The San Francisco call., 1897-07-18

see coaloil cans with more than you can lift
in them, baking powder cans and pickle jars
full OF gold, you will begin to believe it.
Work is not plentiful now. as it is all winter
diggings. The wages are $40 day in Dawson
City and $15 out at the mines. Thev say work
will be plenty this next winter. Three steam
boats have been up this spring, 50 there are
lots OF provisions here now. Dawson City is
growing fast, although it is all tents yet Lots
sell from 800 to $4,000 If too many hands
come in it will cut wages, b;-t IT is all right
now. There is lot of prospecting going on
this summer. Men are striking out in every
direction.
The four very rich creeks in the Klon-
dyke district are Ell Dorado, Bonanza,
Baer and Gold Bottom. On this the
miners are generally agreed, though some
big fortunes have already been taken from
Indian Greek, which is comparatively un-
prospscted. OF the 100 creeks, big ana
little, Ell Dorado is the richest. 1t is
veritabIe gold stream.
The Canadian Government, The CALL
correspondent learns from a trustworthy
source, has had experts in the Klondyke
for five or six months and, according to
their report. Ell Dorado Creek alone con-
tains $25. 600, coo. The creek is located to
the extent OF forty-six claims. and so rich
is the dirt that it is estimated that it will
run $1,000 TO the lineal foot.
These figures are practically verified by
William Stanley and Wooden, his partner.
They have four claims on Ell Dorado Creek
and have only worked one, and that only
10 the extent of eighty feet, from which
$120, 900 has been taken.
Charles Z. Wilson, first officer of the
Portland, says the miners regard one
claim on Ell Dorado about as good as
another. There is little or no difference,
being simply question of development.
The com bined wealth of the four creeks
Ell Dorado. Bonanza, Baer and Gold Bot
tom-accordina TO semi-official estimates,
is $50 100000. Three fourths of the claims
are reported to have been located or are
controlled by about 250 men. Discussing
the Klondyke, Officer Wilson says:
'Out of the strike made last winter the
records show that about 16O became
wealthy. / should say that the Klondyke
has yielded S. 600 900 easily since last Oc-
tober. Over 81, 900. 600 has been brought
out and the rest is stored in the district or
is being used in the purchase and develop.
ment of claims. | am confident that the
Portland brought out this trip much more
than $1,000.O00 BY no means was all OF
the treasure stored in the ships safes.
Some of the men were willing to take
chances and simply put their dust into
bags and valises and wrapped them in
their blankets. So you see it was hard
to keep account of treasure handled in
this way.
'Only nineteen claims were developed
op do Il inc bo vuSn Ona
or two claims on this creek have sold for
as high as $500. 600 each. In short think
the Kondyke is the greatest gold district
that God ever opened up for the people.
Wilson says a great deal of money Is
being spent recklessy around Dawson
City; that it Is common thing for some
miner to spend $1,000 or 5000 in the sa-
looms and among dissolute women and
ga M blers in single night.
Michael Kelly, an old-time resident of
Seattle, was passenger down from the
Klondyke, where he left his son, Phil
Kelly. Their earnings since last Novem-
ber including the sale of one claim,
amount to about $4,000. Of the famed
diggings, Kelly said:
so far as the reports as to Bonanza
and Ell Dorado are concerned they have
not been exaggerated, but people must
take into consideration that all claims
there are taken up. There are PLENTY of
men there now to work the claims this
winter. a great many claim-owners have
leased ground to parties gong up this
spring, in some cases fifty feet and in
others 100 feet, according to whatever
they could manage.
"Hunker Creek showed some good pros
poets, but had not been followed up
enough TO show when left, and the same
is true of Gold Bottom and Bear creeks
Just as ! was leaving reports of finds
being made on Dominion Creek, which is
really the left fork of Indian Greek, were
current. The finds ran from 10 cents to
81 25 pan.
ION Henderson Creek. two and half
miles below the mouth of Stewart River.
finds were reported. Some of the boys
who went in with me stopped there. They
had not gone down to bedrock, but got as
high as 25 cents to pan in the gravel.
"My advice to people going in would be
to 60 next spring by Dyea, take nice lit
tie outfit, leave about the middle of
March, get used to the hardships, and if
they are able to prospect for themselves
they can prospect from the foot OF Marsh
or Mud Lake even before they get to the
canyon. Finds may be made as good as
any yet reported below as the country has
never been prospected much"
Ex- County Clerk II. T. Harmon, writ
ing from Dawson City under date of June
9, says:
Mines of the Klondyke are all right, No
such placer mines have ever been discovered
before. My men have cleaned up hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars during the winter, and
great many more lesser amounts. Everybody
is wild with excitement. Provisions are very
sca.ce and dear. / sold to day eighteen
pounds OF bacon that was about to spoil for
$1S. Many miners have lived for the last two
months on beans only. Moreover. the boat
came in to- day from Circle City with provi-
sions, and suppose they will be much cheap
er now. We have a good eight months sup
ply, SO we have no fears.
M. J. Strickland, inspector of the Cana
dian police on the Klondyke and Yukon,
in expatiatlng to a crowd in tho Butler
Hotel tonight on the richness of the new
dis let, said:
ny 1f