The times., 1897-07-18
ALAsKA's WEALTH IN COLD
Continued from First Page.

Now ] am taking d trip To the oldcouaIry
Finland, and AIN coming back next year =
Fred Lendcseen: Il went to Alaska
wears ago, and when | left there SIX weeks
ago / brought $4,000 in gold dust with
me / have had considerable experience in
mining, and say without hesitation that
Alaska is the richest country | have ever
seen. i have interes1in d claim near Daw-
son, aud am going back in the spring"
Greg Stewart: Il had a partner, and
sold ont my interest for ZOO and put
my money back again at interest Ia mines.
My partner had 800 ounces Of dust, but
IL fell short four ounces on the way down
Tie dust VIII 20 over SIT an ounce, but
we are all waiting for returns from the
smelling works. / brought few hundred
ounces with me, but get interest Of per
cent on short loans. L expect to return
next spring.
John Marks: II brought Sll 300 in gold
dust with me, but l had to work for every
bit OF it. There is plenty of gold in Alaska
more, l believe, than the most sanguine
imagine cannot be obtained without
great effort and endurance. The first
thing for a poor man TO do when he reaches
the country is tc begin prospecting AS
snow is from TWO To five feet deep. pros
pecting is not easy. Snow must first 'e
shovelled away, and then fire built on he
ground 20 melt the ice AS the ground
thaws the shaft must be sunk until bed
rock is reached. The average pruSpector
las TO sink great many shafts before lie
reaches anything worth his while II gold
is found Ia sufficient quantities. 10 pay for
working. he may begin drifting from the
| shaft, and continue TO do so as long as
be finds enough gold TO pay
Albert Fox. Il and partner went into
| the district in S95 and secured Two claims.
| We sold one for S45, 900. 1 bought 800
ounces which netted $4,000. Everybody
is at Dawson for the present The district
is apt to be overrun l wouldn't advise
any one to go there this fan, for people
! are liable to go hungry before spring.
About SEQ went over the summit from
juneau, 600 miles, so there may not be
food enough for an
Robert Hooks: I've been four years in
| Alaska I had a half interest in a claim on
Ei Dorado Greek, and sold QUITO my partner
for S12 600. I bought a half interest in
clam on the Bonanza, below the bis
! Covery claim, and my shareis worth easily
! $4,000. l brought $4,000 in gold dust,
! and shall return in the spring after rest
! and recreation
j. g. Hollinshead: II was In the di ggings
| about two years, and brought out aboIt
| 800 ounces. which / suppose VIII bring
SIT an ounce. I'm not sure about going
| back, though have a claim on Gold Bot
tom Creek, fifteen miles from Bonanza
Il is less than a year sincr l located NY
claim. My dust VIII bring over S25, 800 '
NJ. s. Norcross: u was sick and Couldn't
| work, 30 cooked for Mr.. McNamee. Still
had q claim on the FonanZa, but didn [
know what was in it, because / couldn't
work it. I sold out last spring for $40,
| 600 and was satisfied To get chance to
return TO my nome in Los Angeles
Thomas Flack: My dust VIII bring more
| than $4,000. / have an interest in two
claims on the FL Dorado. One partner sold
out for $4,000 and another for $65,
had an cffeI Of $4,000, but refused il
just before l came out"
Thomas Cook: 1t is good country, but
If there is a rush there's going To be a
great deal of suffering. Over 1000 men
are there at present and 2 900 more Will
be in before snow falls. I've been at
lplaccr mining for years in California and
British Columbia, and the mines at Daw'
son are more extensive and beyond any
thing l ever saw. Last year | did very
well at Dawson. l have q claim worth
about the average they say from $25, 600
10 S50,000 on Bear Creek, across the di-
vide from the Bonanza"
Con Stamatin: Il was mining on share!
with partner. He's still there. We
worked on Alexander McDonald's gruunt
in El Dorado for forty-five days and tool
out S33 900 We got so per cent and The
other Ealf went to Mcdonald Then W
divided our share and came away"
The captain of the steamer Portland Is
cautious and cons erva ative in his state
ments. Tim K ely an old citizen of Seat
tie, being questioned as to when he pro
posed going back 10 the mines, said:
Never l have had all want of 1t ant
all " ant out OF it. am satisfied and ca,
stay here
]. Keller, who pronounced 1T the riches
gold country in the world, said: 1T wa:
6a degrees below zero last winter and tn
ground was frozen to the depth of fort
feet The snow doesn't fall to any grea
depth, three feet being the greatest, an
that was light and feecy frost. All tn
gold is taken out OF gravel by thawing il
the summer. There are nine months q
winter. We left Dawson City on a live
steamer on June 19 and Were eight day
reaching st. Michael's, 800 miles. TIL
weather In Kondike was W arm and sultry
mach warmer than it seemed and uosqui
toes W ire in lnyriads. They arein the waite
one drinks. They give man no rest da
or night ] think We brought down abou
100000 in dust, yet Others estimate
rluch higher / am satisfied to stay ava
from klondike, although l did well.
: ''It is Il horrible country to live in, bu
it is extremely healthy Every man i s Oh
S his good behavior, andfor miningc3untry
$ has as good, orderly. law-abiding cltl
, zens as ] ever saw. Al present there il
TO prospecting going on at all, all th
mer In the country being employed al
Sl2 to S1o day, or at working on thei
OWE claims There is big country opel
TO prospectoTs."
I Tie regular Alaska steamer sailing tS
n morrow from Seattle haa all her room
, engaged, mostly by men for Klondike. Th
q Portland, making q return trip on Jul
= 20, is engaged ahead and booking passeI
gers for the next trip, while severe
schooners are outfitting to sail with
the next five days. A number Of exper
enced placer miners have entered into
, contract for a year at S15 per day ar
board from the day they depart. II a
go who contemplate the trip there will
n such n stampede as no mining country eve
e experienced.
/ All miners unite In saying that the onl
IL ! fear for the coming winter Is the lack {
d supplies The Alaska Commercial Cor
% | pany nrnrniseS however to send in ALT h,