Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-07-23

- SSASSA wAO"s
1t is estimated from reliable data
that there will be an influx of ten
thousand men into the klondyke gold
mining regions during the remainder
OF the present summer and the COM
ing autumn. This is IL low estimate,
but it Will serve to illustrate Il salient
point Now for another low estimate:
Suppose these men carry with them
into the mines, on an average, $500
each. This will aggregate $4,000, 900.
Now it is significant question to ask,
will these ten thousand adventures
carry away from Alaska, when they
leave, five millions OF dollars? Judg-
ing from the history of other gold cx-
elements and the experience of those
who were lured away by them, not
one quarter OF this sum will be
brought away from Alaska by the I'M
fortunate ones who contributed to
swell its vast bulk.
If Peary and Hansen should sue
ceed in reaching the pole OF the earth
this summer, and report that there
were rich gold diggings there, such
another gold fever would break out as
perhaps the world never has seen
since the dawn of history to the pres
ent time. Men would mortgage their
property for means to provide outfits
and make the journey by dog-train or
balloon to that far away region of
darkness, DISSOLUTION and death, all to
scrape up few ounces of the yellow
metal.
Biologists we'll know that gold is a
widely disseminated mineral; in this
respect it is perhaps second only to
iron. 1t is found in every mountain
range on earth and its glittering parti-
cles can be detected by the micro
scope in the sands of every stream
that meanders through the land.
But it is poetry and romance that
give zest to the typical gold craze,
and these factors depend in their turn
upon the distance to be travelled and
privations endured. Along with the
Klondyke tales are coming also far
more reliable reports from gold dig
gings much near home, some of them,
indeed, almost at our doors. But all
these, of course, go unheeded by men
who have become frenzied in the mad
race for sudden riches.
A few late dispatches from various
points may possibly tend to satisfy
candid readers that it is a good thing
to let well enough alone; at least un-
til they have thoroughly explored
promising fields within easy and mex
pensive reach.
From Baker City, Oregon, comes
the following:
Superintendent Melzer returned TO.
day duly 19) from the Polar mine,
bringing with him 200 ounces of gold,
worth 81, 900. This was the result of q
three weeks clean up.
And from California:
jamestown, CAL, July l6.-This towr
and the entire country is excited on &C.
count of the rich strike in the Tansey
mines, operated under the lease by Colby
and Beckwith. The mine is located on
the mother lode, just this side of Sonora
The workmen struck a pocket and in ter
hours they had taken $3l 900 in
gold from the pocket, and there is more
to follow.
From Kittitas county, Washington
Ellensburg, July 19.-Kittitas county
has little Klondike of her own which is
causing considerable talk to-day. George
B. Horton came down from Swauk creek
last evening bringing 1926 in gold
nuggets, the largest which was worth
$100. Five others sran 5000, $3.50,
$l0.21, $37 and 81 each, and q cap box
full OF fine gold ranging from pinhead
to pecan in size, completed the lot,
which represented four days work in
the Elliott claim. It was one Of the
finest lots of gold ever brought down
from the famous old camp.
What Snohomish people think and
says:
Snohomisll, July 19-In spite of the
alluring accounts Of gold in profusion ly-
ing around to be picked up on the Klon-
dixie. the people OF Snohomish refuse to
be stampeded.
Many of them have been to Alaska
and the opinion of these, to use the ex-
preston of one of them. is that "there's
nothing in going 1000 miles for gold
when we have gold enough in our own
county. The thing for Snohomish peo-
pie to do is to get in and develop her
own mines and leave Alaska to others "
And still nearer home a "handful
of nuggets" have been found. The
Tacoma News of Monday says:
Gold has been found on section sc. be-
tHeeD Gig harbor and Henderson bay.
George Barnaby struck handful of
small nuggets on Saturday afternoon
while working on the road which runs
up the creek from the bay, and dozen
placer claims have been stake out as the
result. The school section is about a
mile from Gig Harbor and two miles
from Purdy on Henderson bay, on the
line Of the Gig Harbor and Springfield
road.
Last, though not least, comes the
news DULY 16) that the ballasting of
the Nebraska section of the Burling-
ton railroad has been found to be
richly auriferous. The gravel pits in
Lancaster county from which the
company took its ballasting has been
seized as mining ground and a mill
just erected is washing out gold dust
at richly paying rate to the ton, as
fast as men can shovel out the coarse
gravel.
Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Arizona