Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-03
DAWSON CITY EXCITED
Nuggets of Gold Picked Up Almost on the
Surface.
Nearly 400 Bench Claims Staked Out
in "a HOurs-Apprchen sion Over
the Lack of Supplies.
From the Seattle post-1nte,lisescer


DAWSON CITY, N. w. T., September A.
Another strike has been made and the
camp is fire with excitement. In the
last twentyfcur hours nearly 400 bench
claims have been staked out on a sidehin
in Skookum gulch. In half a day last Fri
day foot below the surface two men with
a rocker picked 1886 in gold. Two nuggets
valued at SAT and ST, respectively, were
found, and hundreds of others worth from
So to $50 were taken out of the sidehill.
Thousands Of people In the last year have
walked over the ground and no one sus-
pected its richness. Yesterday and today
boulders were turned over and there lying
exposed to the light Of day were nuggets
scattered in the gravel The moss Is about
twelve inches thick, and beneath 1t two
men yesterday picked up over $500 in coarse
gold. Experienced miners are unable to
offer a theory as to how the gold got there.
1t is worn but little, and just below in the
gulch some rich specimens of float were
found. The opinion is general that rich
beds of quartz. heavily impregnated with
gold, lie CONCEALED just beneath the sur,
face, and that they are concealed by
heavy layer of moss. In, many places small
pieces Of quartz were found lightly adher-
ing to the gold, which is not worn nor pol
ished. Some one advanced an idea that 1t
is the bottom of an old bed of Ell Dorado
creek, but the condition of the gold and
the lay of the land alongside Of the noun
tain exploded the theory. From surface
indications it would seem that the claims
are destined to produce far more wealth
than the mines of Ell Dorado of Bonanza
creeks. Alexander Mcdonald. the richest
man in camp, said that ahe locality of the
gold proved the old saying that gold Is
where you find it."
All along the hillside, hundreds of feet
many men are working the top layer of
ground and taking out surprising guam
titles Of gold. Many of them are thawing
away few inches of snow and foot or
two of moss, and exposed on the surface
of the ground are nuggets varying from
So to SIG Many instances are noted where
claims have yielded to@two men from 500
to $500 day. and they had to carry the
gravel several hundred feet to the water
and work it with the rocker and cradle, as
was done in primitive mining. I walked
out to the diggings today, eighteen miles
from here, and saw dozens of men picking
gold off the ground like SO much gravel,
while others were standing guard to pre-
vent thieves stealing the nuggets.
Cutting Wages.
The Berry brothers of Fresno, who own
one of the richest, if not the richest mines
IN the district, have notified their workmen
that after the LIST of October they will pay
only $40 day,.sSeveral other mine owners
are lending their4silent support. and there
is hardly any doubt but that a precencert-
ed effort will be smade to lower the existing
standard rate 81 as per cent. The situa-
warrant this .spasposed out at this time.
for the reasonst4at r. tall the lays are
vigorously worked in the. contracted agree
ment, namely. to be fully drifted and al!
Of the pay dfrt--en the bumps by May l
ready for sluicing, therefw will not be more
than enough workmen TO supply the de-
pand at the present rate Of SIS a day.
Many of the heaviest mine owners, while
riyrcr f1an
rate reduction to SO or s$12 day, are
afraid to offer their active and open sup
port lest the wage-workeFs should conclude
( to operate their own properties as most
of them own undevelepea claims,- and dis
criminate against those in sympathy with
the contemplated cut. The situation this
season will hardly be favorable enough to
warrant the successful cousummauon OF
the Berrys' lp1ns, yet there is hardly any
doubt but that it will be attempted
The wage-workers ares quite bitter, ana
denounce in unmeasured terms Inc an
nouncement made by the Berrys. averrins
that less than a year ago the Berry BROTH
ers were but poor miners. and were only
too glad to obtain employment OF any char-
acter, and that just because they were Tor
tunate enough to fall on to a claim out OF
which they took a couple OF hundred thou
sand dollars they should not be the first to
advocate a reductfont of wages. It Is
claimed, too, that for each man employed
in the Berry claim from $50 to $125 day
is taken out Of the gravel Workmen would
not take the matter SO seriously were 1t not
for the fact that they consider the owners
to- be Of their own class, but more fortu-
nate In striking rich claim We're 1t the
action OF a corporation instead OF the Ber-
rvs the denunciations would not be half so
bitter.
The Berry boys are OF q stubborn make,
rcsolute and determined irrespective of the
consequences and as wealthy as they are
IT Is hardly probable that they will stop to
consider the result ana willspersisk in their
sdeterfniu0t ida to 5ovg6rS wages The real