Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-08-14
YUKON CREEKS OF GOLD
REPORT OF JOSEPH f. SPURR. THE
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY EXPERT.
Total Output in 1896 Was SloS,OOO,
Mined by 1876 Men, or About
$1,000 Each.

Washington, Aug. 9.-The report on
the Yukon gold region by Josiah Ed
ward Spur, the geological survey eX-
pert, who headed a party that made a
thorough investigation in Alaska last
summer, giving new facts about the
interior, was made public Saturday. 1t
is a comprehensive document and reviews
in detail the work in the various dis
tricts 1t says as to the FortyAllle
gold district that in the latter part OF
1887 Franklin gulch was struck and the
first year the creek is estimated to have
constant payer. The discovery of
Davis creek and stampede from Frank
lin gulch followed in the spring of 1883.
In 1891 gold mining in the interior re
ceived a great impetus. The event OF
1892 was the discovery of Miller creek.
In the spring of 1898 many new claims
were staked and it is estimated that
so men took out 100000. Since then
Miller creek has been the heaviest pro
ducer Of the Forty-NIile district. and
until recently of the whole Yukon. Its
entire length lies in British possessions.
The output for 1898 as given by the mint
director, for me Alaskan creeks, all but
Miller creek being i'll American posses
sions. was Sl9S,0OO, with mining popu-
lation of 1876. The total amount pro
duced by the Yukon placers in 1894 was
double that Of the previous year. la
1895 the output was double again. For
tv-NIie district in the summer of 1896
is described i'll the report as if it had
seen its best days ands unless several
new creeks are discovered it will lose its
old position.
The Birch creek district was last
summer in flourishing condition. Most
of the gulches were then running, miners
We're running Oh double shifts, night and
day. and many large profits were report
ed. On Mastodon creek, the best produc-
er, over 80 miners were at work, many
expecting to winter in the gulch. As
to hydraulicking, the report says:
'Some miners have planned to work
this and other good ground supposed
to exist under the deep covering of
IlloSS ttIlu SltN Il III tiS WHY NdllSs ~
Mammoth and Crooked creeks by hy-
draulicking, the water to. be obtained
by tapping Miller and Mastodon creeks
near the head 1t will be several years
before the scheme can be operated, be-
cause both guIchs are paying well and
will continue to do 50 at least five
years.
The I<londike.
Following is the report on the klon-
dixie district:
with the announcement of gold
here, in the winter of 1867 there was
Il genuine stampede to the new region
Forty-Nile was almost deserted. The
$50 men spent the winter on the Klon
dixie in the gulches, and at the new
town of Dawson. The more important
parts of the district are on Bonanza
and Hunker creeks. According to la
est information, 400 claims have been
located up to January |, 1897, about
half as many on Hunker creek. There
is plenty of room for many more pros
pectors and miners for the gulches and
creeks which have shown good pros
poets spread over an area OF 700 square
miles
The estimated Alaskan gold produc-
ton for 1896 made by the Spur report
is 81 100000. The report points out the
difficulties III the way OF speedy devel-
opment Of the country. First, the eli
mate. with q short summer season anG
a long cold winter Prospecting is done
in the winter more and more and the
miners are thus able to begin work with
the first spring thaw.
Whatever Alaska may be in the fu-
ture it is not now fsupporting agrl-
culturallv. Moose and caribou are var
iab'c in quantity, abundant one time
and disappearing from the region to'
II months at a time Ten dollars day
is The general wages paid. In the WIN
ter the price for labor is So to IS per
dav Of six hours. Many times the min
ers have been at the point OF starva-
ton: hardly winter they have not
vbccn put on short ration basis. Uni
been put on a short ration basis. Uni