The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-15
GOLD FIELDS OF ALASKA.
an ELABORATE REPORT MADE M
TWO gOVERNM ENT ExPED ITI0NS.

NENAN
Theu,-Charnctor or the Goid Deposits on
the C~oast-Laws ne Made By the Miners.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 1A.-An elaborate report
on the gold fields Of Alaska is now in the hands
o, the Government Printer. II will consist of
about $50 pages. and will DO fully illustrated
with maps, cuts, and slides. 1t comprises tho
rcports OF two expeditions sent to Alaska by the
Geological Survey under an appropriation by
Congress. In these reports the character OF the
geological formation o! the Alaskan peninsula
and the nelghboring islands is exhaustivoly
treated, and the work will undoubtedly be of
great interest, not only to those who contem-
plate placer mining. but also to capitalists or
prospectors who are DESTROYS of locating and do
yeloping quartz mining in Alaska.
Aside from the reports which deal strictly
with technical points, there are several which
are OF more genera. interest. These treat Of tho
placer mining in the great region which en-
braces the Klondiko district, Circle City. Daw-
son City, and the tributaries of tho upper
Yukon. Another interesting feature Is the re-
port which bears on the placer mining Of tho
beach sands and tho quartz mines of the coast.
Two expeditions were sent out In 1896. one In
charge Of g.. f. Becker to examine the gold
mines along the coast, and the other, headed by
J. Z. Spur, to investigate the placer mining in
the interior. Mr.. Booker was accompanied by
Chester w. burlington and w. II. Dali, the latter
being " SptClhlloJ v u iulh WI spur
was accompanied by H.. b. Goodrich and c. f.
schracder. Tho expedition Of Mr.. Spur made
a thorough exploration of the scenes of the re-
cent discoveries In the Yukon district. Mr..
Goodrich. who seems to have accompanied tho
expedition in the character OF a historian. writes
Interestingly regarding the expedition and its
results.
The party left Washington in May. 1896. It
spent four months in Alaska and returned in
49, n-,tz fu~.. .--.. -.
Lynn Canal, and thence across Chilkoot pass to
Lake Lindcrman. From here they went in open
boats through lakes and rivers to the gold min.
ing district. In returning they foated down to
Nulalo. where they took n trading steamer to
St. Michael, and from there took another
steamer to San Francisco. For four weeks of
this journey they were accompanied by P. A.
Wiborg, an Alaskan pioneer miner. Mr.. Good
rich says:
THE only practical route lay over the passes
In the coast range, four in number. from north
west to southeast. They are the Chilkat. Chill
koot, White, and Taku passes. The Chilkoot and
White passes are nearest in n direct line with
the headwaters of the Lewes. Tho former is
$500 feet above sea level. while its neighbor to
the south is 1000 feet lower. Chilkoot Pass is
usually selected because it is less interrupted
by portages, and the journey from salt water to
the lakes at the head Of the river. only twenty.
seven mlleS, IL muCn shorter IMAM Dy any Otner
rout,."
After a history Of the Yukon district, the early
explorations OF this territory and an account of
the different expeditions which went in search
Of gold, Mr.. Spur takes up the famous Klon-
dixie region.
with its main branch Bonanza. which is twenty
four miles long and enters Klondike three miles
Creek" he says. "KettIeson's Fork ik rises in a
mountain divide opposite the head Of Bonanza
seribed as being a very long branch Of indian ID
Greek. At least ten miles below kottleson's Fork
down, perhaps four or ave miles, the main
Indian Greek is met with. and five miles up this
is Cutters Creek. But the more Important
parts OF the district are at present on bonanza
and Hunker creeks. 1t Is not far wrong to say
that gulches and creeks which have shown
rood prospects are spread over the area of 700
Mi. Spur says that the difficulties in the way
II the speedy Development of this region arc
nough the winter season Is very severe the
ime they can digging up tho dirt for pannins
n the spring and at intervals they go prospect
ground renders travelling through the swampy.
moss.eovored country less difficult in win:
the summer and in the winter the tempora-
Mr. siFe s SQUIRT find goes ,b, to f hS below z ERR
country. in spite of the richness OF the ground,
will hardly prove profitable. although several
turnips, with some success. Many times the
miners have been at the point OF starvation, and
e the sso is haEjdly T Tint ints whsn Il they are NOT on p",
the placer mines is governed by the miners
meeting" where majority rules and a vote is a-
corded to all. Stealing is punished by Danish
ment, as is also threatening with weapons;
murder is punished with death; gambling
that under the laws aus csta6lisS hePeE by
the miners themselves a, claim extends 500
poorer diggings claims are sometimes staked
1,32o feet; while in the richer and more crowded
discoyerer of the gulch is usually allowed to
have 200 feet instead OF 500. Mr.. Spur gives
other interesting mi regarding the
laws Of the miners and their enforcement.
tb Ms Eo ssf fSi5s reports oP o ai. on the Tb reconnaissance "inida IN en Of
district is almost exclusively confined to tho
quartz mines. which yield a fair return for tho
extremely productive. Mr.. Becfer's SC esp ped
went TO st. Paul. kadiak. by mail steamer and
t ,neF IN tG MSgic secured u tonr a 1uG 20 attirottw ebRly.fou5r
miles was made. Kadiak was circumnavigated
Chirikoft was visited, Cook Inlet. Turnagain
landings were made on the Alaska pen
insular from Cape Douglas to Unga Island.
by mail steamer. At Dutch Harbor n steamer
was chartered for a brief visit to Bogoslof and
Dutch Harbor to San Francisco. According to
the report the gold deposits Of Alaska are di.
close to the British frontier, the other along tho
coast from Sumdum Bay westward as far as
distance from Sumdum Bay to Unalas,
ka is about l,25Q miles. the coast line
are, either on islands of the Alexander
archipelago or on the adjoining mainland: Just
opposite the town of juneau, on Douglas Island,
Is the Treadwell. Alaska mine and its extension,
the Mexican. On the mainland within a few
miles are the Silver Bow Basin and the SheeI
Creek districts. Sumdum is on the mainland
fifty miles to the northwest. There are also
gold quartz veins on the northern end of Admi
rally Island. thirty miles west OF Juneau. The
last district OF Importance in the Alexander
archipelago Is near Sitka, on Baranof Island.
ANOTHER group Of deposits lies in the region OF
the Kenai peninsula. which forms tho south
easterly shore OF Cook Inlet. At YakutRt Bay
there are turiferous beaches, and also on Kadial
Island. On this island a group of gold quarts
veins are now being. explored and. tested. Thu
Apollo Consolidated mino is on Unga Island
450, miles from the Kenai peninsula. Traces O.
gold have been, found on the Alaska peninsula
and near Unalaska. The physical condition o.
tho Alaskan coast Is not unfavorable TO mining
In spite Of the high altitude the winter is no
severe. The summer Is never hot, The precipi