Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-21
EXCITEMENT ON THE COAST SHOWS
No ABATEMENT.
LAST STEAMER SAILS SUNDAY.
TALK OF CHARTERING A SPECIAL
STEAMER FOR MINERS.
DIR. Dali, of Washington, Who Is Fa-
miIiar With the Region, Talks
of the New Gold PIacers-
It's n Long Way to
KIondyke.

San Francisco. July 2o.-The excitement
| over the recenr discoveries of gold in Alas.
| ka still continues here and when the steam.
| er Excelsior leaves for St. Nchael's next
! Sunday she will carry all the miners sup
| plies she can hold. The Excelsior will be
| the last steamer to sail this year from San
Francisco TO connect with the Yukon
steamers. but there is already talk OF
chartering another steamer TO take up q
crowd OF miners. No more news from the
klondyke regions will be received until the
steamers leaving here and Seattle have re-
turned
Victoria. +. G., July 20.-This city is full
of prospective miners waiting for steamers
TO take them North. Scores of men are
throwing up good positions in order to seek
their fortunes I'm the KlOndyke gold fields.
John Piercy, a wholesale merchant, has
offered to pay the Dominion government
$4,000 per annum for period of five or
ten years for the privilege of collecting
duty on goods going into the Canadian Sec
tion of the Yukon country. The authori-
ties have not as yet youchsafed an answer,
but it is believed that customs officers will
be sent up there to collect the duty on
American goods which are being taken into
the country.
Seattle. Wash. July 20-Hon. c. B. Nc
tory, in which is included the far-famed
klondyke district is in Seattle. The gov
eTnor freely subscribed to the tTuthfulness
OF the stories sent out as TO the richness
OF the new diggingS.
He estimates that the Klondyke and its
tributaries yielded over 100000 in gold
last winter. OF this amount he says s.. OOO
w and upwards came via the steamships
Portland and Excelsior. More than 81. .O00
go in dust; he says. is now stored away
in the cabins Of the miners along the
creek being developed.
The British Yukon yield Of gold for
ls9I, the governor resumed, will not be
He says surveyors are now at work try
Ing TO ascertain the feasibility Of a con-
struction of railroad in to the Yukon. One
route contemplates a line of steamers from
Fort WEangle up the StykGn river
Washington, July Z0-Dr. William H.
Dali. one of the curatOrs Of the National
museum, is familiar with the region of
country in which the kiOndyke gold fields
are located. through having been on several
geological surveys in the region in Alaska
joining the gold district, and SAYS that in
his opinion the reports from there are prob
ably not exaggerated. He said:
When ! was there ] did not find gold.
but know Of ii being taken out in profitable
Quantities for fifteen years or more. 1t
was first discovered there in 1s6G. In 1850.
when I was up in that country my last
trip having been made two years ago, the
first party Of prOspecsOrs who make min
found on the various tributaries of the
Yukon, and ] have been within a COM
paratvely short distance OF the KlOndyke
fields. ] made one trip TO Circle City, lust
over the boundary OF Canada.
The gold-bearing belt OF Northwest
America contains all the gold fields extend
Ing into British Columbia which is known
as the Northwest Territory and Alaska /
The Yukon runs along in that belt for 800
or so miles. The he'd Of the main river is
in the lOwland Of the valley
The yellow metal IS not found I'm Gaying |
quantities IN the main river, but in the !
small streams which cut through the
mountains OF the other side These prac-
tiCally wash out the gold. The mud and ]
mineral matter Is carried into the main I
river, while the gold Is left on the rough |
bottoms OF these side streams. IN most /
cases the gold lies tho bottom Of thick |
gravel deposits. The gold is covered by !