Evening journal., 1897-09-22
BEATS THE KLONDIKE
copper River Country Abounds in
Gold and Other Riches.


Mighty Stream Washes the Bases
of Five Gigantic GoId-Bearing
Mountains, and Veteran Prospec-
tors Say It's Banks Contain Many
Millions of Dollars I'm Dust and |
Nuggets-It is the Golden Gate of
the Great Northwest.
While nine men out of every ten in
the United States. Canada and Great |
Britain are becoming more and more |
excited over the big gold strikes in the
Klondike region. and thousands of per-
sons are vainly trying to cross the diff
hcult Chilkoot Pass and the still more
dangerous trails from Dyea and ska.
quay, in the hope Of reaching Dawson
City before the Winter, few hundreds
of pioneers, ignoring the rush, are
quietly laying up for themselves treas
ures in a land far richer than the Up
per Yukon country and incomparably
easier of approach. The masses may
peril their lives, If they like, in the ter
rible journey across the SHOWS Of Brit
ish Columbia. with imminent death in
every canon. glacier and rapid, but the
knowing ones-the men who have
sought gold and found 1t since the days
Of '49-are directing their energies to a
district much nearer the known waters
Of the Pacific. 1t is there that they
expect to find more gold than the al
ready overcrowded gold fields Of Daw-
son can ever put forth, and that they
look to find enormous yields Of silver,
copper and other valuable metals, ag-
gregating many millions of dollars.
This district is the Copper River
country, the richest region of the
Northwest according to the few min
Ing engineers who have traversed it.
It is many hundreds of miles nearer
the coast than the Klondlke. for it be-
gins at the mouth Of the Copper River
itself. a short distance to the east of
Prince William Sound. Unless the sci
entists be mistaken-and IL must be
borne in mind that all their predictions
hitherto have been more than verified
lit viii yield during the next few years
more gold than any other part of the
great Northwest. And It Is all in Amer
lean territory, subject to the liberal
laws and wise administrative measures
Of the Government Of the United States.
No British Grabs There.
Prospectors in the Copper River re-
gion need not be disturbed by the
whimsical and outrageous discrimna-
tive regulations imposed upon their
contemporaries in the Klondike and
other parts of British Columbia by the
Canadian Government. Uncle Sam will
see to 1t that their rights are protected
and that every possible assistance is
accorded to them in their search for
gold. Alaskan soil will be as safe to
them as Broadway or Pennsylvania
avenue, and every dollar they dig out
OF the ground will be their own prop
erty free from unjust taxation.
This statement is no mere conjecture.
1t is made on the authority of Mr.. John
r. Weeks Of "A Broadway, New York,
who has the promise Of the General
Land Office to that effect. During a
recent visit to the national capital, Mr..
New York Land Office, visit TO the
national capitol. Mr.. Weeks made spe-
cial- inquiries along that line, and on
his return to the metropolis he said:
Alaska for Americans.
"The General Land Office is very
earnestly in favor of doing everything
it possibly can to assist American citi-
zens in obtaining mining claims on
American soil. and to aid in every pos
sible way in the immediate develop
ment Of Alaskan gold mines and other
natural resources. Americans going to
Alaska will do well to keep in touch
with the Land Office and with it's
branches in the Northwest, as on many
occasions the benefit to be derived from
such connection will be invaluable"
= "Is Washington generally interested
in the gold fields?" Mr.. Weeks was
asked.
Eyes. indeed" he replied. Il found
If possible greater interest in Alaskan
affairs there even than in New York
Several parties are outhtting in the ma.
tional capital now, and many more will
be organized in the near future. Every
acquaintance have in the city applied
to me for information. and our CHIEF
mining engineer, before he left Wash
ington to join our party in Alaska, wa.
besieged with applications by men who
wished to accompany him. Interest ir
the gold district is certainly increasing
in that part Of the country as rapidly
as It is in this section, if not more so
Government jobs should be plentiful il
washington by the spring, if the pros
pective exodus Of departmental EN-
ployes takes place. Men in every wall
of life are anxious to go to the new
Eldorado.
Il have advised all my friends t,
wait until spring, when the passes will
be practicable. With Prof. John Muir
I believe men starting so as to reacl
the Alaskan coast by March or ApA'i
will have much better chance Of find
ing gold than those who freess an,
starve all winter at Dyea or Skaguay
VIII Discount the IxIOndike.
Mr.. Weeks is a strong believer in tn
Copper River country. He says it vii
certainly discount the Klondike severa