The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-21
MINING IN THE KLONDYKE.
Pay Gravel Taken Out in Winter and
Washed in Summer.

Washed in Summer.
WASHINGTON, July 20.-Dr. William H.
Dali, one of the curaters of the National
Museum, is familiar with the region of
country in which the Klondylze gold fields
are located through having been on several
geological expeditions to the region in
Alaska adjoining the gold district and says
that in his opinion the reports from there
probably are not exaggerated. He said:
when l was there l did not find gold
but knew of it being taken out in profit
able quantities for fifteen years or more. 1t
was first discovered there in 1866. In 1880,
when l was up in that country, my last
trip having been made two years ago, the
first party of prospectors who made
the mining profit started out. The gold is
found on the various tributaries of the
Yukon and have been within a compara-
lively short distance of the Klondyke fields.
L made one trip to Circle City just over
the boundary of Canada. The gold bearing
belt of northwestern America contains all
the gold fields extending into British Co
lumbia, what is known as the Northwestern
Territory and Alaska. The Yukon really
runs along in that belt for fl. hundred or
six hundred miles. The bed of the main
river is in the low land of the valley.
THE yellow metal is not found in pay
ing QuanLltleS IN the mann river, DuC III
the small streams which cut through the
mountains on either side. These practically
wash out the gold. The mud and mineral
matter is carried into the main river, while
the gold is left on the rough bottoms of
these side streams. In most cases the gold
lies at the bottom of thick gravel deposits.
The gold is covered by frozen gravel in the
winter. During the summer until the snow
is all melted, the surface is covered by
muddy torrents When the snow is all
melted and the springs begin to freeze the
streams dry up. At the approach of Win
ter, in order to get at the gold the miners
find it necessary to dig into the gravel
formation Formerly they stripped the
gravel off until they came to the gold. Now
they sink a shaft to the bottom OF the
gravel ard tunnel along underneath IN the
gold-bearing layer, The way in which this
is done is interesting as IT has TO be car
ried on in cold weather when everything is
frozen. The miners build fires over the
area where they wish to work and keep
these lighted over that territory for the
space of about twenty-four hours. Then at
will be melted and softened to a depth of
perhaps six inches. This is then taken off
and other fires built until the gold-hear-
ing layer is reached. When the shaft Is
down that far fires are built at the bot
tom against the sides of the layer and tun-
nels made in this manner. Blasting would
do no good on account Of the hard nature
of the material and would blow out just
as out of gun. The matter taken out con-
tanning the gold is piled up until spring,
when the torrent comes down, and is
panned and Graded. 1t cerrainly IS very
hard labor.
''I see very many reasons why the sold
fields should be particularly rich. The
streams which cut through the mountains
have probably done so for centuries, wear
ing them down several hundred feet end
washing out the gold into the beds and
gravel 1t is a country In which 1t Is very
hard to find food. as there is practically
no game. Before the whites went INTO the
region there were not more than three
hundred natives. They have hard work to
support themselves on account of the
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