The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-04
THE YUKON MINES.
AN IMPARTIAL STATEMENT OF THE
COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE
where the Principal Dfggfngs Are
Lecasea-oniy . short Time Until
the valley VIII Resouna with the
vibrations of Quarts Ailis, Saw
Mills and Steamboat Paddle
whr.I.-remm~rc and Present
Transportation Fnriiifies-socioi-
oxy at Circle City.

The las. issue % the Juneau Search
p~ht received here contained the follow
ing correspondence from Circle CITY.
s8sseA January g. The letter contains
some excellent Information about TIRE
YUKON gold districts the mines. tfs means
Of transportation, the people. etc * foa-
lows;
.1-he goia placer diggings are. Of course.
81 present Ths principal sources o. &C.
venture ard speculation, ard those 50 far
discovered and worked are very rernursr-
alive especially when taxing into con-
sideration the great climatic, scclaI &c
commercial drawbacks that exist TIE
PRINCIPAL digging are situated from hfty
10 seFentv-five males from Circle city, in
wnat Is called the Ratzel range, lying De-
Rockies. In the past tao years many
sh0usa Bds Of dollars have been taken out
b comparatively few men, and most 81
those were inexperienced IN prac1icstl
mining This has been done under extra
ordinary vIcissttuaes. coat0sntiy win q
very short mining season-oniy three
months and tends 20 prove the richness
Of this mineral belt No claim can DC
worked rernaInerativeiy for less than an
ounce a day 10 the man. but there are
miles Of water courses. which VIII yista
from 81 20 $40 a day. and which VIII 0e
eventually worked as population increases
and supplies become cheap. some yaia-
able quartz lodges have already been
found. and when greater number OF
pilI Be discovered. There Is q sandstone
formation about ten miles below Forty
Mile creek which contains good 5itumt-
nous coal measures. This place Is beng
proxge Ell. and when developed will be
Invaluable as fuel for steamers and do
nestle purposes.
.'Tne Fur trade. which has heretofore
been Of much value. VIII soon become an
enterprise of the past, as IL has already
in the Hudson bay territory. Tnis Is. OF
course. mainly owing 10 the presence OF
f.asks
lect on the part OF the natives to trap
ard hunt, ard the rapidly increasing NOR
tally among them, owing 70 their adop-
ton Of civilized modes of life.
when salmon become scarce. as they
VIII doubtless very shortly In the rivers OF
sne lower Pacific coast. then attention
will be- turned TO the Yukon and its tribu-
fhrses. which abound with the finest FISH.
II t. only a question OF a short time when
the Yukon valley win resound with the
vibrations Of quartz mills. saw mills and
steamboat padtleHh heels.
Population.
There are now about 1900 inhabitants
in this northern country; !, zoo in the Rat
ze mines Circle City and vicinity, and
about $50 AZ Forty Mile. " w. T.. and Vi
Cinity. The great ma lortty are young, ro-
bust hafsi-working and energetic. There
are many ScandinayiaTs who viii In
few years gain that experience Of a new
life w mining which a.tded 20 their Wei
known racial characteristics as good
natuFei aflH kaw-a 5lding people. Will ~
them for most desirable citize1ship Next
come the Canadians. the most hardy, in
dpStrsnils pioneers par excellence of the
whcle northern portion OF this continent.
Unfortunately. there are but few native
born American citizens, those here having
Neen engaged IN mining principally In
Tiritish Columbia and Montana, and who
have followed up every excitement until
they have fetched up near the north pole
neglected Alaska; and who are not
slow 10 express their disgust at the con-
duct % the several dfnirsi<trarons OF
government and feel ashamed that the
ardor OF their national pride IL so damp
ened by the want OF good government
There is plenty Of room for more
The Mines.
