The National tribune., 1897-07-29

/ '"Sieio'Cf that unSH qulte recently all
efforts have been bent toward operations
along the coast of Alaska, where the climate
| IS mid, the Winters less long aud tedious,
and communication with the outside world
less difficult
| Mining in the Yukon district Of British
| America and Alaska dates from 1885. Two
men who were prospecting on the Stewart
| River. which puts into the Yukon some 600
miles below Fort Selkirk took out Of the
gravel drift in the river bars about SIS 900
/ worth of gold during the short Summer sea-
son. Great excitement resulted from the
report, and the next year over 100 miners
entered the Stewart River Valley in search Of
the precious metal. Some succeeded fairly
we'll. but the finds were not 81 Efficiently rich to
cause the gold fever to spread In 1887 dis
| coveries were made lower down the Yukon,
| which drew the entire population away from
the Stewart and since that time this stream
has not been worked. The new discoveries OF
1887 were on the waters of Sixty-Mile Creek
and Forty-Mile Creek, whose outlets into the
Yukon are 100 miles apart, although in their
upper course their watersheds are very close
| together The names of these streams origi.
mated from the fact that Sixty-Mile Creek emp
ties so miles above, and Forty Mile Creek 40
miles below cid Fort Reliance, which, away
back in the Sos was prosperous trading post
Of the Hudson Bay Company but at the pres
ent time is only small miners camp. These
two creeks are, in fact good sized rivers. Forty
Mile Creek is about 200 miles long and risei
with many branches in American territory, but
% miles above its mouth il crosses the 1i1s
meridian and lies on British side Of the line
Before the discovery of the klondyke the
tributaries of FoFty-Afile had shown the richest
results. This river gave its name to the district
| Like all the mines up to this time discovered
in the Yukon Valley, these were pIacers
Some very productive streams, however, vert
feeders of Sixty-MiIe Creek and wholly within
British territory. At the mouth OF Forty-3fils
town built, to which the same name wal
given, and for six years this was the center Of
mining operations in the Yukon Valley
couple of years ago however. word waa
brought by a half-breed that gold had
been discovered on the headwaters OF
Birch Creek. which is large stream BOG
miles long flowing into the Yukon where the
great river crosses the Arctic circle. Another
| stampede followed and Circle City was founded
as base of supplies at point $50 mites below
| Forty-Mile and 900 miles from the source Of
the Yukon, situated only 70 miles south Of the
Arctic circle. The Birch Creek district lies
| entirely within American territory, and ID
soon equaled Forty Nile and last year out
stripped its rival, producing nearly a million
dollars. Circle City, the headquarters of this
district, had population of 900 people last
i Summer.
Last season other discoveries were made ia
American Creek. and in the lower Yukon in
| Minook Creek. Both of these were in terri
tory of the United States. Up to this time,
| therefore, mining on the American side of the
line had far surpassed anything on the Cam
adian side and the early discoveries on Stewart
Creek were well nigh forgotten Suddenly
in the latter part Of the Summer of 1896 how
ever. the news of the great finds at Bonanza
and Ell Dorado Creeks, tributaries OF the
| Klondyke, was received, and the tide set in to-
| ward the new country the Canadian
/ frontier. Bonanza Creek enters into the Klon.
/ dyke about three miles above its mouth. Here
/ it is that last August Siwash George" McCor-
mick, vino was waiting at the Indian village
! for salmon to run up discovered the gold, hay.
ing gone out to prospect simply to kill time.
/ The Indian village at the mouth Of the river
| did not number over 100 souls; poor wretchea
whose life depended, year after year, upon the
| arrival of the salmon in the stream which they
| called Throndjuk, or water with Plenty Of
| Fish," This the native name for the
| stream which the miners have corrupted into
| "Klondyke"
/ In the stampede that followed the report Of
| McCormick's find two veteran Yukon traders
| went with the miners and started out in the
real estate business. Their names were Harpes
and La Du. They laid out the little Indian
village into town. which, in honor of DR.. g.
NJ. Dawson, the Canadian scientist, they named
| Dawson City. This place, which, according to
last reports, had over two thousand residents, ID
less than year old, and is the present center
| of the gold excitement. A letter has been re-
ceived this week from DR.. Sheldon Jackson,
| written from ST. Michaels confirming the news
| from the Yukon, and expressing the opinion
| that he would have to close the schools at
| Forty Mile and Circle City, because the people
| had deserted these places for Dawson City. Al.
| though the Kfondyke region is In British ter
l.ritory, and the Bureau of Educatfon, which
DIR. Jackson represents IN Alaska. viii not
open school at Dawson, yet he viii go on to
the region before returning to Washington Al
the close of the present season.
1t may be stated. by way of explanation, that
the United States Government maintains some
20 schools in the territory for both natives and
whites although the appropriation recently has
been cut from $4,000 to $50, 900 year. and the
means are very meager for the work scattered
over so vast district.
DR.. Jackson has had charge also Of the effort
TO COLOMBO Alaska with the Siberian reindeer,
of which we nov have five herds aggregatina
some 1900 animals. 1t is his intention to take
band of the deer up the Yukon this Summer
and introduce their use as pack animals from
the river to the mines in the interior. They
are the only domestic animals who find natural
food in sufficient abundance the year round in
northern Alaska. They are supplied by .
bountiful growth of reindeer moss such as 10
indigenous in Siberia and Lapland. 1t IS es.i.
mated that tue tundra ard valleys of Ala5ks
furnish forage for a herd of not less than sew.
eral million deer.
The mineral laws of the United States eX.
| tend over Alaska. Under their provisions ons
person may take as many claims as he may dis
cover 1 500 feet long. running along the course
of the creek. vein, not to exceed 666 feet
wide. And he may hold these claims by doing
work upon each to the value of at least 500 .