Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-09-01

land is small and the treasure it brings
down falls far short of expectations it is
not because of the lack of good,
red gold in that region. The steamer
from Dawson which was to connect with
the Portland and is known to have left
the mining district with scores of pas
sengers and hundreds of thousands of dol
lars worth of bullion had not reached st.
Michael'S when the steamer left although
it was fifteen days overdue. 1t is certain
that some mishap had befallen it. but
whether it has been engulfed in the
mighty Yukon, those on board swept to
death and their fortunes lost will not be
known until the arrival of the next steam
er from the north.
The Portland will again go north about
September 10 and return the middle of
October. On that trip it will bring down
several hundred miners with their clean
ups for the season. which will in aggre
CATION come near 100000 to 100000 in
gold dust. This will not include the
funds of the North American TranspOrta-
ton and Trading company, which will
aggregate over 100000. S. p. Weston,
the returning newspaper correspondent,
stated that Capt. Hooper. commandment of
the Boring sea fleet, Informed him that
he had orders from the department at
Washington to have the revenue cutter
Bear wait for the Portland and act as
convoy OH her last trip down.
Looking Toward Stewart River.
Hundreds of miners are looking toward
the Stewart river. the second largest
branch of the Yukon, and hundreds of
prospectors will undoubtedly be on its
banks and bars within the next few
months. Although the bars of the main
river have been successfully worked for
the past ten years, there has practically
been no real prospecting done on the many
important tributaries. Everywhere that
the explorers and scattering prospect0rs
have gone in the Stewart and its branches
gold has been found. On many creeks
the prospects were extra good. Several
things have cOnspired to leave this field
practically untouched. The question of
getting supplies is a very serious one. At
the same time the few hundred men who
have been on the Yukon up to last year
have found sufficiently attractive diggings
nearer to the older districts and closer to
supply bases. The Indians also have
superstition regarding powerful and saw
age tribe who live on the upper part of
the river, and whom they call the MA
homes" and consequently will not go up
the river any great distance.
From the mouth of Stewart over to
the north fork the distance is estimated
at $50 miles, and to the head of this
fork in the vicinity of 500 miles in all.
The south fork is practically uneXplored.
One or two persons have been on it, and
then not for sufficient distance to deter
mine its character or length. The pros
pectors and those who have been on the
river say that it carries a larger volume
of water than the Pelly river. 1t is be-
yond doubt the second largest feeder of
the Yukon. The first gold discoveries on
the Stewart were made in 1885 on bars
within about 100 miles from the mouth.
These were rich. During the fall, in less
than fifty days time, as high as $4,000
fully 100 men were working on the river
bars with good success. Some went up
the north fork nearly to it's head Each
succeeding season the bars have been
worked until now they do not pay wages.
Wait Until Next Spring.
Fl. n. Stanley, who returned to this
city on the steamer Portland. says:
Il have been several weeks at the
mouth of the Yukon, at st. Michaels,
where | saw all the miners coming out
and interviewed them. AS a result L
feel it my duty to advise everybody to
stay out until next spring.
wild and in many cases exaggerated
reports have been circulated since the
first discoveries were made. The strike,
however, was and is one of the greatest.
II not greatest, in the worlds history.
Probably 100000 was cleaned up
this spring and next spring l look for
from $5,OOO000 to $7,0O0000. The fields
have hardly been opened up as yet.
''Those going in now must bear in
mind that everything in that region was
staked long before any reports reached
the outer world and that those going i'll
now must prospect for themselves, buy
claims from the present owners or work
for the owners
mo new strike had been reported up
to the time of my leaving and another
may not be made for five years, although
Alaska is an enormous country and VIII
yet, believe, produce more gold than we
dreamed Of.