Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-12-03
The rains are cut OIL

vember to April the mean temperature
remains continuously below the freezing
point, often remaining for weeks at
time below zero and occasionally going
as low as 60 or 20 degrees below zero.
1t SHOWS about one-third of the time IN
winter, but the snow does not become
excessively deep, though frequently the
storms are very severe.
The mean temperature Of the interior
during the summer months is % to ~
degrees, there being many very warm
DAYS. The Yukon region, being so far
north. has the long summer days ana
| long winter nights OF that latitude,
though, being south OF the Arctic CIR
| Gle, it Just misses the continuous DAY
and continuous night Of the Arctic
summer and winter.
Aside from gold, the chief resources
! of Alaska are timber, fish and fhr-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. Halihut
and cod, herring and smelt, or ooia-
chon, abound and have become OF great
commercial importance. The seal ana
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 8 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
vet an experiment, but little having
b zen ATTEMPTED. Conditions on the
islands are favorable for grass and such
vegetables and cereals as mature quick
ly. Even along the Yukon region
summer vegetables may be grown and
| .,.t,n 70, Nv-IlI oh
what can be done i'll agriculture and
stock raising. II,
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 800 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
, 1885 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 tribu
tary of Forty Mile, and on the Cana
: dian side of the line. The next yea
) there was Il large influx of miners, fully
800 working in the Forty-Mile district
f In 1898 the first important discover
, les on the American side of the lin,
3 were made on Birch creek, and thu
5 town Of Circle City. now having 500 10,
. houses, was started on the Yukon as
/ supply point. The next year owe
2 100000 were taken out along Bircl
creek and Forty-Mile. In 1895 Eagle
1 and POrcupine creeks began to produc
g in the Birch creek district. The tota
g output of that year exceeded 800, OOO
In August, 1896, it was reported a
b Forty Mile and Circle City that won
derfully rich placers had been discov
/. cred on the klondike, a small tributar
e Of the Yukon entering that river abou
+ so miles southeast of the internationa
y boundary and on Canadian territory
: There was great rush to the new dig
a gings, the older ones being nearly de
Q serted. In few days $1,000 wer
a taken out on Bonanza creek, a tributar
b of the Klondike. BY January /, 1897
G 400 claims had been located on Bonanz
q and Eldorado creeks, and 200 on Hunke
# creek, and later many others ON Bea,
h Gold Bottom AMI Too Much Gold creek
e and their tributaries. Fully 81, 400,
Is 900 were taken from the Yukon placer
|. in 1896. a..
), 1t was not so much the amount {
). gold brought out by the first steamer I
l. come down last summer, as the new
le that this was the result of but littI
y work in few claims only, and tbs
IS there would have been many times a
le much had the hundreds of other claim
r. been worked in time to send the COL
t, out, which caused the excitement. tn
10 method of working these mines is ,
!. sink shaft into the frozen ground i
n winter, taking out the rich gravel nes
Is bedrock and piling it up to be washe
W out when the water runs in SUNNI,
70 time. For this reason the gold wasbe
q out last summer could not be SCI
n. away, and will not he brouyht dou