During the past year the mines gener-
ally have yielded IN accord with the ex-
pecearonS or their owners and several
have acquired a competency: others VIII
Yet have 30 work hard year Of two
longer. In the rail- news arrived here
that rich prospects had been discovered
on the klondike and ITS Tributaries, which
flows into the Yukon about hfty miles
above Forty Mile creek In the y. w. T..
and .ince then 20 the present time con-
firnaiory accounts OF their richness have
been received, consequently a great num-
do so during the spring months so that
n - fair 20 say that all OF those VINO
are not claim owners or who have no bust
ness 90 keep them here viii join the
stampede.
This il the vital question which pre-
nenfs itself 20 the minds OF all, as 20
whether II IL adequate and efficient for the
development OF the great resources OF the
country and the proper suStenance and
comfort Of those who are striving under
the greatest difficulties Out which are 10y
no means tnsurmountahls) to develop
them, and the unanimous opinion OF those
who have the experience Is that those IN
whose hands trade IL conferred are IN
different 20 the health. comfort and pros
perity OF the settlers, or 70 the settlement
az Alaska. TIE Alaska Commercial Fun
TFading. Chartered Monopoly has the con-
troll OF the market. r. has stores In Circle
city. Forty-Miie and kiondike, and has
three small stern wheel steamers. capable
81 carrying from 10 70 800 tons each, on
the river connecting them With 81. Mich
aes. the Berfng sea headquarters OF the
corporation. one r. the old Arctic whicsl
has been on the river for some years, an
other the Alice. which appeared on the
river summer before last. and the third
IS the Bella. built Tor towing hsrxe=- II
came "a far as Fort Yukon last October
bringing two harges- one ~ the barge;
- now on a bar I'm the middle % the river
and II given up as lost. the other ts sup
posed 10 ~ safe with the Bella In Z
slough. None % these boats are wei
adapted for river navigation. having toe
great drAnEht. THREE ana four feet They
nave not the 'shCvel-nosed' how so essen
siat FOR climbing over shallow bars. neither
have they sufficient length or breadth <
insure UEat drauEHt taho0t elChteeT
fuchesl Tken again the machinery "a no.
sufficiently powerful. Neither have fhey
been properly manned having Indians fo'
crews, ard the CAPTAINS have always beer
Nampcre3 by tn-advised 8ictatton from
the manager az tAe headquarters. which
has invariably resulted In disaster 20 ths
transportation ~ supplies By unnecessary
delay and Increased expense 70 she con
Su-ners Not~ttbst8rslins The aDparen
addition made last year % the tranNpor
seTv2ce. very little material dlNervrce has
been manifest. and starvation would navs
Mr.. Mo- uesttow and Capt. Mavo Mos
~ tie people have been pat On ratious %
fhs winter months. Neither has therv
been any change IN regard 20 the sllfl
cheney % the rss,sSSa -Tss OF lie or 20 ranf,
ottAiitv. watch has always beer vfflafna ga E
The time has new arrives when this mo
nopNly must 80 Better 81 every Wav. Tier.
gaust - quicker and better transport ser
vice and they must furnish the best ths
markets AFFORD ~ fresh ana wholeeasn.
uecessarfas ~ lie IN such quantities a.
viii allow ell 70 have sufficient - wor.
On and - resist the rigcrs % a Northe-r
climate
'~Th-re - - excuse or shtppfnx f-ts
Northern Alaska the REUSE 81 fhe mar
kets below. The ~ 7ssnss 81 carvlS rw S
The sane On reor supplies a. GOOD nor s
there shy r~a@sn for esar~fnsr enornau.
rates Tor stauie W3.Nts when wafer corn
rTisnfcsst1n svfssS fre.u san F'~mn-ts~o z,
tNrcie CftV WITH nu3v ore tranzht praen :
The Tsrpna On al Comm lsgtglas, r,oest art
bad. ranges frona 81 per cent ugspya IA =
Il the corporation fails to alter IS ma
fer gain. = VIII Kill Fhe goose rhat las,
the kpl8ea eE9s. ard ~ compelled ID
retire into = deserved chscur3ty ~ sesfa
NEt8tton fEalEHrate3 nv Uiare Ncnar,R,t Il.