Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-26


house for a transportation company.
Next POrcupine river which in the
future will turn out considerable gold.
Further down Minook Creek with
good prospects and big reports. $500
to $4,000 per day has been taken out
on this creek. from there struck out
into the ocean and it was hard to tell
where the river ended and ocean
began. The YUKON is 14O miles wide
at its mouth. Our boat stopped at
| st. Michaels. Indians there maintain
themselves by fishing, hunting seal
and carving. They are beautiful
carvers. The principal seal found is
the hair seal. Six tablespoonfuls of
oil from these animals mixed with
flour makes rations for one Indian one
day. Leaving st. MichaelS fog fol-
lowed us to Seattle. Saw land only
once and that at Dutch Harbor. Cat
tie and horses found here; no timber
but lots of grass.
DO Yukon miners wear furs? No.
The only fur is the cap which protects
the face. Dress consists simply of
heavy underclothing, heavy outside
shirt, any kind of pantaloons. The
feet are protected by heavy socks and
mOccasins.
Climate. Last winter 72o below
was the coldest. Hottest I have
known in summer was 1909 above.
When there is no wind the air is dry.
After it gets 400 below and the wind
blowing, no living man can travel.
Below 400 the wind seems to cease.
A person does not notice the cold
there very much. In fact, did not
think so much of it there as l did
often times right here at home.
There are six routes to the Yukon.
~. From Dyea to Chilkoot Pass,
going down Lake Linderman and
Lewis river. The Lewis runs parallel
to Yukon with divide between the
two. Will take this route back next
spring. ~. Skagaway bay, over
White Pass, down same water as
above. (3). Stikeen route, as des-
cribed in this lecture. (4). Up the
mouth of the Yukon river. (5). The
Tarkou route. (6). Mckenzie route,
starting somewhere near Rat Portage.
Have taken no interest in this route
because don't believe it is feasible.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Does the wind blow hard? Not for
any length of time. 1t is about a ten
mile wind.
Timber there is principally spruce,
poplar, birch. 1t grows quite tall and
about 20inches squafe. Timber roots
skirt the top of the ground and get
their nutriment from the moss. Game
includes moose, caribou, bear, ducks,
geese. Any mosquitoes? One or two.
Last 4th of July we attempted to put
up tent to get rid of the pests. They
carried the tent away to get at US.
Now this is little exaggerated, but
only little. Mosquit oes are the only
uIdW DdCh W
Nature of soil where you strike pay
dirt? Top is generally black muck,
pay dirt in gravel beneath. Bedrock
stands on edge.
What proportion of the miners
make to exceed 5000? All of them.
[ don't know miner in the country
that was there last winter or previ-
OuSly who hasn't made $4,000 clear if
he saved it. Gold bearing gravel runs
from three to five feet down. Never
go below five feet. No soap stone, as
in California, to bother. The ground
freezes 100 feet. They have gone
down that far and found it still frozen.
| think chances will be about one in
every hundred to get claims next
Spring. There has always been lots
of chances to work for other parties.
Summer begins along in may and ends
in October
Generally use dog teams on ice to
carry provisions. No vehiclesin that
country. Not much chance to raise
vegetables. Principal gun used there
is 1910 Winchester rifle Ground
thaws out six inches in summer:
where covered with moss it does not
thaw at all. Yukon river freezes in
swift places first and from the bottom
upward. All streams likewise. Yukon
boats use wood for fuel. They run up
to Pelly river; unable to reach Lake
Teslin if they cannot get between
Five Finger rocks. Esquimaux don't
get that far south. Indians never
mine.