The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-07-16
FABULOUS MINES
Story From Alaska Rivaling in
Interest the Old Tale of
Monte CristO.
Forty Thousand Dollars From
Fort; Square Feet of q
Placer Claim.
Nearly a'Million Dollars Worth
of Dust Brought Back as
Evidence.

oaN NANSAoNOS ONAy We
rivalling in intensity of interest that
told of the fabulous wealth of Monte
Cristo was related by the passengers of
the little steamer Excelsior, which has
Just arrived from St. Michael's Alaska.
Millions upon millions Of virgin gold,
according to the story, awaits the for
tunate miner who has the hardihood
and courage to penetrate into the un.
known depths of the Yukon district.
There was tangible evidence on the
little steamer of the truth of the story
told by the travellers, for in the cabin
were scores of sacks filed to the very
mouth with ''dust" taken from the
placers of the far frozen North. The
amount brought in is variously esti-
mated at from $5O0,OOO to $75O,OOO.
A Fortune in Their Gripsacks.
There came in on the Excelsior some
40 people, among them some women,
from what is now known as the Clon.
dyke district, though only Is of these
had been actually engaged in mining.
There were among them men who had
been for more than 10 years facing the
dangers and hardships Of the frozen
North in the hope of making a rich find,
but who failed. But now they come
back with fortunes slowed in their grip.
sacks and untold millions to be picked
up in the country of which SO little is
known.
The new Eldorado lies just across the
Alaskan boundary in British territory,
1t is of recent discovery, but already
there are at least 5000 people on the
ground and more are aocking in thai
direction.
Around Forty Mile on the Yukon is 6
tribe of Indians known as the Slickers
and with them is a man who years age
was known as George Cormack but wht
is now called "Slick George" In Sep
TENDER last, at the head Of a party O
Indians, he left his hut near Forty Mil
camp, and started in a southerly direc
! ton, saying he intended to find a new
| gold field before his return. He cam
back two weeks later and startled tn
miners with the announcement that 4
miles away, there was gold to be fount
III plC4lVys AAC VACOAA 0UOuuuCu Will
the yellow metal, and all that wa
needed was for somebody to pick it up
Many persons flocked to the place, an
in time the word reached Forty Mil
camp that untold riches could be foun,
along the bottom of Bonanza creek an,
its tributaries. Men who had faile'
at the former camp, Immediately packe
up and started for, the new fields.
was a hard and trying journey, but tina
was nothing with the promise of million
at the end Of the route.
The Excitement Indescribable.
The following is an extract from
letter received by the Excelsior, JUS
arrived here from Alaska. 1t was sen
from the Clondyke region by a promi
nent and wealthy young business ma
of San Francisco to his brother in thi
city:
"The excitement on the river is in
describable and the output Of the ne,
Clondyke district almost beyond belle,
Men who had nothing last fall are no,
worth a fortune. One man has worke
40 square feet of his claim, and is goin
out with $40, 900 in dust. The estimat
Of the district given is ID miles, with a
average value of $500, 900 to the claim
in which some are valued as high as 81
OOO, 600 each.
''Some of the stories are so fabulou
that l I'm afraid to repeat them, fo
fear of being suspected Of the infection
Labor is sl5 a day and board, with IL
days work guaranteed, sc you car in
agine how difficult it is to hold en-
ployes. If reports r true, it is ii
biggest placer discovery . ever made j
the world, for though other digging
have been found quite as rich in spot
no such discovery has been know
which prospected and worked SO hig
right thrOuph."