The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-18

There has been much written about Alas
ka. iEs gold fields. the hardshipS> that have
70 be borne By the seeker Of wealth who
braves anything when ne believes for
tune 10 be gained Is ahead OF him Inc
Chicago Tfmes-H Herald recently published
the following article written by j. Ed
ward Spur OF the United States seo4oss-
cal survey. which :. perhaps. one o. the
best exposifions Of the resources OF the
Yukon country.
Close 10 the waters % the Yukon river
les what the government new pronounces
the coming gold mining center or the
world. The United states geological survey
sent out party headed by J. Edward
Spur 10 thoroughly examine the geld
fields, the truth concerning which has
hitherto been veiied in mystery.
There i little that IS attractive in the
country besides its mineral wealth In the
short summer clouds o. mosquitoes descend
on the yellow land. Ike the pestilenee of
ancient Egypt. Ia the long winter the cold
is so severe that mining can only be car
rled on during the sunshiny days. Yet
Prof. Spur says that this is country
which fer placer mining viii exceed Cali
fornia's palniest days. To gather the gold,
however. and wean il from the surround
valuable machinery is necessary, The
seeker OF wealth who tries his chances OF
fortune in the Yukon gold fields VIII have
a hard fight.
This is what Prot. Spur writes for the
Times-Herald concGning the result OF
hts trip:
ITO the Editor: Much has been writ
ten of late concerning the possibilities OF
Alaska as q gold-producing country. As
matter of fact. the production OF gold
the present year may be roughly esti-
mated at S3000OG0 This amount. how
ever, comes from an immense region OF
half million square miles, or about one
quarter as large as the United states.
OF the mines which produce this gold,
some are in the bed rock, while others
are placer diggings.
The bed rock mines are few in num-
Der and situated on the southeast coast.
which Is the most accessible part OF the
territory. The chief one is the great
Treadwell mine near Juneau. and there
are also important mines al Berner's Bay,
a. the island OF Unga and other places.
Most of the mines, however. are in low
grade ore. and the production is only
made profitable by means of careful man
agement and operation on very large
scale.
where the Cold Is Found.
THE placer mines are those which oc-
cupy the most prominent place In the
popular mind. since they are remote from
civilization and in a country about which
little is known. and which is. on account
or this uncertainty. dangerously attract
i've TO the average man. This goid-pro-
ducing country of the interior is mostly
in the vicinity of the Yukon river or of
some of its immediate tributaries. The
most productive districts hitherto have
been the Forty Mile district. which lies
partly In American and partly in British
territory, and the Birch Creek district.
which lies in American territory. Some
gold diggings are supposed 10 exist on
Stewart river, and some gold has been
Supplied from the Koykuk. During the
latter part of the past season diggings
were also found on the Klundek and In
dian rivers near Forty Mile.
Another place concerning which there
have been many vague rumors of gold
causing stampede OF many unprepared
and untitled men, is the Cook inlet coun-
try. which lies on the coast above the
mouth of Copper river, situation remote
alike from the mines near Juneau and
from the placer mines on the Yukon.
In all this immense country. over
which placer digging Is carried on. / esti-
mate that there are about 2.G00 miners
These are mostly in the Yukon districts
These districts lie in a broad belt of gold
producing rocks having a considerable
width and extending in a general east
and west direction for several miles
Throughout this belt occur quartz veins
which carry gold bat so far s yet found
out, the ore Is of low grade and large
proportion Of the veins have been SO
broken by movements In the rocks that
they cannot be followed. For this reason.
the mines IN the bed rock cannot be
worked except on large scale with i'm
proved machinery and even such opera
tons are impossible until the general con-
ditions OF the country In reference to
transportation and supplies are improved.
Gravel Claims stai<ed by Miners.
Through the gold-bearing rocks the
streams have cut deep gullfes and can
yons, and in their beds the goid which
was contained IN the rocks which have
nAF.H Il Na~aH
from large amount Of low grade rock
there may be formed, in places. a gravel
sufficiently rich in gold 10 repay wash
ing. All the mining which is done in this
country. therefore, consists in the wash
ing out of this gravel.
In each gulch prospectors are AZ liberty
10 stake out claims not already taken.
the size OF the claims being determined
by vote of ali the miners in each gllc+..
according 10 the richness of the gravel
The usual length OF claim is about so
feet along the stream and the total width
or the guich bed. which is ordinarily mar
row When prospector has thus staked
out his claim Il is recorded BY one OF the
miners. VINO IS elected by his fellows for
that purpose and this secures him suf-
flcient title. The miners laws are prac-
ticaiiy the entire government in these
districts, for the remoteness prevents any
communication being carried on with the
United States All questions and disputes
are settled by miners meetings, and the
questions in dispute are pat to popular
vote.
in prospecting. the elementary method
OF panning IS used 10 discover the pres
ence OF gold IN gravel. but after a claim
IS stakeG and systematic work begun long
siuice boxes are built OF boards, the
miners being obliged 10 fell The trees
themselves and saw oct the lumber with
whip saws. a very laboTlOus task. The
depth OF gravel In the bottom OF the
gulches varies from a foot up 10 twenty
or thirty feet. and when IL - deeper than
the latter figure 10 can not be worked.
Primitive Methods of Mining.
The upper part OF the gravel IS barren,
ard the pay dirt lies directly upon the
rock beneath, and Is generally very thin.
To get at this pay dirt ali the upper
gravel must he snoveled OF. and this pre-
limlnary work often requires an entire
season. even IN very small claim When
the gravel is deeper than certain
amount-say ten feef-the task Of remov-
ing II becomes formidable. in this case
the pay dirt can some times be got AZ in
the winter season. when the gravel is
frozen hard. by sinking shafts through
the gravel and drifting along the pay
dirt.
the surface and washed out in sluices
when the warm weather begins. This
underground working is done by burning
instead % blasting and picking fire
Is built close 20 the frozen ground, and
when Il is sufficiently thsWed iJ - shovel
OF the upper gravel which has been men
toned can be done only 81 the compare
lively short summer season. HHen the
surface thaws.
The ordinary method - getting 70 the
Yukon country l. by crossing the Chill
and Yukon rivers 20 the gold districts
TIE usual tine for starting Il IN April.