The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-08-01

Stikine River, Alaska
rives on May 23, and rowed upstream.
rt,IlowIag TIRE left or southern bank. The
space between tie mountains, occupied by
the estuary, is probably two or three
mites wiue, and there are several cnan-
nels or mouths, separated by islands, Dor
dered by extensive sandoanks, where
numerous large trees brought down by the
floods have been branded The mountains
on tie south side come nearly 10 the
waters edge. They are apparently from
l.ss,o 10 5000 feet in height and are
heavily tiInbered with frs and spruce.
Inc rocks are granite ana Dretaniorphic,
and they project in long point&
Mica slate N long blocks LES along the
beach and many crystals OF beautlfui garnet
abound These are about the size or III
bcrts and closely resemble the garhets
found in similar slate in Connecticut. Their
color is good, but the crystals are not trans
pars.nt or free from flaws, and theref
have No value 10 thelapidary altho ugh they
are Interesting 10 mtneralogisus. his rock
shows a high degree OF metamorpfhsm
One az these rocky points where there Is
some flat land is occupied by an Indian
village, the inhabitants Of which are en-
gagged principally in the salmon fisheries
one DAYS travel above the mouth the river
r.arr,sys to 200 yards, and the ranges on
the north approach the right hank The
mountains along this part OF the river ap-
pear to be- OF dark-colored gneiss IL Is
nie.am0rphosed sedimentary rock. During
the next stage Of travel one comes TO an
extensive sand fiat, which Is bare during
low water There is belt of alluyial land
beyond this, while on the right bank the
rnounta in impinges on the river. The noun
tains around here are OF gneiss and granite
From this poi at there is a fine view or
caacier descending betwee the mountains
a mile or two westward. 1t has q high in
clfraii,-;, and a very rugged and broken
surface.
The sides OF the mountain along Its
course Snow freshly broken cliffs, which
are clearly the result of the eroding action
OF tie ice. The Soynai or Ice River flows
from the glacier into the Sukine- -Four
miles further up tire river turns abruptly
TO the north. and at the bend the mountains
rise abruptly from tie water and are OF
syanitic granite. There is gold-be airing
country here. There is lot OF land formed
Chiefly OF coarse river drift with prob
ably considerable debris from the glacier,
and II is ricb in gold. 1t has been marked
off into claims by miners. The gold is
luite fire. occurs in thin scales and is diff
ficult 10 recover.
The dcciduous trees along the bottom
Lands were Just building out, and the air
during the day was mild and spring
like, although there was yet some snow
remaining along the banks OF the river
and on the sand bars that remain above
water during the winter. Three stages
Cd in an abrupt point OF rocks jutting
into the river is a quartz vein ten inches
thick The end OF q magnificent glacier
is visible on the right bank OF the river
a few miles further up. This glacier pre-
sents a splendid appearance in the sun
light. It's slope is very gentle, and the
vast body OF ice appears to be unbroken
untilit reachesthe valley OF the river, where
it breaks down in massive hedges and
pinnacles OF the purest crystal. The fore
ground along the stream CONSISTS OF an
ancient aiOraine now covered with trees,
among which are willows and poplars in
their delicate green foliage OF spring. Some
very large blocks of granite standing in
the river bear witness to the vast trans
porting power OF ice, and to a much greater
extension of this glacier in former periods.
The drift. pebbles, and rocks OF the river
bed consist of limestone, porphyry, and
Jasper. with masses OF quartz.
At the end of the fifth stage, there
is a deserted camp, formerly occupied by
A k,.,4
sixty men spent the winter OF 1862 at
this point All the neighborhood was
staked out in claims and profftably worked.
One OF the miners died of smallpox and
was buried at the foot of one of the
large spruces that abound there. The rocks
there are OF metamorphosed sandstone and
shales, and pass into gneiss. The drift and
sandbars OF the river contain gold. The
''Cnlor' of gold is all around In the surface
gravel.
At the end OF the sixth stage, there
is mass of coarse drift along the river,
from which the color OF gold has been
obtained by washing. At this point, there
is a grave OF an unknown white man.
whose body was found and buried by .
party OF prospectors years ago.
The next stage brings one to Shek's Bar,
a mining camp, at which placer mining
has been in operation for many years with
satisfactory results, through no strikes like
those on the Yukon have ever been re-
ported there
Ex-Gov. A. +. swincford, OF Alaska is a
stalwart defender of the climate Of that
country. lie says that great popular error
exists in regard to tile Alaskan climate. the
linz L.
cursed with arctic winters only. He says
that a glance at the map and the mere
mention OF the name OF Alaska is sufficient
to send an icy chill through the frame
of the average citizen OF one of the North
ern States, who, nevertheless. sits and
growls all the winter long over the cost OF
the fuel he must have to protect himself
and family against a temperature which
often drops as low as minus forty The
governor then proceeded to quote sta
tistics, meteorological summaries, etc., to
prove that Alaska has q good climate.
Nowhere ia my home travels" said ex-
Gov. Swinefurd. from Lake Superior to
the Gulf Of Mexico. and from Washington
TO Sitka, have L seen q more luxuriant
vegetation than In Alaska I find the
harder Vegetables all growing TO maturity
and TO enormous size; while turnips weigh
ing ten pounds, cabhages, twenty-seven
pounds, and as fine potatoes as can b
found in any OF the Eastern markets are
grown at Wrangell, Juneau and In Sitka.
Wild timothy and redtop grow to q height
OF from five 10 seven feet, and all the hay
required for the winter may be gathered
in the summer.
The cattle in Alaska are sleek and In
the best possible condition. and un-
besftatfngly give &c a. nv opinion that