Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-08
YUKON GOLD FIELDS.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEOLOGIsT
sPURR MADE PUBLIC.
NEW FACTS ABOUT THE REGION.
GOLD HAS BEEN MINED NEAR FOR
TY MILE FOR TEN YEARS.
supply l. RunnInR Low and Their
Was n stampede 10 the kIOndike
This YeaF-DImeuIties in the
Way OF Developing the
Country.

Washington. Aug. THE report on ire
Yukon gold region by Josiah Edward
Spur the geological survey expert who
headed a party that made a thorough IN
vestigatiOn IN Alaska last summer. giving
new facts about the interior. was made
public to-day. II Il a comprehensive docu-
meHt and reviews in detail the work IN the
various districts II says ss 10 the Forty
Mile gold district that In the latter part
Of 1857 Franklin gulch was struck and the
first year the creek Is estimated TO have
produced 5000. Ever since It has been a
constant payer. The character Of the gold
there is nUggety. masses OF = weight be-
ing very common. The yield Of the first
year after the discovery Of Forty Mile has
been variOusly estimated at from 5000 TO
$1,000. but 5000 probably covers the pro-
ductiOn.
The discovery Of Davis creek and a stam-
pede from Franklin guich followed the
spring Of 1855. In 1881. gold mining in the
interior, as well as on tine coast. at Silver
Bow basin and Treadwell received a great
impetus. The event Of iS92 was the discOv-
cry OF Miller creek In the spring Of 1888
many new claims were staked. aud 1t Is
estimated that eight men took out 10000.
Since then Miller creek has been the heav-
lest producer Of the Forty Mile district.
and, until recently, OF the whole Yukon. Its
entire length lies In British possessions.
The output for 1898. given by the mint
director for the Alaskan creeks. all but
Miller creek being in American possess
sions. was $1ss.OoO. with a mining popula-
tion OF 1876.
The total amount produced by the Yukon
placers I'm 1894 was double that OF the pre-
vious year In 1895. the output has doubled
again. Forty Mile district. in the summer
of 1896 Is described in the report as look
ing as II IT had seen its best days. and IN
less several new creeks are discovered II
will lose its old position.
The Birch creek district was last summer
in a fourishing condition. Most Of the
euIches were then running. miners were
working on double shifts, night and day.
and many large profits were reported.
On Mastodon creek. the best producer.
over thirty miners were at work, many ex-
pecting to winter in the gulch. As 10 hy-
drauicking. the report says:
Some miners have planned TO work this
and other good ground supposed to exist
under the deep covering Of moss and gravel
in the wide valley Of the Mammoth and
Crooked creeks, by hydraulickiHg. the Wa
ter to be obtained by tapping Miller and
Mastodon creeks near the head. II will
be several years before the scheme can be
operated, because both Of the present
gulches are paying well. and Will continue
a
Following is the report on the Klondiks
district:
the winter of 1S55-g7. there was a genuine
stampede TO the new region. Forty Mile
was almost deserted Bgt S1 men spent
gulcbes and at the new town OF
Dawson. The more important parts OF the
district are on Bonanza and Hunker creeks
According 10 latest Information. 400 claims
have been located up to January l. byl;
about half. as many on Hunker creek
prospectors and miners. for the gulches
and creeks which have shown good pros
poets spread over an area OF 100 square
The estimated Alaskan gold production
for 1856 made by the Spur report, Is 81 400
OOO 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 Pros,
| Meeting 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
| thus able 20 begin work with the first
"Whatevsr Alaska may be In the future.
| Il is not now self-supporting agricultural
| ~ Moose and caribou are variable IN
| quantity. abundant one time ana disap-
| pearing from the region for twelve months
Ten dollars a day is the general wages
| paid. {i2 for a day OF ten hours nelns
| In the winter the price for labor Is -
| 10 s. per day of six hours. Many times the
/ miners have Deen AT tIe point OF rtaENd-
! tion: hardly a winter when they have not
beer put on a ration basis. Universal SUI
| fraee Is given and all have an equal vote.
Penalties include: For stealing bantsh-
| rent from the country. also whipping;
| threatening with weapons. the same; MUIR
| dors. hanging. but there have been no MUIR
ders so far"
| The mining laws differ for different
| gulches. Generally the claim Is for 800
| feet for gulch diggings from rim rock 70
/ rim rock but in some gu. hes not paying
| well an effort is being made to stake claims
| / 320 feet long. Crowded creeks are staked
3O1 feet to the claim and no man Is al
| low ed TO stake more than one claim In
| HIS own name, save the discoversr. who
| Is allowed 1000 feet instead Of 900. The
| only officer in the republic Of miners Is
| the recorder. appointed by popular vote,
one in each gulch or creek.