The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-29

she r@~s reached Fo~ry-Mne and the
other creeks there was a stampede. and all
% American creek ard its tributaries were
located before summer last year. What
ever claims were opened showed NJ
rich, but SIN very little was done last
year. Just about the time work was
starting for Last winter the news % Bo-
nanza creek reached Us. and everybody
: struck out. not more than ten men winter
+ ing on the creek
American creek IL about twenty-five
miles Iong and has several tributaries that
show gold II Is tributary Of Mission
creek eEnptyfng into Mission about q mile
from the Yukon. or It's western bank 1t
is fifty miles down the river from Forty
Nile
Inside Of another year American creek
viii be one Of the best creeks on the Yu-
kon. As soon as Il Is worked IL Is sure 20
prove rich. II IS close 10 the river. and
easy to get at. so supplies can be brought
In cheaply. The district Is a large o1s.
and there Is every indication OF gold being
in IL AZ least so miners will fn0 plenty Il
work on H. Boundary Seyenty-Mil and
American creeks all head on the same d.
vide. and gold has been found in each OF
them. They are all In American territory
and VIII be producers before long"
Mr. Powers is an Old placer miner. and
says the Yukon is the hardest country 10
prospect on earth The people who are
rushing in there now don't know what
they viii have TO face" ne said. Sup
plies are short. They cannot get enough
in 10 keep the people who are there now
through the winter. II anybody wants
TO starve they will find IL sure thing
by going in and wintering there. IL they
don't want to starve and care anything
for themselves. they had better stay out
! believe could have made considerable
money By wintertng ar Dawson. but /
prefer TO take ny chances outside
James Rowan.
James Rowan. called by ali his friends
Doc" is one of the old-timers on the fu-
kon going into the country first In 1850.
Since then he made several trips Into the
Yukon and there is hardly a creek where
gold has been found that be has not been
upon. Never until he struck it on Bonan-
"a did he make anything big. Now he has
come back with good-sized sack and. be-
sides. is the sole owner Of No. . above on
Bonanza, one OF the first opened.
and also one of the richest claims
on The creek. lie located no. = as %
3 just a year ago. and started men work
ing on lays shortly alter Christmas.
About etghty-fiye feet were worked by
May. and when the dump was washed in
June S55, 0Q0 was cleaned up. The claim
has been prospected at both sides and
good pay found. showing that the pay
streak goes right through IT, The ground
worked Is S5x90 feet and when work
stopped the pay dirt was keeping
up on both sides. 1t is believed
that the claim win yield not less
than 100000 in dust before 1t Is
entirely worked out. He IS probably the
most fortaT ale of any of the miners who
came out by the Portland, Doe Rowan is
an old miner. having worked in the placer
mines of California and along the coast
lie is wen known Ia the Cassiar country,
and in Alaska nearly everybody knows
i'm IL bas Francisco
he win spend the winter. His claim will
he worked systematically this winter, and
big cleanup made. In the spring he VIII
go back TO Dawson.
There are too many people on the
Kiondike now" he says. TOO many for
the amount Of provisions that are there.
and many more men than are needed TO
work the mines. Wages this winter will
not be over 81 per hour and men can
not possibly work over four or six hours.
No one that has not been there knows
just how hard 1t is TO work placer ground
In country where the thermometer is
10 degrees below zero most of the time.
For a man to go in without provisions is
insane Money. al the present time, is not
Of much account, as IL will not buy pro-
visions. for there are none to be had at
any price. The steamboats, cannot pack
Up enough. and the old-tiners had con-
tracted and paid for nearly every pound
that co5ld be brought UP long before the
steamers started up the river with their
loads.
Il cannot understand what people are
thinking of rushing in the way they are at
present. From what | know Of the coun-
try and the situation, l could not be hired
10 go in there this winter.
Those who go in next spring stand just
as good a chance as anybody. There Is
nothing 10 be found around Bonanza. Ev-
cry claim that could be located there was
taken up months ago. In fact, the new
Corners must prospect elsewhere.
There will undoubtedly be other rich
districts struck and there VIII be room for
all then. but not If people rush in Ike they
are now doing. over one-haf OF those
who have gone in now VIII come back dis
heartened, disappointed and financially
broken. They VIII find that they viii have
10 work hard for every ounce of dust they
take out. The Yukon is the last place on
earth for a man TO look for soft snap.
The very best there would be hard living
anywhere else"
Win Oier.
Win Oler came back on the steamer
Portland with a good homestake. after
having spent four years on the Yukon.
He was one OF the first men on Eldorado
creek locating claim No o. on Eldorado.
September T. selling it for good price
later on.
To him belongs the credit Of mailing ere
first quartz discovery In the Klondke dis
trict. ON December 30 ae tuttnu a sso4i -us-
fined ledge OF goid-bearing quartz On
bunker creek. Just above Last Chance.
Crude assays showed free gold and q half
interest was quickly purchased by Joseph
Ladue for s 90G Having disposed OF his
interests Is the quartz claim. Mr. Olsen
bought an interest In No. 10 above Bonanza
creek and also No. I. on Gold Bottom.
New Mr.. Oler has every prospect of
being one Of the richest men Of The klon-
dixie Five box lengths on No. 10 above
yielded $500. Besides this Oler and his
partner. I'd Parks. own No. y below on
Bonanza. Just how much money ne IS
bringing out this trip Mr.. OIeF declines
70 say. bat it IS not less than So 10. and
ris claims as yet have not been worked
systematically. an fact, the bulk OF mis-
dust came from No. 10 above on Bonanza,
no work having been done other than
prospecting on the other Claims.
He Is everything but a miner in appear
anCe. being small in stature and slender
g. build However, he IL ore OF he hest
posted mineEs in the region. having spent
tho greater part u kiS life tn the mining
districts of the West He Is considered
as being the best quartz expert on the Yu-
kon. ard mis- quartz di CIV ~ so SON
after the first rusA 20 the district, Is OF
greatest importance.
The quartz is pure white. resembling The
rose quartz or California. The walls are
seven feel vide on the Groupings.
He win remain several days ln Seattle,
and taCn .esve Ger his home Ia Bs i.imore.