The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-11

deal of low-grade gold in the South
There is gold within an hours ride
by carriage from where we are sitting,
which by improved methods may some
day be profitabiy mined"
THE GOLD OF ALASKA.
"How about the Alaskan gold, Mr..
Preston? 1 understand that there will
be a large yield from there this year"
''There will be some" replied the di-
rector of the mint, "but not a very
great amount We shall probably have
several million dollars worth Of gold
from different mines of that territory.
The Treadwell mine, in Southern Alas
ka, is sure to give us big lump Of
gold. This mine is enc of the best
mines of the world. 1t is merely a
bluff on the edge of the sea, contain
ing low grade ore. The ore will not
run over So ton, but the gold is so
close to the water and so easily mined
that it costs only a dollar and a quar-
ter ton to get it out. The mine has
already paid five or six million dollars,
and it is worth large fortune. 1t is
operated, am told, after the very best
and most economical methods. 1t has
one of the largest stamp mills in the
world. 1t is lighted by electricity, and
something ike million dollars have
been spent on the works connected
with it."
THE GOLD OF THE YUKON.
What is being done in the Yukon
district?",
My information" said the director
of the mint, lis that the people have
been pouring into the Yukon region
/. for some time, both on Sledges and in
boats. The mining season there is just
beginning, for the men can work only
in the summer. SO far the only min
ing done on the Yukon is placer min
ing. The gold has to be washed out
Of the river bed and the land along
the streams. The soil is frozen the
greater part of the year, and the only
time that gold washing can be done
is in the hot months of the summer
In the winter the men dig up the fro
zen earth and lay it in piles on the
banks of the rivers. so that they can
work the more quickly when the sum-
mer comes. 1t is very hard work, but
you know men will do anything to get
gold"
You say, Mr.. Preston, that this is
all placer mining. 1 thought that plac-
er mining was pretty we'll played out
the world over"
THAT is a great mistake" said the
director. cold is being washed out
in almost all of the gold districts.
There are many placer mines in the
different islands of Alaska. They are
washing out gold all along the north
ern Pacific coast. There are placer
mines in Cripple Creek, Col; you can
find the gold miners washing out gold
near Leadville, and the greater part Of
the gold which We get from Siberia is
produced in this way. Much of the
Russian gold is made up of dust and
nuggets, washed out of the dirt and
sand
SOUTH DAKOTA.
'Is there much gold left in South
Dakota?" I asked.
Eyes, indeed, there is" replied d.
rector Preston. "At least we get lot
from there every year. 1t comes from
both the placer mines and the quartz
mines. Some of the biggest stamp
mills in the world are in South Dakota
The Homestake Mining company has
a 900 stamp mill which pounds away
cay and night. year in and year out
This mine is one of the most valuable
of the world, and still it's ore is of a
very low grade. I understand that the
Rothschilds have tried to buy it time
and again, but that the company
which owns it will not SELL"
How about the Colorado mineS?'
Colorado is now one of the richest
mining states of the Union. 1t is near
ing California in its yearly output
and it's product is steadily increasing.
The Cripple Creek miners claim that
they are turning out $1,000,000 worth
of gold every month. I believe they
overestimate their output, and I doubt
whether they are producing more than
$3.50, 900 monthly. This. however, IS
an enormous product from a new
region. The big mines there seem to