The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
SW ARMING AFTER GOLD.
TREMENDOUS RUSH TO THE PLACER
DIGGINGS OF THE YUKON.

ms ~
Ever In California Like
Then-Plenty OF Gold. but Hard to Gnf'
JUNEAU, Alaska, April 2.-Mincrs arc swarm
ing in here and Quitting for tho Yukon and
Cooks Inlet in greater numbers than ever DO
fore. Even last years phenomenal rush for the
gold diggings is far eclipsed this season. Tho
reports OF the wonderful strikes on the Klondyke
arc turning most Of the travel toward the In
terror, but there are still a good many mon who
do not accept the reports which came out from
the Cook Inlet country last season, 10 the effect
that the diggings AT Turnagain and six Mile and
on the Kenai Peninsula are played out.
Every steamer that comes up from down below
js crowded to the limit Of its capacity. The last,
Mexico, brought up four hundred, and all nc
commodRtions are reported taken for several
sailings. The crowds on the steamers are so
great that the main saloon is turned into n berth
deck every night, and when the miners have
filed UP the tables they bunk in on the floors.
Most Of these men, who have learned something
by previous experience, are getting their outfits
here in Juneau, but there is the usual proportion
OF new men and tenderfeet who are bringing
their outfits with them. and they they are al
ready having tho customary experience OF
throwing away the large proportion Of what
they have brought from below.
1t is reported from Dyea that n steady stream
Of miners has been going over the pass for some
time. The rush has been 30 great that 1t has
been dificult to get Indians to pack freight, and
considerable difficulty has been experienced.
particularly by the greenhorns. Archie Burns
went up TO Dyea a little while ago with a new
scheme OF transporting goods from the head Of
the canal to the lakes. As long as the snow lasts
he will use sleds to a little distance beyond sheep
Camp; us soon as the snow goes out he Will use
pack horses. He has arranged to use tackle to
move heavy loads up the steep inclines on the
pass. He has made contracts TO get freight over
the pass at five cents n pound, which is a decided
reduction from the rate charged by the Indians
of IL cents for getting outfits from the steamer
landing to Lake Linderman.
The last party out from the interior which got
into Juneau late last month brought news OF in
crossing excitement about the strikes on the
Klondyke. The party had an unusually severe
trip out from Circle City; they had such bad
weather that they were seventeen days in get
ting from Circle to Forty Mile; supplies had
nearly run out along the upper river, and they
were obliged to take such a heavy outfit that
their dog team was overloaded. \ few days out
OF Circle City they ran into a terrible blizzard;
the thermometer went down TO 51e below zero.
and the dogs refused to face tho storm.
For two days the wind blew a hurricane, and the
only thing they could do was to get into their
tents anu ucNOle themselves eltdulls ~ lnt
business OF keeping from freezing to death.
Above Forty Mile they fell in with several men
who were making pretty bad work OF getting
out. Fifty miles below Pelly River they fell in
with two men who had travelled for twenty
four hours without anything TO eat, pulling their
own sleds. These men had only one dog LETT.
One OF the men was suffering from what seemed
to be scuryy.
This party reports an unpleasant state OF af-
fairs as regards supplies, particularly along the
upper river. The steamers did fairly well last
season and landed a great many goods, but the
population dependent upon the Yukon stations
for supplies was larger than ever before, and the
increased amount brought in by the steamers
was not sufficiently greater than usual to meet
the enlarged demand. The result was that -four
particularly got very scarce. Early in the win.
ter it was selling for Sc a sack; when these men
left Forty Mile it was difficult TO get for $50
q sack. Potatoes were very scarce; there
was very little fresh meat to be had
all winter. and what little moose mca.
was brought IN went very quickly for 20
cents a pound. The situation might have
been worse than it is. but that late in the fall
spell and it opened again, allowing the steamer
Bella OF the Alaska Commercial Company to &c;
up to Circle City. The Bella had been towing
some barSes. but she was obliged to leave one OF
the baTges some distance down the river. Goods
lTDLl lHRS DUIst NtTtl ItlshItl al lltI"dlu 1t
IS cents a pound. The new steamer OF the
North American Trading and Transportation
the river near the mouth OF the Tanana. It il
expected that her cargo will be put into Circle
City very soon after the ice goes out.
This party reports that there is great excite.
ment all along the Yukon over the wonderful
finds on the Klondykc. Miners wages in the
interior have been SO a day, but the Klondyke
has sent them up 10 an ounce of dust a day,
That is between $l6.50 and Sl7. Placer miners
say that gravel which shows . color to a pan i:
worth prospecting, and when IL shows nye cent?
1t Is worth working. Fabulous stories are told
OF the richness OF the Klondyke diggings. IL i:
reported that one miner got SeOT from one pan
They are talking of claims on EIdoraGo Creek, q
branch of the klondyke. where the average /.
are common of tlfty and sixty cents 10 the pan il
the gravel. and il is no in;reGuept thing to heal
OF 1t running as high as 500 on bed rock.
The best Information that can be had here
from trustworthy men Is to the effect that there
a are sS SIHims 20 on 1bt the ea Klon S5lHip wht ike VIII i R nTe rag,
been known in the history OF placer mining
Gths,l Is TIts M II its X, RRslTKtiS ons dfyS D aeUGr did i aG ~
d e placer %aaisgings Of Aln%En' EyeFytGina
long ago, and the Eldorado and other tributary
creeks have been pro5pectcd pretty well, Never
headed toward the Klondyke. The report of th'
rieh, finds on the Eldorado which got down Il
oifSle oify IN Mb 5"1 GoSI5 sect set d iae s sfST,H Ti at on nn,
The animals were in such demand that the!
brought almost any prices their Owners we're
AiiIhi ~ Vlii'iIb 'tNNi"l ooIfo . iNlNa A'' ~
various prices, running from ~. 900 for a pros
poet up TO SIC, 900 spot cash for an interest il
a claim that had been opened up ready for work
1t is believed that the klondykc viii produC,
more gold this season than was taken from al
the other diggings in the interior last year.
Life in Circle City this winter differed very
greatly from that OF any previous winter. TIT
miners are inst learning how to work theil
claims in the winter. This season so many o
the men were at work that the town was com
paratively quiet. The winter was unusually
open: there was but little snow, and up 10 Janu
airy the lowest temperature recorded in Circl,
City was 46' below zero. At Twelve Mile Post
u station ON the road 10 the mines. 5s' below
was recorded. Circle City is probably tho larges
log town in the world. There are nov
about 400 cabins in il, Two variety theatre
teresting for the miners who stayed II
town during the, winter, ana there .wcr
sixteen saloons and two dance halls. Their
Is a building decorated with the nHme of Operr
House, where some kind OF show was Siyel
every two weeks. and tho characters were al
taken by local talent. II 1t were not for tn
shortness OF the days, winter in the Nuko
country would DO BY far tho most pleasant sea
son OF the year, as at that time there are n
swarms of nos uitoes ana gnnts, such as max
life a burden In the summer time. The health o
Yukon is unusually good; there are four doctor
in Circle City, but about all they have 10 do Is I
discuss the situation. One OF them is maxim
preparations 10 take in n stock OF drug6 and upcI