The herald., 1897-08-08
Regarding the Yukon Min
ing Regions
THE GOLD THERE IS NUGGETY
AND THERE Is QUITE A LOT or
IT BESIDES
Room for Prospectors, but Difficulties
in the Way of Development
Are Also Numerous
Associated Press Special wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Aug. THE report
on the Yukon gold region by Josiah
Edward Spur, the geological survey ex-
pert who headed party that made .
thorough investigation in Alaska last
summer, was made public today. 1t il
a comprehensive document, and reviews
in detail the work of the various dis
tricts 1t says as to the Forty Mile gold
district that in the latter part Of 1887
Franklin Gulch was struck and the first
year the creek is estimated to have
produced $4,000. Ever since 1t Has been
constant payer. The character Of the
gold there is nuggety, masses Of IS In
weight being very common. The yield
of the first year after the discovery OF
Forty-Mile has been variously estimate
ed at from $4,000 to $150,O00 but $4,000
probably covers the production.
Following is the report on the Klon-
dyke district:
With the announcement of gold here
in the winter Of 1867 there was gem
eral stampede to the new region. Forty
Mile was almost deserted. But $50 men
spent the winter on the Klondyke, In
the gulches and at the new town of Daw-
son. The more important parts Of the
district are on Bonanza and Hunker
creeks. According to latest informa-
ton 400 claims have been located up to
January l, 1897, and about half az many
on Hunker creek. There Is plenty OF
room for many more prspectors and
miners, for the gulches and creeks which
have shown good prospects spread over
an area of 700 square miles. The esti-
mated Alaskan gold production for 1886,
made by the Spur report, Is 81, 400, 900.
The report points out the difficulties
in the way of speedy development Of the
country. First the climate, with short
summer season and long, cold winter.
Prospecting is done in. the winter more
and more every year, because frozen
ground renders travelling over the
swampy, moss covered country more
easy, and the miners are thus enabled
to begin work with the first spring thaw.
Whatever Alaska may be in the fu-
ture, it is not now self-supporting agri-
culturally. Moose and cariboo are vari-
able in quantity, abundant one time and
scarce in the region for twelve months
at a time. Ten dollars a day is the gem
eral wages paid, $12 for day of ten
hours being paid in some of the more re-
mote gulches. In the winter the price for
labor is SIS and So day for six hours.
Many miners have been at the point of
starvation; hardly a winter when they
have not been put on a short ration ba-
sis. Universal suffrage is given and all
have an equal vote. Penalties include:
For stealing, Punishment from the couns
try, also whipping; threatening with
weapons, the same; murder, hanging,
but there have been no murders so far.
The mining laws differ for different
gulches. Generally the claim is for 500
feet for gulch diggings from rim rock to
rim rock, but in some gulches not pay
ing we'll an effort is being made to stake
claims 1920 feet long. Crowded creeks are
staked 300 feet to the claim, and no man
is allowed to stake more than one claim
in his own name save the discoverer,
who is allowed 1000 feet instead of 500.
The only officer in the republic of min
ers Is the recorder, appointed by popu-
lar vote, one in each gulch or creek.
STEAMERS SAILING
TACOMA, Wash, Aug. THE steam
er Willamette sailed at 8 o'clock this
evening for Dyea and Skaguay, Alaska
She will carry to the north $50 men bound
for the Yukon country and 1000 tons OF
freight supplies, 200 horses belonging to
the gold seekers. Two hundred and fifty
men boarded the Willamette here and
took with them 200 tons of supplies and
fifty horses. 1t Is estimated that 10, 900
people visited the wharf where the YES
sci was lying today to see the ship of the
argonauts and bid farewell to the In
trepid adventures.
TWO MORE
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. Two more
steamers sailed today for Alaska with
prospectors for the Klondyke gold fields,
and their departure created considerable
excitement along the water front. They
were the National City for st. Michaels
direct and the South Coast for the same
place via Puget sound. Both carried
steam launches and the National City
also carried huge barge, which will be
used for the transportation of freight
up the Yukon.
The National City's passenger list
numbered about sixty, while the South
Coast accommodated forty passengers.
STEEL STEAMERS
SEATTLE. Wash, August 7.-Man-
ager C. H. Hamilton of the North Amer
lean Transportation and Trading Conn
pany announces that his company has
let contract to Cramps, the Philadei-
phia ship builders, for the construction
of two 2000-ton steel steamers. They Will
be used exclusively on the Seattle-St.
Michaele run. The steamers will have
accommoda tions for 200 first-class ana
500 second -class passengers.
LAW AND ORDER
OTTAWA, Ontario, August TAT 4
meeting of the Cabinet decision was
arrived at, that on account of fiscal re-
ports from Dyea relating to the increas-
ing rush of miners for the Klondyke
fields, it was necessary to send another
detachment Of 100 Northwest mountv6
police to the Yukon district at once "a
maintain law and order. Precise civl1
law is also to be established without a.