Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-17
The ALASKA GOLD MINES
Great Excitement en- the Pacific Coast Over
Their Richness.
Uunircds of CaIifornian> May start
for the New Ficids-IiOw to
Reach Them.

San Francisco dispatch to the New
York sun says that the city has not been
stirred Icy any mining discovery since the
opening up OF tine great bonanzas on tne
Conlstock lode in Nevada. nearly thirty
wears ago as it has been for two days by
the stories of two score sun-tanned ana
Manufactured miners who have just re-
turned from the new klondike camp on the
Yukon river in far Alaska.
These stories would have excited deris-
ion were Il not that all of these men were
able TO furnish ocular proof of their tales
with pounds of yellow gold. Not one Of the
partv went into this camp last fall with
anything more than his outfit ana few
hundred dollars. Not one cane out with
less than S,pn IL dozen cleaned up from
s1o,sn TO S2op0 while half dozen av-
erarcl from S2nu;1 to $4,000. Scores of
them left claims that they valued at
S2utast to 81 .Usisr,. hich are now being
worked by their partners or by hired Ia
bOrerS They are not hOaSters or boomers
IL fact. they are careful to warn any one
about venturing into the Yukon country
unless he is young. vigorous and brave
able TO bear hardshps, and has from S'o
TO 81 40 for outfit and current expenses
after reaching the new gold fields Per
haps it is these very conservative views
which have made their talk take such pow
erful hold or the popular imagination
of course this first keen enthusiasm
may fade. and next spring may see few go
to the far north. but no one who has OBJ
served the popular feeling here Will he sur
prised to see J.Hs, men go from this city.
and pei hapS l..sti more Will start next
month The blood of the Argonauts flows
In the veins of half of the CalifornianS, ana
stories of rich mining strikes stir them as a
hast OF ,rumpets Every one here knows
the history IF the far northern bonanzas,
and Is prepared to discount the extra en-
thusiaSm of returned miners, for all re-
member the hard fortunes of the thou
sands of Californlars who rushed to Car
ihco and Fraser river placers nearly forty
years ago. only TO find that there We're
fifty men for every claim. and that the
paving district was SO small 1t could not
support .,.'sO men
KIondike may be a repetition of Carlboo
but from what is said by hard-headed old
miners with " NJ III the Sun correspondent
has talked there is gold-bearinS country
enough around Dawson City to support a
great population. and the only danger lies
In the scarcity of provisions during the
long winters, when fresh supplies cannot
be brought in Should transportation COM
panies 10 no better than they have done
for the kIst two years. and should 10000 or
:sioaS Ir.en crowd into Klondike there will
be actual starvation with abundant crime
How to Reach the Gold Fields.
All returned miners agree that the best
way 20 reach the new gold fields is by way
OF Juneau. The journey is mainly by land
over a snow-covered tail. down numerous
streams and aero lakes. The only very
dangerous place is Chilhoot Pass. which
Is dreaded because of the sudden snow
storms tina. come up without warning, and
that have proved fatal to many adyen-
furious miners The distance is go miles.
and IL takes an average of twenty-five
days TO cover l.. James ladue. one of the
miners now In the city. gives an interest,"
trafr mr. f friy al rf pi-
lorienCc In the great almost unknown re-
gfcn. Ladue has been in Alaska for fifteen
years. hut il was not until the discovery
of gold in Bonarza creek that he struck il
rich. incidentally il may be mentioned
TIA, he IS the founder of Dawson CIV
though the bonanza find was made by Ron
ct Henderson. Y no had been prospecting
fCI years in the great northwest. Ladue
Is aard viSagtd man with Keen eye and
heavy dropping mustache. Today he gave
this description of his journey 10 the new
camp:
Tho nest dar gerous part of the trip is
Crossing the Cfilhoot Pass. Even as late
"a May and June snow storms occur and
VICE 70 the traveller who is caught Chill
boot Pass is itself $3.50 feet high but is
Tue ouly opening IN mountain range
whose peaks reach an average altitude of
l".F" feet The snow storms at the pass
are sudden and furious. and many lives
nave been lost there People who have
Keen caught have saved themselves by
craving under some overhanging rocks.
Where they have been forced to remain
two or three DAYS without food
Dawson City Is not unlike som. of III.
mining towns here in this state and else.
where. with the difference that no law.
iesshess exists. The people realize they
n Lst depend to a certain extent on one an.
other. though the Canadian government,
has been powerful factor in keeping dowr
the unruly- The history of Dawson Cit,
Is interesting i built the first house in il
and raised the first American flag. The
discovery of gold in that immediate local
lily was made by Robert Henderson at g
pace called Gold Bottom. though George
McCormack brought to light the riches o.
bonanza Creek. AS soon as news of Tho
great md reached Circle City and Fort,
Nile men threw up their claims anf
nastehed TO the new fields. There wa.
promise Of trouble at first because the rns,