The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-08
YELLOW METAL OF THE YUKON
GOLD EXPERT sPURR's REPORT on
TIE KLONDIILE.

New Facts Given About the Interior
of AIaska-FrnnkIin GuIch StrucG
I'm 1887, and Has Been "A Constant
Payer Ever Since-The Stampede 10
Davis Creek Follows in 1sSS-Miu-
err Creek the Heaviest Producer
Since 1893.
Washington, Aug THE report on the
Yukon gold region 10y Josiah Edward
Spur, the geological gold expert, who
headed a party that made a thorough in-
vestigation in Alaska last summer, giving
new facts about the interior, was made
public to-day. 1t is a comprehensive docu-
ment and reviews in detail the work in
the various districts.
It says as to the forty-mile gold district,
that in the latter part of 1887, Franklin
gulch was struck and the first year the
creek is estimated to have produced $1,000.
Ever since It has been a constant payer.
The discovery of Davis creek and a STAN
pede from Franklin gulch followed in the
spring of 1888
In 1891 gold mining in the interior, as
well as on the coast at Silver Bow basin
and Treadwel received a great impetus.
The event of 1892 was the discovery Of
Miller creek. In the spring Of 1923 many
new claims were staked. and it is esti-
mated that 50 men took out 100000.
Since them Miller creek has been the
heaviest producer Of the Forty-mile dis
trict, and until recently the whole Yukon.
It's entire length lies in British posses
sions. The output for 1899 as given by
the mint director for the Alaskan creeks,
all but Miller creek, being in American
possessions, was S19S000, with a mining
population of 196.
The total amount produced by the Yu-
kon placers in 1894 was double that Of
the previous years. In 1895 the output had
doubled.
Following is the report on the Klondike
district: with the announcement of
gold here. in the interior 1867, there
was a genuine stampede to the new re-
gion. Forty-mile was almost deserted.
But $50 men spent the winter on klon-
dixie, In the gulches and at the new town
of Dawson. The more important parts
of the district are on Bonanza and Hun
ker creeks. According to latest informa-
ton 400 claims have been located up TO
Jan. /. 1897 about half as many on Hun
ker creek. There is plenty of room for
many more prospectors and miners, for
the gulches and creeks which have shown
good prospects are spread over an area
OF 700 square miles.
The estimated Alaskan gold production
for 1896 made by the Spur report, is
81. 400 900.
The report points out the difficulties in
the way Of speedy development of the
country First. the climate, with short
summer season and long, cold winter.
40. inf
ana more every year. because the frozen
ground renders travelling over the
swampy, covered country more easy
and the miner is thus able to begin work
with the first spring thaw.
Whatever Alaska may be in the future,
It is not now self-supporting agricultural
ly. Moose, caribou are here and variable in
quantity abundant at one time and disap-
pearing from the region for twelve months
at a time. Ten dollars day is the gem
eral wages paid. $12 for a day of ten hours
being paid in some of the more remote
gulches. In winter the price for labor is
s. to s. per day for six hours. Many times
the miners have been at the point of star
walton; hardly a winter when they have
not been put on ration basis
Universal suffrage is given and all have
an equal vote Penalties include: For
stealing, Punishment from the country:
also whipping; threatening with weapons.
the same; murders. hanging, but there
have been no murders so far.
The mining laws differ for different
gulches Generally the claim is for 500 feet
for gulch diggings from Rim Rock 20 Rim
Rock; but in some gulches not paying well
an effort is being made to stake claims ].
800 feet long. Crowded creeks are to be
staked 800 feet to the claim and no man is
allowed to stake more than one claim in
his own name, save the discoverer. who is
allowed 1000 feet instead of 500 The only
officer of the miners is the recorder. APP
pointed by popular vote, one in each gulch
or creek"