The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-26
PRIMITIVE MINING.
Views of John w. MacEay on KIOn-
dixie Gold Fields.


NEW YORK, July 25.-John NJ. Mackay,
president of the Commercial Gable Com
pany and one of the most widely-known
capitalists in the world, has had an enor-
nous experience in mining affairs AS a
member of the famous Bonanza firm In
Nevada and California, Mr.. Mackay ac-
cumulated a considerable portion of his
vast fortune. Mr.. Mackay's views on the
new gold discoveries in the Yukon region
possess general interest to the people of
this country His experience in primitive
mining has been so extensive as to render
anything that he may say on the subject
of placer digging of unusual value. Mr..
Mackay is one of the most difficult men
to interview. His aversion to appearing in
print apparently arises chiefly from his re-
tiring habits and disinclnation to allow
his personality to be obtruded as he says,
on people. He was prevailed on to give his
views Of the Yukon discoveries.
What will be the fate of those who now
rush off to the Yukon Gistrict?" Mr..
Mackay was asked.
Many will fall and all will suffer priva-
tions which they little expect. The condi-
tions in the Yukon region are, of course
very different from those in California or
Nevada, or any other American mining
cult but in California we had a good eli
mate and / do not recall many Instances
where men suffered from lack of food. But
the young fortune hunter who went to
California from the East, if he exhausted
his resources and struck nothing, could at
least write back to his folks for money to
take him home. In Alaska it Is different -
DO you credit the reports of the marvel
Gus richness of the gold fields just discoy-
Il have no reason to doubt them. I have
had great confidence in the mining possibfl-
tiles in British Columbia and Alaska-have
always believed that those frozen, almost
of precious metals Some enormous finds
of gold have undoubtedly been made there,
and yet we know little or nothing of the
possibilities of the country. Think of Will
liams creek, Tor instance, in the Caribou
region IN British Columbia. AS long ago as
1860 something Ike fifty millions OF gold
were taken out. 1t was placer mining there
just the same as the Klondike."
What proportion of those who go are
likely to get anything out of it, judging by
your own observation"
Nothing IS more uncertain, except per-
haps, that the majority OF those who go
are certain TO fail Industry, in fact the
hardest kind of toll, is generally necessary
on the road to success. At best while one
man finds $500 ten or twelve will find moth
7The gold is right on the surface it ap-
pears"
run with lava at some remote age, and
centuries ago probably the great forces of
nature were at work and melted the gold
in a natural crucible The particles of gold
are now washed out by the waters, and
are generally found along the course of
mountain streams. You will always find
the best placer gold near the banks of
streams and barren water courses. Sclen-
tific mining preserves a much larger por-
tion of gold dust than formerly, and l pre-
sumo it destroys a great deal Of the indi-
Viduality in a working miner. Thus far the
Klondike region has seen only old-fash-
ioned primitive mining, the men groVelng
in tho dirt with their hands and washing
out the gold dust In simple pan, picking
nuggets with their fingers"
"WilI the modern mining methods be car
ried up to the Yukon country"
I'm time, yes. The recent discoveries
prove that ii is immensely rich .All parts
of the country will be opened. Capital Will
always go where there is a chance for
Legitimate investment and transportation
facilities will increase as rapidly as the
Travellers
What advice would you give to those
who are going to the Yukon districts?"
ITO prepare for great privations and per-
haps utter disappointment The climate is
intensely hot for a few weeks, and dread
fully cold for many months. The we'll and
strong will naturally fare better than the
Americans all seem to wonder at the
discoveries. Is this excitement likely TO
last?"
1T may increase. 1t depends on future
reports ] see in ii something like the ex-
citement of the early ffties over the gold
discoveries of the Pacific coast region. The
reports Of rich lndlVidual tinds are likely
to continue, and the arrival of every ship
loaded with fortunate gold hunters viii
stimulate the imagination, hopes and de-
sires of the would-be gold hunters. We
hear nothing Of the failures you know.
one man who Is lucky is more talked about
than a thousand who fail"
you think, then. that there are failures
even in the Klondike region to-day?'
My experience is, ] think, that about one
man in ten used to get on in the mining
days in California. l do not mean that one
man in ten became .milHonaires. / mean
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