The Monitor-register., 1897-07-23
WONDERFUL GOLD FIND IN
ALASKA.
More than Million on the First
Boat Down the Yukon.

WILD SCENES WHEN THE MINERS LANDED
WITH THEIR HOARDs-NOTHING LIKE
THE RICHES OF THE KLoNDIKE, THEY
sAY-BIG NUGGETS, BIG PANS, BIG
CLAIMS AND BIG EXPECTATIONS
The following are extracts from
letter written by A. H. Stanley, of the
Euening Herald, of Binghampton, N. Y,
and is dated "St. Michael Island. ninety
miles north of the mouth of the Yukon,
June 27:"
This is the most important station
on the coast for all the Yukon region,
and, in fact, the only one so far as freight
and supplies are concerned. To day at
noon the Portus B. Weare, the first pas
senger steamer to arrive from up the
mighty river, came steaming around the
low headland and drowned the frantic
cheering of the crowds on both boats
with it's hoarse whistle. The Portland
and Excelsior, drawing in excess of nine
teen feet of water, were obliged to lie
out a mile or more from shore, but the
Weare, built for river traffic and drawing
only few feet, was enabled to steam up
the shallow harbor and touch the dock.
AS she steamed near, friends, who had
not met in months or years, greeted one
another from deck to deck, and wives
and children, who had come to meet
fathers and husbands, frantically threw
kisses and wept and laughed by turns.
A more excited throng was never seen.
That the Weare brought good news
was evident. Husbands, fathers and
friends held up nuggets of glittering gold
or bags of it before the eyes of those
aboard the Portland, and the news was
shouted across that great strike had
been made. "Circle City is busted"
'Only three white men left in it," "The
Klondike is the richest mining region on
earth to day" "Hurrah for the new
proposition" "Circle City is the silent
CITY," These and kindred shouts rent the
air. There was as great desire on the
part of the Portland to hear the news
from up the river as there had been at
St. Michael to hear from the outer world
The pressure on Capt. Killston for boats
to go ashore was tremendous, but as all
the crew of the Portland were busy dis
charging the cargo to lighters it was i'm
possible. Through the courtesy of DR..
Sheldon Jackson, Commissioner of Edu.
cation for Alaska, was permitted to land
in boat sent out for him, and was on
the Weare soon after, where heard the
most astounding news and saw sights
even more wonderful. From all | can
learn believe that on the Eldorado and
Bonanza creeks, both branches of the
Klondike, the richest strike in all Amer
loan mining history has been made the
past winter. There has been complete
stampede from Circle City, only few
white men remaining, and Dawson, the
largest town of this new region, is boom
ing. The history of the strike is hard to
get at chronologically. No one seems
able to tell exactly. All the people know
is that gold has been found in such guam.
titles that it seems beyond belief; that
all who went in on the streams mentioned
found gold, and that most of them or
their partners are coming out and have
the gold to show. I cannot learn exactly
how much the Weare brought down. but
should Judge the value of her freight of
gold is somewhere in excess Of 81, 100000.
The reason cannot tell is that many of
the men will not talk, but with grips,
bags, strong boxes, belts, tin tomato cans
and other odd receptacles filled with the
glittering metal sit on guard in their Axe
staterooms.
A captain of mounted police gave me
the following history of the wonder
full gold find: He said that the richest
gold strike the world has ever known
was made in the Klondike region last
August and September, but the news did
not get even to Circle City until Dec 10,
when there was stampede. 1t is true
that Circle City is deserted. But three
| white men and several Indians and
women came out to greet us as we came
down.
George Cormaek made the first great
strike on Bonanza Creek Aug. 10, and on
Aug. 10 seven claims we're filed in that
region. Word got to Forty Mile and
Circle City, but the news was looked on
as grub-stake rnmor.
Dec. 10, however, authentic news was
carried to Circle City by J. M. Wilson of
the Alaska Commercial Company and
Thomas O'Brien, a trader. They carried
not only news, but prospects. and the
greatest stampede ever heard of at once
commenced. Those who made the 300
miles journey the quickest struck it the
richest. OF all the 200 claims staked out
on the Bonanza and Eldorado not one has
proved blank. AS l came out l had
authentic information to the effect that
equally rich finds had been made on June
to 10 on Dominion Creek. This last
into Indian Creek, and both run into the
Klondike. Three hundred claims have
| already been staked out on this Indian
Creek, and the surface indications show
that they are as rich as any of the others.
The largest nugget yet found was
picked out by Burt Hudson on Claim
Six of the Bonanza, and is worth little
over $3.50. The next largest was found
by j. Clements, aud was worth $231. The
last four pans Clements took out ran
81, ,000 or an average of $500 apiece, and
one of them went SITS. Bigger pockets
have been struck in the Cariboo region
and in California, but nowhere on earth
have men picked up so much gold in SO
short a time. A young man named
Beeoher, not on your list, came down
afoot and by dog sledge, starting out
early in M arch. He brought $4,000 to
$15, 900 with him. He was purser on
the Weare last summer, and went in
after the close of navigation in October
or September. About Dec. is he got a
chance to work shift on shares, and ii,
60 days made his stake. which is about
SAC, 600. He has purchased claim or two
You will find more gold in circulation
in Dawson than you ever saw in all your
life. Saloons take in So 900 to "a, 900
each per night. Men who have been in
all parts of the world where gold is
mined say they never saw such quaint
ties ia en- in SO short time.
You may safely say that SO, 500, 600
has been taken from the ground on the
British side within the past year, and