for those on the trail, and altogether it
has been an exceptionally fine season
for outdoor operations. and a compare
lively mild winter is expected.
At Juneau bot is arriving almost
| every day from the Sound bringing
from $50 to 1000 passengers each. The
| moment a vessel is seen down near
| Taixu word is passed around, and a
| large proportion of the inhabitants
| flock to the wharves to greet the new
arrivals. The Islander arrived from
Victoria with nearly 200 passengers
August 10Th, and the Utopia from Sc
attic the same day with like num-
Der. The United States steamship Con-
| cord is at present lying in port, hav-
| ing taken Governor Brady to various
| places in Southeastern Alaska, bringing
him back here, and will doubtless take
him to Dyea, afterward going back to
| Sitka. The Governor is thoroughly in
vestigating many important matters
relating to the welfare of Alaska.
New customs officials are out max
| ing records" the scene of their OPP
erations at present being Dyea. There
a schooner was captured loaded with
some 800 gallons of Canadian whisky,
which was confiscated A lot of contra
band stuff was also seized on the Pa
cific Coast Steamship Company's
steamer Willamette
AS the country around Dawson is
taken up to such great distances in
each direction, it is more than likely
that many who are now on the road
will proceed on to Circle City and other
places and relocate abandoned claims
that have been given up for other dig
gings. This will all have a tendency
to repopulate the American side
American goods can pass through Ca
madam soil in bond, and no duties will
have to be paid, and a royalty on the
gross production of the mines will be
saved to the miner. These claims for
royalty and customs duties by the Ca
nadians still continue to be vexed ques-
4
must elapse before it can be settled so
as to have matters run smoothly. If
/ that Government intends to take into
! its Jurisdiction every other claim or To-
cation, and demand 20 per cent roy
atty on all gold found, and also collect
- per cent. duty on all outfits and sup
plies it surely does not offer much in
/ ducement to the average prospector,
who will probably push onward again
until he reaches American soil, where
he will not be 50 hampered.
The boat leaving Dawson about the
last of July took fully two tons of gold
dust. and it is calculated that next
years output viii greatly exceed that
| of 1897. On the Yukon dust is valued
| at SIT an ounce. Stewart and Indian
River claims pan out SO to SO per
day. SO that if they do not make a
better showing wages must necessarily
come down.
Four thousand dollars was contribut-
ed by miners in Dawson for the defense
of Birch. who is now in the Sitka Jail
under a charge of murder. His brother
has lust arrived in Juneau bringing the
/ dust with him.
NEWS DIRECT FROM MINES.
PORT TOWNSEND CWash.), Aug &c.
The schooner Fred E. Sanders arrived
| this morning, thirty days from ST.
| Michaels, Alaska, with six passengers