The herald., 1897-08-07

this city, are excited over the alleged
discovery of large body of fabulously
rich ore in the Milkmaid mine near that
town. 1t is said that gold can be taken
out in great chunks and that the strike
will prove extensive.
NO IDLE MEN
TACOMA, Wash. Aug. 6.-Owing to the
| rush to the Klondyke the number of idle
men in Washington and especially the
Puget sound district is very small
Wages have recently been advanced,
while the demand for laborers exceeds,
the supply.
CUSTOMS QUESTIONS
WASHINGTON, Aug 6.-Represent-
ative j. Hamilton Lewis of the state of
Washington today had a conference
with the treasury officials in regard to
customs matters on the Alaska-Cana-
dian frontier. Mr.. Lewis said he had
received information which he deemed
trustworthy to the effect that the Ca
madam commissioner of customs had
issued a special order fixing an exorb-
tant rate of duty on everything brought
by miners entering the Klondyke coun-
try by way of Alaska. According to Mr..
cents a pound on goods of every charac-
ter. The treasury officials are inclined
| to doubt the accuracy of this report, but
| have taken means to ascertain the facts
If, however, it should be found to be
true, the action of the department in
establishing a branch custom house a.
Dyea may be considered and steps taken
to protect the rights of American mi
ners in the premises.
A peculiar complication has grown ou.
of the filling of the posts of United States
commissioners for the district of Alas
ka, and two men now hold commissions
for the same office at st. Michaels. The
last sundry civil bill created four COM
missionerships for Alaska, to be located
at Circle City, Dyea, Unga and st. Mi
chaels. There were already four COM
missioners there, with offices at Sitka,
Juneau, Wrangle, Kodiak and Una
laska.
William j. Jones' lawyer of Port
Townsend, Wash, was appointed to the
ST. Micbaels commits sionership The de-
partment heard he had withdrawn, and
then chose L. B. Shepard of Nebraska
for the place. Meantime Jones' bond
and oath of office were received, al
though he was supposed to have with
drawn, but the second appointee's COM
mission had then been forwarded.
Both men hold commissions, and the
department is at sea to straighten out
the tangle.
A BIG EXPEDITION
NEW YORK, Aug. 6.-Robert Red
ding, superintendent of Edwin Gould's
| +o1 T;,,;r
graduate of the Columbia University
school Of mines, left here today for the
Klondyke to take charge of a mining
expedition organized to work twenty
claims in the richest portion of the gold
fields. The corporation is composed
chiefly of Pacific coast capitalists.
]. Lippman of San Francisco is prasi-
dent
At Denver Mr.. Redding will gather, If
possible, two hundred experienced min
ers. From Denver he will go direct to
Portland, where the Elder, small
steamer chartered for the purpose, will
be waiting for the party The steamer
! wifi take the miners to st. Michaels, and
from that point the remainder of the
voyage to Dawson will be made up the
Yukon in small boats, if the stream has
not been frozen over by that time. If
the river has frozen, sledges will be the
method of transportation.
MINERS RETURN
SEATTLE, Aug. &C. B. Henton
reached this city tonight with over $1,000
worth of gold nuggets, the result of ten
days work on Williams creek placer
claim, in the Swauk district, Kittitas
county. One nugget was worth $3.50, an
other $120, others $50 and 60. He has
| been working the claim since January
and since that time has taken out $5000
The Swauk placers are old and well
known, but have been worked only in a
crude way. One man who owns a claim
there has been working it quietly for six
years, during which time he has made
about $4,000.
MORE POLICE
OTTAWA, Ont, Aug. 6.-At today S
cabinet council it was decided to send
reinforcements of northwest mounted
police into the Yukon country. This
course was determined upon in conse-
quence of the official reports from Dyea
that, owing to the crush of pilgrims
bound for the Klondyke, it will require
double the present detachment of 100
| men to preserve law and order.
MINING LITIGATION
NEW YORK, Aug. 6-Kerr & Thomas,
lawyers here, today announced that they
had drawn up papers in a suit involvirg 6
millions of dollars invested in Nevada
| gold mines. Dennis B. Harris, a pro-
moter. is the plaintiff, and the GolS
Creek, Nevada, Mining company. of
which H. j. Mayham of Denver, Walter
Church of Boston and Joseph d. Rob-
ertson Of this city are the defendants
The plaintiff recites that the Gold
Creek, Nevada, Mining company, Of
which Mr.. Robertson is president, was
| formed in 1896 with a capital stock Of
5000, 900. 1t purchased the property of
the Island Mountain company and at
once issued $1,000, 900 worth of stock for
working purposes. OF this amount. he
says 500, 900 shares were sold for $780, 600.
| and most of this money was spent in de-
| veloping the property
The company, according to Harris.
| then organized the Gold Creek, Nevada,
Consolidated Lodes company, with a
capital stock of $40 900, 900, and the Gold
Creek, Nevada, Townste company,
with stock of 50, 100000 Harris claims
he is the original promoter of these COM
panies, and it was agreed, he says, that
! ,;.~ or c