The true northerner., 1897-08-25
FROM THE GOLD FIELDS.
Returning Miners Tell Of Their EN-
perfences and Luck.

Starr. with 90 pounds of gold taken
from five claims. Four are on Bonanza
and one on Eldorado creek. The lucky
miners are Edward Thorpe, of Seattle,
who was supposed 10 be dead, George
Stewart, of Tacoma, and Joseph Winter
holen, of Juneau. They carried their
gold in two large black satchels, and
owing TO their citified appearance did
not attract much attention when they
FASTENED from the steamer 10 the car
that took them 10 the home of Thorpe's
father. They were not anxious TO at
tract attention. and changed their dress
at juneau. They are not talkative, but
what they do say is conservative and
worthy of consideration. They say
they came out because food was scarce.
The money brought was what they be-
lieved would pay their expenses and
give them n big supply of food. They
report rich stakes on Dominion creek
and Stewart river. People were rush
ing to Dominion creek. They were sur
prised to hear of the intention of the
Canadian government TO collect royalty
or gold, and predicted that the miners
North American transportation and
Trading company's steamer Portland
will bring down 100000 To $500000 in
stead of 81 100000 They say that their
clean-ups were made after the miners
who came down on the Portland left the
diggings. They say that there was a
lack of rain up TO July 10, and this in
terfered with working some claims.
They think that the Portland on her
last trip down will probably bring a
large amount of gold.
They do not say much about the
perilous journey they had after leaving
the head of Pelly river, 175 miles from
Dawson City. Their pack horse fel!
over a precipice. with nearly all of
their provisions. They nearly starved
before reaching salt water August 13.
II took them 40 days 10 reach salt water
from Dawson. Edward Thorpe, his
brother William, George Stewart and
George Bound, a cousin of the Thorpes,
own half interest in the claim adioin
ing Clarence Berry's on Eldorado creek.
They own four others on Bonanza creek,
adjoining those of George Cormack, the
discoverer. They do not pretend to
give values of their claims. Winter
holen owns quarter interest in one
and one-siXteenth interest in another on
Bonanza. He said: IL have not done
much work on my claim. The value of
the dirt is from $1,000 to $1,000 to the
length of the sluice box"
San Francisco, Aug. ga special to
the Bulletin from Dyea, Alaska, August
IA. tells of the pitiful condition of many
of the searchers for gold, who are now
stopping at Dyea, unable to proceed far
ther on their journey, owing to lack of
funds for provisions. Many of those
now in Dyea are physically unable to
make the trying trip and there are
many who will suffer great hardships
before the winter is over. Many Of
those who arrived on the steamer Will
liamette are absolutely without shelter,
seemingly having gone to that cold re-
gion depending on the open-h hearted
ness of others to keep them living.
Many of the people who are unable to
reach Dawson this winter have two tons
of provisions and no possible means of
transportation.
Chicago, Aug. 23.-One year ago Fred
Phiscator was poor man engaged in
the lumber business at Barodo. Mich,
Saturday night he arrived in Chicago
on his way home from Alaska. In big
red pocketbook which he carried in the
inside pocket of his vest there reposed
n certificate of deposit for $120, 900, be-
side which Mr.. Phiscator remarked that
he had refused 100000 for the claim he
left behind, and thought it was worth
S1,000,000 1t is his intention to spend
the winter with his family and friends
and in the spring he will lead party
Of friends to the scene of his fortune
making.
Tacoma, Wash, Aug. 23.-The next
mining excitement will be on Peace
river, in Northwest territory. Mining
has been carried on there in a slow way
for years, but discoveries made this
summer leave no room to doubt that an
immense amount of gold will be taken
out of that river and it's tributaries dur
ing the next two years. A. d. Kitchen.
prominent mining broker of this city,
has just returned from British Column
bia. At Vancouver he met Young
man named Johnson, who had lust
come down from Peace river with his
partner, bringing $4,000. The $4,000
brought out had been cleaned up by the
three men in three months. They went
10 Peace river early in the spring. and
johnson started out in July. johnson
said that all the miners on Peace river
were making great deal of money
with the crudest of appliances. John
son told Mr.. Kitchen that if he wanted
gold all he had to do was to go to Peace
river.
THE Peace river country is reached most
easily from Edmonton, which Is S33 miles
from Vancouver, being 191 miles north OF
Calgary on the Canadian Pacific railroad
Fort Chippewyan. on Athabasca lake
40 miles, and thence down Athabasca river
and lake by boat. Chippewyan is 465 miles
from Edmonton. Steamboats, go up the
Peace river for a considerable distance. A
number OF its tributaries. including the
Loon and Deer rivers are as rich as the
main stream. The Peace river rises in the
eastern slopes Of the Rocky mountains a
little north OF the center of British ColIIm-
bia. In the northern continuation Of the
same mountains rise the Klondike Pelly
Stewart and other gold bearing tributaries
n IA I