New-York tribune., 1897-08-29
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
RUSH TO ALASKA wANING-BEET SUGAR
FACTOpJES-WHEAT FLUCTUATIONS.


rav TELEGRAPH r" TRIPuNE]
San francisco Aug 2S-About the last or the
.xnedi,ions 10 Alaska has sailed from this CITY,
and the interest in the Klondike mines mas soii'e-
what subsided. Among those who have ioiio"ec
the evolution of this Alaskan mining DOOM 'he
news that Is of greatest interest concerns 'he
finding Of other creeks as rich as the bohah%a
and Eldorado. Conservative men VINO nave
reached Seattle recently say that the new nhus
are not so rich as those on. Bonanza Creek ana
that the OUTPUT of gold from the creeks that
have been worked will not be so large as eN-
pected because Of lack OF water for sluicins
Many wild rumors have been received OF rich
strikes al Stewart River and adjacent creeks
l,,t nothing has come TO light showing that
these streams are any richer than many in other
mining localities.
one point that mas not been borne in mind In
estimated tho Klondike yield is the large
amount Of gold which is regularly absorbed IN
paving for labor The fixed rate of wages was
still S15 a day last June and.it will be seen now
large must be the expense of man VINO is eih-
ploying from ten to thirty men daily and paying
them whenever they decide to have their wages
In this way frequently 40 per cent of the gross
output is expended.
OF the thousands who are now on the trans
10 the Klondike not one in fifty will reach the
are the worst months in which TO undertake
the overland Journey. because there is no snow
on the ground and every pound of provisions
and clothing must be packed on the backs OF
men or animals. on the Chilkoot Pass trail
animals are of little service. Indians and dogs
must be relied as beasts of burden. because
Of, the narrowness and steepness OF the trail.
The White Pass trail by Skaguay is still I'M
passabe because of marshy places. which prove
fatal to all pack animals Men may cross with
light packs. but no regular transport Of supplies
can be accomplished until the ground freezes.
From the present outlook three-quarters OF
those who arc attempting 10 get across these two
trails will he forced to winter at Juneau or
Skaguay or return to their homes and wait until
next spring.
Prospecting in Trinity County has not been
SO literally rewarded as was expected. and
though many small nuggets have been found
there has been repetition of the luck of the
Graves brothers. who discovered S21 600 in gold
in ono pocket" Gcld-seekers are still fiockng
into Trinity County from an parts of California.
The camp of Coffee Creek has reached the town
lot stage of development. and ii promises soon
TO be clamorng for Incorporation.
The violent fluctuations in the wheat market
this week have made business lively for brokers'
Farmers, however. are convinced that wheat will
he maintained at good prices. and those who
no haste to sell The crop will he heavier than
for many years. and the profits to many ranch
Will enable them Ia clear off mortgages ana
start another cereal year in good condition.
A strong effort Will he made at the coming
election to check the waning fortunes Of the
Olympic Club old members who gave the club
prestige in former days. in favor of running
Hermann Oelrichs for President. John ID. Spreck-
els for yice-presid mt and William Greer Har-
rison for secretary. The club has been declin-
jne in fortune ever since the initiation fee was
reduced to swell the membership many unde-
sirable men were admitted
The big star beet-sugar mill which will start
UP next January near Martinez will not only
make sugar from beets but will refine cane
sugar from Hawaiian plantations that are not
controlled by Claus Srrcckels 1t is estimated
that this years crop which is outside the infu-
ence of the trust. amounts to 200.0n tons, OF
which a large fraction will come to this factory.
Stockton is also to have a beet-sugar factory the
plant of which will cost 100000. It's
pacity will be five hundred tons. The soil Of the
rich San Joaquin Valley is specially adapted to
sugar beets and tests have shown that the
charine percentage is very large
The death Of Father" Benjamin Akerly the
oldest Episcopal clergyman in the State is note
church work for more than fftyfve years.
Born in 1S22. he educated in the General
Theological Seminary in NewYOrk. and then
went West. remaining in Milwaukee for twelve
the Coast In 1851 he established in Oakland st.
Josephs Church. of which he continued to be
rector almost to his death
Stanford University will open next week and
though nothing definite is known. II is predicted
that the freshman class will be larger than that
of last year, when 2S3 new students registered.