Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-05
Prince Luigi's Important Discovery in
Alaska.
BETTER ROUTE TO The GOLD FIELDS
Good Prospects in the Cook Inlet
Country.
seen AT SKAGUAY
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


where we arrived on the third day. The
Muir glacier is in about the Sc me latitude
as Dyea and Skaguay, and is, without
doubt the most wonderful sight in America
visited by tourists. Viewed from the steam
er, it is a solid wall of ice, more than 800
feet high and mile aid a quarter long,
moving forward into the bay at the rate of
about sixty feet a day and discharging
from its face huge icebergs, which float
off into the bay.
At kIllisnoo there is small Indian vii
lage and a large fish oil factory. Here fish
of all sorts, herring, cod, salmon, halibut
and a dozen others, are gathered in by the
ton, the oil extracted and shipped TO the
states as pure cod liver oil, ard the refuse
sold for fertilizer at $40 a ton. The man
ayers of the factory were complaining of
the lack Of sufficient number of laborerS to
properly run the factory, and of the impos-
Slbility of getting enough fish, on account
OF the general exodus of the Killisnoo In
diars to Dyea and Skaguay, where they
earn as much in a few weeks as they would
earn in year at home. The fish canneries
all over southeastern Alaska, which, next
to the gold workings, constitute the larg-
est, most important and most remunerative
Industry In Alaska, are having the same
experience. The Pyramid Harbor cannery
at Chicat, one of the largest in Alaska has
been particularly unfortunate. for the Klon-
dixie craze has caused a wholesale deser-
ton OF its employees Just in the midst of
the season when the run of fish was great
er than 1t had been for many years.
New Way to the KlOndike.
AT Sitka we found considerable excite
ment caused by tie reported discovery Of a
new route to the Klondike, said to be
easier. shorter and more practic able than
any now followed.
Readers of The Star have doubtless heard
OF the successful ascent of Mt. st. Elias by
Prince Luigi of Italy and his party Of
Alpine climbers. There have been MANY at
tempts to climb this mountain, but no one
fas succeeded except the prince who was
also the cause of what is considered in
Alaska much more important discovery
namely, new route to the klondike
frhce Luigi chartered at Seattle the
yacht AgS1e, commanded by Captain Green
sailed TO 4akutat, and thence into Disen-
chantment bay, where he landed and be-
gan 10 work toward the mountain After
gaming an elevation of 1000 feet he would
NOT permit the Americans to accompany
him further. but went to the ton with his
itailan party. With aneroid barometers he
.erlhed the triangular measurement of
1890 feet vi
ldie On landing in Disenchantment hay
captain Greenleaf had net several Indians
just returned from the Yukon country uho
aoiu MN mat they had made a quick and
ne secured two Indians as guides and SET
OUT on an exploring expedition He started
at sunrise. and after an easy climb reached
tne summit OF low pass about noon
from TINS summit he saw stretching tn the
hcrth and east a vast rolling grass land
With no great hills. The Indians told him
ina, ,hat after short trip across this prairie
land he would reach a stream. on Iybicb be
could float his goods all the W. ~ .t ~.
Yukon. without being impeded bv anv falls
OF rapids. from his enormous elevation at
Inc summit of Mt: st. Elias the prince ex-
&C untry, and confirmed the Indians, do
soript:ons. One of the Indiars in sneat
iLg of the KIondike. whence he had re-
turned, called it TOO Much Cold, but
had passed said that ten DAYS from olsen
cEantment bay was stream which the
Gold" LIS ioo MUCH
The party returned to Sitka about the
2oth OF August, and, calling into reouisi-
ton all the maps to be had and ali the
traders who had Travelled in that section
~ was discovered that this route would be
Via the White and Stewart rivers and
would be only 40 miles from Sitka to the
hiondike The sail from Sitka to the land
ing In Disenchantment bay is 240 miles
ieaving only lS1 miles of overland travel
which Is divided up as follows: Overland
travel from Disenchantment bay to the
White river, over an easy pass and level
&C untry. q miles; sail on White river to
Stewart n
the Klondike. 40 miles,
Captain Greenleaf was so much impress
ed with the feasibility of this route that
he returned Immediately to Seattle to or
g&nize company to go through
The Report Confirmed.
The Alaska Commercial Company's
'teamer Dora, plying between Sitka and
western Alaskan ports, came In on Au-
gust % and brought news confirmatory of
CAPTAIN Greenleafs discovery. Several
parties were Immediately made up, and
when the Dora sailed for Yakutat several
days later, she took eighty prospectors to
The westward. Most of those who are go.
ing via Disenchantment bay hope to make
rich finds along the White river, and If the
accounts of the Indians are to be believed
there Is reason for these hopes Steamers
of all sizes can navigate Disenchantment
lay, which Is only one days sail from Sit
ka Many old prospectors say that all the
country on the eastern slope of Mount St
Elias contains rich quartz, but has not
heretofore been largely prospected because
10 one going there has had enough money
to go into quartz mining. / have gone fully
into this matter because 1t appears to me
TO be of much Importance, and my infor-
nation has been reliable.
In the Cook Inlet Country.
There was additional excitement at Sitha
when the Dora came in, caused by the re-
turn of several old prospectors from the
westward, who brought stories of rich finds
in the Cook Inlet country. Among these
prospectors was an old Sitkan called Mike
the Big Swede." He brought a pocketful
of nuggets, ranging in value from 81 to $50
which he said he had PANIED out in few
days on small stream near Cook Inlet. 1t
has been known for years that there was
gold in this region, and that one could go
nearly anywhere there and pan out s.
day; but this is the first find Of anything
a hot I'm. had .<,rv, k.. <~.-lx
to outfit, as he was not prepared to spend,
the winter there; but would return as soon
as possible. The whole Cook Inlet country
has been carefully prospeeted. and many
valuable quartz mines located. awaiting
only the necessary capital to be worked
Ex-Marshal Louis l.. Williams has located
some valuable mines on Cook Inlet. as well
as very rich copper mine in Prince Will