The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-11

The rush TO the Yukon from this port
will soon be over The sailing OF the
Mexico. IN March with 42 pass
engers marked the height OF the
food and from now on pessen-
ger lists viii show g. marked decrease
The local merchants have put forward
every effort 10 attract the outgoing miners
and have offered every inducement for
them 10 purchase outfits here
Already the business men OF Seattle
ara turning their attention 20 the time
when the returning tide shall bring back
from tire north those who have gone Up
30 fun OF hope. They will re-
turn ragged and out OF supplies.
bu: with pockets fun OF money.
The problem is how this money is
20 be held in Seattle. But a small per-
centaze stayed here last year. though
several local firms accommodatingly con-
sented TO buy dust from the miners at
a figure in which there was no profit.
The plan suggested is government as
say Office 10 be ests bIished here.
II. A. Fredericks. a Seattle business
man whose experience in the Yukon gives
weight to his remarks. said yesterday:
Il feel confident that no difficulty would
be encountered in securing a government
assay office here. All that is necessary
Is 10 petition the government. and 1t
would undoubtedly be established. Fail
ing IN this. the government should be
asked to deposit a sum Of money In one Of
the Seattle banks with which gold could
be purchased.
The advantages OF an assay Office are
very manifest. The returned miner could
take his dust TO the Office and have IL
made into brick. stamped by the govern
ment. He could take mis- brick TO any
bank and get whatever amount the stamp
called for. When you take dust TO the
assay office IL Is first weighed and put in
to a box. a receipt being given for the
weight. The dust goes to the smelter and
IL nodded into bricks. being given back
with the exact weights OF so much gold.
so much silver and so much dirt, agree
ing 10 within half grain OF the weight
or the dust before 10 was smelted.
fou know how these men strike Seat
tie. They are ragged and dirty. The first
thing they do Is TO hunt out barber shop
and bath house. Then they go 10 a clio
thier Many want TO go East and would
buy their tickets here. Every man re-
turning from the Yukon viii spend from
s. to $500 When l came out last year
there were $50 men In the party which
struck San Francisco. The miners took
their dust to the mint, and when they
got their money, spent 1t freely There
viii be $4,000 brought out Of the Yukon
this year.
Unless an assay office is established
here, Seattle will profit but little. 1t is OF
vastly more importance that Gne returning
miners be induced 10 spend their money
here than that those going buy outfits
The value Of Alaska gold varies so that
people are afraid TO buy 1t unless 1t has
been assayed. One season gold / brought
out was worth SIS an ounce. while another
season II sold for only a little over sis. /
do not believe there is any one in Seattle
now who win buy gold dust. Several cases
have come to my knowledge whore men
with large sacks Of dust tried to sell here.
but were forced finally 10 go 10 San Fran
cisco One woman received $500 in dust
from her husband. who is on the Yukon
She tried for several days to dispose OF the
dust in Seattle. but was finally compelled
TO send Il TO the San Francisco mint"