New-York tribune., 1897-07-23
CLAIMS OF W. J. ARKELL.
sTAKED OUT IN THE CLONDYKE REGION
HE SAYS, IN 1890.

LIES WEEKLY" AND LED BY Z. J. GLAvE--
GOLD NUGGETS BROUGHT BACK-To
SEND OUT ANOTHER PARTY AT
ONCE To BE LED BY BART
LETT ARKELL
w J. Arkel publisher of Judge and Les
lies Weekly last evening made statement
70 a Tribune reporter that will doubtless prove
Of great interest to the world at large, ana
especially to those who are personally Interested
in the gold discoveries In the Clondyke region.
The statement was to the effect that the terri
tory In which the big strikes are reputed to
have been made was explored six years ago by
a party sent out by "Leslies Weekly and that
claimo were staked out covering nearly the
whole Of the Clondyke region.
1t was in 1890 that 'Leslie's Weekly" decided
to send out an expedition to explore the Yukon
River ard the adjacent territory. The enter
prise was duly considered and decided upon
after the most careful preparations 1t was
headed by L. j. Glave, the wcll-remembered ex-
plorer, who, after his return from this trip. was
sent to Africa by THE Century" Company to
study the extent and the operation OF the slave
trade. This he did. and had finished his work
in the Interior of the continent and returned
10 the coast ready to sail for this country, when
he fell Ill Of a fever and died The other men,
bers of the party were f. II. Wells, Of Cincin-
natl: A. b. Schanz, who had up to that time
been employed by The Tribune; p. b. Pierce
and John Dalton. OF San Francisco. together
with thirty Chilkat natives The expedition oc-
cupied a year and a half and In that time the
party travelled up the Yukon River to one OF It's
sources. lake, which they named Lake
Arken" and down on the opposite side Of the
river While coming down the river Glave dis
covered evidences of gold. and Immediately all
the other activities Of the expedition were
abandoned to enable the men to investigate the
possibility thus presented.
EVIDENCES OF THE TREASURE.
Glave and his fellow-explorers found plenty
Of evidences Of the presence Of gold in the shape
of nuggets, but none of them mining ex-
pert They decided after consultation to gather
what proof they could Of their belief and to
bring il TO New-York with them on their return.
Then 1t occurred to them that it would be wise
70 take precautions to protect themselves and
the interests OF their employers in case their
find should prove on further examination, to be
worthy OF further development. Consequently
much time and trouble were taken to stake out
claims in the regulation manner. This. says Mr..
Arkell was done and so thoroughly were the ex-
plorers convinced that they had made valuable
find that the claims they staked out cover
nearly the whole OF the ClOndyke territory,
whence come now the rumors OF golden treasure.
These claims says Mr. Arkell, extend almost
the entire length of the Yukon River. and are
on both sides Of the stream The claims were
staked out In the names Of each member OF the
party. "Leslie's Weekly" and even in the names
of the Indians who accompanied them.
When the expedition returned about eighteen
months after 1t left New-York. its members were
in a state Of great enthusiasm. They displayed
the nuggets they had brought and the photo
graphs they had made of the claims. but their
statements did not arouse the interest and en-
thuslasm they expected In the first place the
expedition had cost $1,000. much more than
had been estimated. and its projectors were not
especially pleased with the results. They were
inclined to believe that the nuggets came from
San Francisco. and, in spite Of ALL there was no
second expedition. The nuggets went to The
Century" Company. in whose possession they
now are. The photographs Of the claims as
staked out are in Mr. Arkells possession. The
maps made by the party OF the district they ex-
plored were turned over to the Government. and
the official maps of the Yukon region are based
upon them. Glave. the leader OF the expedition.
never gave up his belief in the richness of the
Yukon River gold fields. and one OF the last
things he said to Mr. Arkell before he sailed for
Africa from which he was destined never to re-
turn was that when he came back he intended
to pass the rest OF his life in Alaska the richest
land In mineral deposits on the globe
CALLED TO HIS ATTENTION.
Mr. Arkell thought more OF his claims in
the Yukon River gold fields until yesterday,
when he received a dispatch from two Of the
members of the former expedition. Wells and
Schanz who are now at Indiana Mineral Springs.
Ind These two men reminded him Of the claims
that they had staked out and asked whether he
would not take some steps to protect his claims
and their own. adding that they Intended to do
what they could for themselves even II they were
unaided.
Mr. Arkell at once telegraphed to his counsel.
| Judge J. S. Lamoreaux. at Ballston Spa, n. Y.
requesting him to come 10 the city to-day. Upon
his arrival Mr. Arkell will get his opinion as 10
the validity OF his claims. The claims were
| staked out in regulation fashion, Mr.. Arkell
SAYS but ne does not know whether any record
o; them was filed at Mining claim office either
at Sitka or in Canada
However that may be. Mr.. Arkell has deter
| mined TO investigate the matter thoroughly. and
H. as he believes. his claim proves TO be q
sound one he will certainly press II. In order
the better to get at the exact truth OF the mat
ter and inform himself as to the exact situa-