The record-union., 1897-08-29


Postpone Going to Klondike I'm
til Spring.
PORT ANGELES CWash.), Aug. 2S--
The steamer Portland arrived from St
Aichaels at 11:20 this morning. Cap
tain Kidston, in command of the steam
er. reported a pleasant voyage, and ex-
planned the delay of three days in
reaching Port Angeles by stating that
a very serious storm at st. Michaels de-
1ayed the discharge of his cargo. He
laughed when told of the reports that
the Portland was carrying over S2OOO,-
600 in gold. AS a matter of fact, ne
said, there was only about SS2oOOO IN
gold dust and nuggets on board his yes
sci. Up to the time he left st. M1chaels
he had heard of no new gold fields
Among the Portland's passengers
from St. Michaels is Timothy Bell, who
has with him $4,000 in gold. which
he dug from a claim that cost SlZo.
From a number of the Portland S
crew it was learned that Captain Kid
ston had expected the Weare, one Oh
the companys boats, to come down the
yukon with about a million dollars
worth of nuggets and gold dust, but as
she did not arrive in time he decided
to bring down the treasure next trip
The United States cutter Bear, II IS
said. will guard the Portland on her
next trip from ST. A1ichaelS to Seattle
As most miners will make their clean
up by that time, it is expected that the
Portland's cargo viii be very Valu-
able one.
The returning miners say that the
remarkably rich claims on Ell Dorado
Creek viii number 140 Mr.. OgilVie es-
Inmates that at the rate these 14O
claims are now producing, and consid-
ering the ground yet to be worked, IN
the next three years it will aggregate
about $4,000 600. To this must be
added the favorable possibilities OF
pockets and development of claims al
ready found, but not opened, so as to
permit of great production.
There have been other rich strikes
GA Stuart River, bunker, Henderson
and Indian Creeks, but none of these
are as rich as claims on FL Dorado and
Bonanza Creeks. Until the wonderful
discoveries of Klondike were made.
ground worth ten cents to the pan with
two or three feet Of pay dirt were con-
sfdered very good for the Yukon, and
miners made their money with rockers
and sluices. This year miners are
passing entirely over the ground of this
richness in their search for sand and
gravel that will pay like that Of the
KIondfke discoveries. Up to date none
of the claims We're showing any signs
of exhaustion and scarcely dozen are
more than well opened. Everyone has
large areas of ground to be worked.
One returned miner says it is impossi-
bic to make anything like an accurate
estimate of the probable yield of the
mines. The ground is not at all even
in richness, and the worth of pay
streaks varies greatly.
The most important news from St.
Michaels is that the Yukon River
steamers left there two weeks ago for
their last trip up the Yukon. 1t was
not certain that they would reach Daw-
son this fall, in which event passen-
gers who left the Sound on the steam
er Portland as early as July 10Th only
would reach Circle City before naviga-
ton closed. This makes it certain that
hundreds of miners who have left the
sound and California since August 1st
for ST. Michaels will have to winter
there. At least, they can scarcely get
started up the Yukon before the river
freezes over solid.
All vessels touching at st. Michaels
this summer have had difficulty in
keeping their crews. who have caught
the gold fever One schooner from
Victoria was entirely deserted, and
her crew. from captain to cook, started
up the river for Klondike. The crew
of the schooner J. NJ. Coleman endeav-
ored to desert also. but the attempt
was discovered in time, and by the dis
play Of firearms the men We're COM
PEELED to remain on duty. The mates
of the scho0ners Jewett and Coleman
and the carpenter of the Sanders We're
paved off at St Michaels, and departed
at once for Dawson. Every vessel
from St. .Michaels has come away short
handed. The Portland lost several of
hen. crew, but was able to obtain new
men by paying high wages.
STAY OUT TILL SPRING.
SEATTLE. Aug 2S.-H A. Stanley
IF the Ringhampton On. " Evening
Herald :" who. under date of June Both,
sent ont the first Associated Press dis
match Of the great strike on the Klon-
dixie returned to this city on the
steamer Portland to-day. and on be-
ing interview by an Associated Press
representative. said;
Il have been seven weeks at the
mouth Of the Yukon at St. Michaels
where I saw every miner coming out
and interviewed them. As result
I feel it my duty to advise everybody
TO stay out until next spring. My first
dispatch as to the quantity was abso-
lutely true. and while wild and exag-
gerated reports have been circulated
since, no one, however conservative,
has thus far disputed that story. The
strike was. and is, one of the greatest,
If not the greatest, in the worlds his
tory Probably s.. 000, 900 was cleaned
up this spring. and next spring I look
for from $1,000, 600 to $1,000 600. The
fields have hardly been opened up as
yet.
However. those going in now must
bear in mind that everything in that
region was staked long before any re-
ports reached the outer world, and
that those going in now must prospect
for themselves, buy claims of the pres
ent owners or work for such owners.
No new strike had been reported UP
to the time of my leaving. and another
may not be made for five years, al
though Alaska is an enormous eoun-
try, and will yet. I believe, produce
more gold than We dream Of
But it is also in many ways a bleak,