Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-11-26

!"e 'ho climate OF the islands
ahn anJacent mainland. The AVERAGE
temperature for July at Sitka is hrt
90 degrees, while the mean winter fem.
perature is as. high as 30 degrees. This
Is the most equable climate in tho
0hited States. The same causes pro.
uuce copious rains or continuous driz-
"ies' there being but an average of 66
clear nays In a year. Across the SIM
nllt OF the coast range conditions are
very different. The rains are cut off
by the high mountains. and the
warm ocean air is not felt. From No.
Vemner to April the mean temperature
remains continuously below the f~reezino
point, OFTEN remaining for weeks at a
I'm below zero and occasionally going
as low as 60 or 70 degrees below zero,
~ '"o"a ABOUT one-thlrd OF the time in
winter, but the snow does not become
excessively deep, though frequently the
storms are very severe.
Inc mean temperature of the interior
during the summer months is 60 to 70
degrees, there being many very warm
days. The Yukon region, being so far
north, has the long summer days and
long winter nights of that latitude.
though, being south of the Arctic cir.
Gle, 1t just misses the continuous dav
and continuous night of the Arctic
summer and winter.
Aside from gold, the chief resources
OF Alaska are timber, fish and fur-bear-
ing animals, including the famous fur
seals which are giving the United
States. Great Britain, Russia and ia
pan so much trouble. Salmon are
plentiful In all the streams of the
islands and mainland, and millions are
annually packed for market. Halibut
and cod, herring and smelt, or COLA
chon, abound and have become of great
commercial importance. The seal and
sea otter in the water, and the fox,
bear, lynx, otter, beaver, etc., on land,
contribute thousands of their skins an
nually to the worlds fur supply. The
fur trade is handled by the Alaska
Commercial Company and the North
west Trading and Transportation Com
pany, both of which have headquarters
on st. Michaels island, near the mouth
of the Yukon, while the Hudson's Bay
Company operates on the Canadian
side of the line.
Coal and coal oil have both been
discovered and may be of future value.
The timber of the coast and islands
grows very large, owing to the humid
atmosphere. 1t is chiefly cedar, spruce
and hemlock. 1t has been little used
thus far, though several small mills
have cut it for local purposes. The
timber of the interior is much smaller,
and is found only along the lakes and
water courses. 1t is chiefly spruce,
alder, cottonwood and willow. Several
small mills have been taken in for cut
ting this timber. Agriculture is as
yet an experiment, but little having
been ATTEMPTED. Conditions on the
islands are favorable for grass and such
vegetables and cereals rs mature quick
ly. Even along the Yukon region
summer vegetables may be grown and
possibly wheat. few years will show
what can be done in agriculture and
stock raising.
The great interest in Alaska at the
present time centers in the Yukon
placers on both sides of the boundary
line. Prospecting on the Yukon began
in 1881. In the fall of 1883 the
first gold was brought to Juneau from
the interior. The next year 300 men
crossed the mountains and the number
OF miners steadily increased each year.
The first work was on Stewart river and
then Big Salmon, both in Canada. In
1886 the Forty-Mile creek placers, also
in Canada, were discovered, and the
next year the famous Franklin gulch,
on the same stream. In 1892 the Miller
creek diggings were found. also a tribu-
tary of Forty-Mile, and on the Cana
dian side Of the line. The next year
there was a large influx of miners, fully
800 working in the Forty-Mile district.
In 1898 the first important discover
les on the American side OF the line
were made on Birch creek, and the
town of Circle City, now having 500 log
houses, was started on the Yukon as a
supply point. The next year over
$500, 900 were taken out along Birch
creek and Forty-Mile. In 1895 Eagle
and Porcupine creeks began to produce
in the Birch creek district. The total
output of that year exceeded 800, 600.
In August, 1896, it was reported at
Forty-Mil and Circle City that won
derfully rich placers had been discov-
cred on the Klondike, a small tributary
of the Yukon entering that river about
so miles southeast of the international
boundary and on Canadian territory.
There was a great rush to the new dig
gings, the older ones being nearly de-
serted. In a few days $1,000 were