The San Francisco call., 1897-10-27
PLENTY Of
COLD LIES
IN ALASKA
F FabulousIy Rich Ore Is
Found by a Veteran
ProspeCtor.
ASSAYS 100000 TO
THE TON.
Wealth Gre ater Than the KIon-
dike's Discovered by James
L. Smith.
ROCK COVERED WITH FREE
YELLOW METAL.
4n the Southeastern Section cf the
Il Territory There Are Bonanzas
For All Who Seek.
Wealth Greater Than the klon.
dike's Discovered by James
L. Smith.
ROCK COVERED WITH FREE
YELLOW METAL.
IN the Southeastern Section cf the
a Territory There Are Bonanzas
For All Who Seek
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

SEATTLE, WASH, Oct. 26-In South
eastern Alaska there is ore that ASSAYS
100000 to the ton. Among the pas
sengers who arrived on the Topeka from
Alaska to-day was James L. Smith of
Spokane, a miner and prospector, known
throughout British CoIumb bia as the origi-
nal discoverer of the famous Galena Farm
in the SLOGAN district, for which he re-
ceived the pitiful consideration of $430U
while the purchasers succeeded in dispos-
ing OF the property for hundreds of
thousands.
II have something better than the
GaIena Farm, said he to The CALL cor
respondent as he opened sack contain
ing forty-two pounds of ore literally COW
cred with free gold. This is from South
eastern Alaska" said be as he handed
chunk after chunk to the respondent.
every one showing the precious metal in
great profusion free to the naked eye.
at is not from the Klondike, because
never heard of that country until l came
out from the mountains last week, when
klondike was on the tongue of every man
] met at Fort Wrangle, while a country
equally rich was lying at their backdoor.
I began prospecting on the 4th of June
in the country lying between Portland
Canal and Stickeen Kive-, and along the
latter as far as South Fork and Telegraph
Creek being encouraged in my work by
finding plenty OF rich float l finally con-
hned my operations to what is known as
Salmon Creek, which is about thirty miles
northeasterly from Fort Wrangel. The
float rock in this stream proved more
( attractive than any l had seen from Port
land Canal 10 the Stickeen, ana l fol-
loved it up for five weeks, finding it on
gravel bars, along the edge of the stream
ana on rifles, finally discovering its source
in a five-foot ledge-a contact between
porphyry and slate, traceable on the out
crop for distance of 300 feet. The eleva-
ton at the point of discovery is about $500
feet above the sea level, and the mountain
i, quite precipitous. l made these loca-
lions on the ledge and crosscut it in sew
eral places. finding free gold in every in
stance. The pay streak Is half q foot in
width, and while no assays have been
made OF ore it would be a conservative
estimate to say that it will go 500 900 to
the ton, free gold, as you can judge Tor
yourself from the samples bsfore you.
How high the other portions of the ledge
VIII go l am not able to say, but there is
enOagh IN the pay streak 10 satisfy any
reasonable man. and Judge This TO be the
richest gold rcck discovered in Alaska this
season.
Il made the discovery on August % and
was prospecting alone. l found no EVIL
dence OF prosI ectors being in the country
at any time, nor did l obtain any inform
alton from Indians whom [ met OCCASION
ally except once when I met an Indian
who showed Ee piece OF float copper in
It's native state, with white quartz adher-
ing to 1t. a.So found specimens of very
rich cray COPPER, but was unable, to dis
cover the Ie4ge from which it came,
although there were good indications oi
copper In the country.
Tina gold belt in which this Salm on
Creek find was made crosses the Stickeen
100 miles up that river and at this point
the porphyry country is overlaid with
( IRON. 1t L a dig country and it affords an
e&ceIient Held Tor the prospector but /
You'd not advise any one 10 90 in This
winter, because they Will experience great
hardshlps and Will encounter deep snow.
IL began showing before l started from
the mines, and along the river il had
attained depth of six inches. 1t will be
time enough TO make the trip in the
sprlny, when better progress can be made
and better results obtained. There is
plenty OF room ior miners and prospectors
and while / have ali l want there is more
1or others to pick up. There is no use in
going to the K ondlke or anv other
: country beyond TIE American boundary
Dor men VINO in search of good gold
mines, for Southeast Alaska contains
great mineral wealth, and the mines are
there for the taking"