The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-08-06
ALL HBOUY ALASKA
The Government Has Been Making In
vestlgations.
THE NEW GOLD DISCOVERIES
What Prof Spur Says of the Mines
and Miners Of the Golden North.
Some Valuable Information.

WIFI ktIu, anu tne cOuSequoDI uaI1OuAI
excitement and demand for precise in
formation, has directed attention to the
fact that the United States government
recently sent an expedition into Alaska
after the very knowledge that is now
so widely sought. The expedition con-
sisted of members of the United States
geological survey, and was headed by
that distinguished geologist and man
of science, Prof, ]. Edward Spur.
The following information gathered by
Prof. Spur is of the greatest poss ible
interest. 1t might be said to be the
first official knowledge.
Close to the waters of the Yukon
river. in far away Alaska, the north
ernmost of Uncle Sans possessions,
lies what the government now pro-
nouDces the coming gold mining CEN
ter of the word. Here for the first
time is told, by Prof. Spur, chief of
the party sent ont bv the government
geoogical survey to thoroughly exam inc
what has hitherto been largely veiled in
mystery.
There is little about the country, be-
sides it's mineral wealth, to invite. In
the short summer. clouds of mos
quitoes descend Oh the yellow lard
like the pestilence of ancient Egypt
In the long winter the cold is so Sc
we're that mining can only be carried
on during the sunshiny days. Yet
Prof. Spur tells us in the accompany.
ing statement that this is a country
which for placer will exceed Califor-
MAS palmiest days. To gatker the
gold. however, and wean it from the
surroundings where nature has placed
it, much valuable machinery is neces
sary. So it will he seen that it is 60
ing to be hard fight the seeker OF
wealth will have, who tries his
chances with fortune in the Yukon
gold fields. This is what Prof. Scurr
says:
"Much has been written of late con
cerning the possibilities of Alaska as
a gold producing country. AS a mat
ter Of fact, the production Of the pres
ent year may be roughly estimated at
$3. 900. 900; this amount, however,
comes from an immense region of half
a million square miles, or about one
quarter as large as the United States
Of the mines which produce this gold,
some are in the bed rock while others
are placer diggings.
"The bed rock mines are few in
number and situated on the southeast
coast, which is the most accessible part
of the territory. The chief one is the
great Treadwell mine near Juneau,
and there are also important mines at
Berner's bay, at the island of Ungan
and other places. The latest strike is
in Klondyke. Most of these mines,
however. are in low grade ore, and the
production is only made profitable by
means of careful management and op-
erations on very large scale.
"The placer mines are those which
occupy the most prominent place in
the popular mind, since they are re-
mote from civilization and in a coun
try about which little is known, and
which is, on account of this uncer-
tainty, dangerously attractive to the
average man. This gold-producing
country of the interior is mostly in the
vicinity of the Yukon river or of some
OF it's immediate tributaries. The
most productive districts hitherto have
been the Forty Mile district, which
lies partly in American and partly in
British territory, and the Birch creek
district, which lies in American terri
tory. Some gold diggings are also
supposed to exist on Stew art river, and
some gold has been shipped from the
Keykuk. During the latter part of the
past season diggings were also found
on the Klundek and Indian rivers nea1
Forty Mile.
Another place concerning which
there have been vague rumors of gold
causing stampede of many unpre
pared and untitled men. is the Cool
inlet country which lies on the coas,
above the mouth of Copper river. a sit
uation remote alike from the mine.
near Juneau and from the placer mine.
: on the Yukon.
} In all this immense country ovel
which placer digging is carried on. o.
has been carried on, estimate tha
4 there are about two thousand miners
They are mostly in the Yukon districr
These districts lie in broad belt O
gold producing rocks having consid
cradle width and extending in gen
eral east and west direction for severa