The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-25
HIS CLAIMS WORTH s5,OOO,oOo.
How "a Pioneer i'm the Gold Fields
Struck Several BOnanzas.

CHICAGO, Aug. 24-J. o. Hestwood one
of the pioneers of the Alaska gold fields,
registered at the Great Northern yesterday.
Mr.. EASTWOOD who is slightly built, of
medium height and who looks more like a
school teacher than a pioneer, first went to
Alaska in 1894, utterly without mining ex-
perience. He is now the owner of three
claims and two-thirds of a fourth. the ag-
gregate value of which, on a most conser-
VatiVe basis, he says is $5,00O,000. He was
engaged in literary work here and on the
Pacific coast up to the time of the world
fair when his health failed and he met
with financial reverses He made his first
trip to Alaska in May, 1894, and had a
varied experience up to last winter, when
he struck it rich. He intended to come
home last fall, but got ice-bound near Cir
Gle City, and prepared to spend the winter
at Forty mile. An unexpected thaw broke
up the ice in the river, and he proceeded to
Dawson City, tifty-two miles above, where
he found the good claims all taken. Con-
unulng his story, he said:
1t was too late for me to locate a claim
on either Bonanza or Eldorado creek, SO
spent the winter watching the prospecting
ON various claims. L bought and sold a
number OF claims during the winter and
made little money, but made a big
strike when 1 bought claim No. 60, below
the discovery on Bonanza creek, on June l.
This claim cost me $40, 100 cash, and within
q week | washed out of three noxes of dirt
covering a space of about twelve by thirty
five feet more than half enough to pay for
tho claim This one claim, at the most
conservative estimate, will produce at least
So, 600 900, if the dirt is as rich throughout
as the numerous prospect holes indicate. L
also bought claim No. q, above the diScov-
cry and two-thirds of No. 20. on the same
creek both of which are as rich as my first
claim.
Now. 1 own outright two claims on
Bonanza creek, two-thirds of another and d
half interest in one on Glacier creek, in the
older district. / would not take 5000 900 for
my interests and think that there is every
reason to believe they are actually worth
twice that amount.
Il think that Alaska is even richer than
the general public supposes. If the men
now on their way to the mining sections
amount of provisions with them, they will
be in no danger, for 5000 men can easily
find employment al from $40 to $l2 a day
working in the mines. If the miners can
get all the men they want this winter
confidently predict the Klondike will pro-
duce in the neighborhood of $75000,C00 of
gold next summer. What has already come
out is only drop in the bucket. The yield
of the placer mines will in turn be over
Swallowed by the yield of the quartz mines
when they get them in such shape that they
can be worked. That will probably not be
next summer, for the present facilities for
TRANSPORTATION are taxed to get food and
INDISPENSABLE supplies into the country. But
when they get to working that country on
a large scale, you mark my words, 1t will
prove the greatest gold-producing section
the world has ever known"