The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-21
The ALASKAN GOLD FIELDS.
Dr.. William Dali Tells the Mode Of Sc
curing the Yellow Metal,
MUST Be MINED IN The WINTER TINE
1t fs Found by the Side OF the Small
Streams which Cut Through the
Mountains-The Work Attended
bv vGreat Hardship and Suffering.


by Great Hardship and Suffering.
WASHINGTON, July 2o.-Dr. William
II. Dan. one of the curators OF the Ma
tional Museum, is familiar with the coun-
trv IN which the Klondike gold fields are
located through having been on several
oeoloeica, expeditions TO the regions in
.,aeka adjoining the gold district, and
SAWS that. in his opinion, the reports from
there are probably not exaggerated Ha
says:
..,vhen 7 was there l did not find gold,
49,, L,ow of IL being taken out In profit
abIa quantities for fifteen years or more
II was first discovered there in 1876. IN
1850 when | was in that country my last
trin being made two years ago, the party
>, rrosnectors who make mining prohc
started out. The gold is found Oh una
various tributaries of the Yukon ana
,ovo heen within a comparatively short
a,stonca of the Klondike fields. mads
one trip to Circle CITY, just o'e' '"'
boundary OF Canada.
GOLD BEARING BELT.
"The gold bearing belt OF Nor'n"es'7
oro America contains all gold fields ex-
.o,a,re into British Columbia, what Is
,.,,o,,,, as the Northwestern Territory ana
49, Tha Yukon really runs along IN
80 holt for 500 or coo miles. the pea OF
., NO lin river is in the low land or ina
valley. found in nav
...e. a,.ontities i'm the main river put III
re srall streams which cut through tne
,,,o,,ntains on each side. These practf
cally wash out the gold. inc iiiuu a',u
mineral water Is carried INTO tue "inui
river while the gold is LETT on me ioue. i.
bo,toms OF these side streams III i'vsS
cases the gold lies at the pol'o1' VI e
thick gravel deposits Ine eoiu M,
, ',iiS" ~, ,rozen gravel in the winter. Du-
49,, ~ summer until the snow IS AT
,,a1,ad tho surface is covered by muuur
.a~nn,ts when the snow Is melted ah's
49, snrInqs begin TO freeze the streanis'
drv nm At the approach OF winter, -.
orSer to get at the gold. the miners u' III"
a. necessary TO dig into the gravel lorn'"-
ton.
HOW GOLD IS MINED.
..1rornerlv they stripped the gravei on,
until they came to the gold. no" '"'S
sinh a shaft to the bottom of the sraVei
and tunnel along underneath, III thS gu
hearing laver. The way in which thls y
done is interesting as 1t has 10 Do car i'e'
on I'm cold weather when everythihs 10
frozen. The miners build hres over 'ne
area over which they wish 10 wofA Gnu
keep these lighted over that terIitoiS ~,
The snace of about twenty-four hours AL
the expiration OF THIS period 'he bia'o,
viii he melted and softened 10 depth oil
nerhans ak inches. This is then taken
off and other fires built until the gold
hearing layer is reached. When the shaft
Is down that far fires are built at the bot
tom. against the sides Of the layer ana
tunnels made in this manner. Blasting
would do no good owing TO the hard ma
ture Of the material and would blow out
Just AS cut Of a gun.
The matter taken out containing the
gold is piled up until spring, when the
torrents come down and Is panned and
Graded by these. IL is certainly very
hard labor
II see many reasons why the gold fields
should be particularly rich. The streams
which cut through the mountains have
probably done so for centuries. wearing
them down several hundred feet and
washing out the gold into the beds and
gravel.
1T is a country i'm which it Is very
hard 10 find food as there is practically
no game. Before the whites went into
the region there were not more than 300
natives. They have hard work TO sup
port themselves, owing to the scarcity of
game"
LAND DISTRICTS IN ALASKA.
Commissioner Hermann, OF the General
Land Office stated to-day that he will re-
commend the establishment OF two land
districts in eastern Alaska, the two Offices
to be placed on tho Yukon river or it's
tributaries. in anticipation of a great
number Of contentious over mineral land
locations in various sections where the
gold discoveries have been made. lie
says that where the place is practically
without law, the local Offices Will be of
infinite value TO the land interests and in
directly to the preservation of law and
order The officers it is believed will De
located at Circle City and Dawson. The
general lani Office is in hourly expecta-
tion Of petitions and requests for some
such action.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 2O-The excite
ment over the recent discoveries OF gold
in Alaska still continues here, and when
the steamer Excelsior leaves for St
Michael's next Sunday she will carry all
the miners supplies she can hold The
Excelsior will be the last vessel 10 sail
from San Francisco this year To connect
with tho Yukon steamers. but there is al
ready talk OF chartering another steamer
to take up the miners. No additional
news from the gold fields will be received
until the steamers leaving here and Seat
lie return.
CnILAGO. ILL, July 2o.-The klon-
dyke craze has struck Chicago. The Off
GERS of the railroads and the Pacific
steamer companies are crowded with ex-
cited men, anxious TO go to New III Do
rado.
The demand for transportation is so
great that special steamers Will be char
tered. A score or more of gold seekers
left yesterday and double that number
will leave to-day.
SAN FRANCISCO. CAL. July s.-Goid
discoveries near Hall city, in Trinity
county, caused much excitement. and
hundreds of prospectors have staked out
claims.
The discovery Is by far the most I'm
puftant made in this State In many
years, as IL is believed that the eontinu-
alton of tho famous Mother Lode has