The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-15
40 MINERS FROM KLONDIKE.
THEY STRIKE SAN FRANo1sCo WITH
OYER 100000.

lets OF Gold Dust in Bnckskin ana Canvas
Rags, Glass Fruit Sars, and Jelly Tumblers
--latest Reports from the Most wonderful
placer Mines In tho worid-Heap or Gold.
SAN FRANCISCO. July 14-Tho stories Of the
fabulous richness Of tho new Klondike mines
near the Upper Yukon wero proved true to-day
when forty miners arrived from that camp with
gold amounting to over 100000. Thoy came
In on tho steamer Excelsior, which also brought
S25o,0o0 in gold dust for the Alaska CONNER
cial Company.
This mass Of yellow dust, which ranged in
size from n hazelnut to fine birdshot and kernels
Of sand, was poured out on the counter at
selby's smelling works on Montgomery street
and then shovelled with copper scoops into tho
great melting pot Those who saw tho gold In
one heap said no such spectacle had been seen
In this city since the days Of 40, whom miners
used to come down hero from the placer dis
tricts and change their gold for $50 pieces.
The luckiest Of these miners are Mr.. and Mrs.
T. s. Lippey, who left here in April, 1896. They
brought back 100000. They went In by way of
Juneau over the divide and Mrs. Lippey was the
first woman to go over this trail. She is o small,
wiry woman with skin tanned to the color Of
sole leather. She seemed mono the worse for the
hardships Of Yukon life. She is O good rifle shot
II NANlAh Vl tuO ~ VI a MOUde
which she had shot
Hollinshead and Stewart, two miners, who had
been at work for a year, had 1900 ounces,
worth about $25, 900. Other tenderfeet had
done better, for in u few weeks some OF them had
cleaned up from $4,000 to SIS, 900. Several of
the men who arrived to-day had bought claims
on time, paying a small sum down and agreeing
to pay all the way from $4,000 TO $25 900 in
three to six months. Most of them cleaned up
enough gold In a month to pay for their claims
and still have a good sum left over.
When the men arrived hero they found the
United States mint closed for the day, and so
they carried their sacks of gold to the office Of
Selby's smelling works. They were weather
beaten and roughly dressed. but the
spectators forgot their appearance when
these men began to produce sacks Of gold dust
ranging from $1,000 to ga, 900 in value. Some
OF the sacks were regular buckskin bags, well
made; others were Of canvas, black and grimy
from long handling with dirty fingers. As fast
as the bags were weighed they were ripped open
with a sharp knife and the contents were poured
out on the broad counter. Then some of tho
miners produced from bundles and coat pockets
glass fruit jars and jelly tumblers filed with
gold dust and covered with writing paper care
iully secured with Irvine. 1t seems that the
sApply of gold bugs ran out and this was the
oniy way to bring the treasure down.
when all the gold dust was poured out 1t
made II nice heap, on which the spectators gazed
US though fascinated; but the smelling mon
calmly scraped it up and cast the yellow dust
INFO a big pot. which was wheeled into the
smelling room.
letter from one OF the officials Of the Alaska
Commercial Company, at Circle City, gives this
account OF The great rush to the new diggings:
'The excitement on the river Is indescrioabie'
anu The output Oh the new klondike district 10
almost beyond beiief. Men who had nothing last
tai are now worth a fortune. one man mas