Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-07-23
FORTUNES IN ALASKA,
81 10000 Taken out by a Man
an d His Son in Three Months.
$1,000, 900 in Nuggets TO Scattle---
Another Party Reaches san Francis,o

Returned Miners from Itlondike bring
SI,OOO,O 900 in Nuggets TO scnttle---
Another Party Reaches san Francis, o
Sixty-cght passengers on the North
American Transportation and Trading
companys steamship Portland reached
Seattle and civilization Saturday direct
from St. Michaels, at the mouth of the
Yukon river in Alaska.
The passengers were mostly miners, and
they came direct from the klondike placer
mining districts, from which more than
$500, 600 gold was taken last winter.
The men brought back one and one-half
tons of gold III nuggets and dust. 1t is
worth in round numbers Sl,000,0 900. Not
a man had less than $1,000 and two had
over 100000 each.
From San Francisco to the furthermost
point in Alaska the coast is wild with the
excitement growing out of the fabulous
finds in the Klondke, which is a river
emptying into the Yukon, in the North
west Territory. 1t is so miles by river
from Forty Mile, on the Alaska boundary,
to the scene of the recent finds and about
40 miles in a straight line. The discoverer
of the Kondike placer diggings was George
Mccormick, poor miner, who was known
as Swash George. The first claim was
staked on Bonanza Creek, emptying into
the Klondike, Aug. II last. Since that
time 400 claims have been located and the
population of the camp has grown from
nothing to 1000. Reliable estimates made
by Canadian officers and experienced min
ers give the probable output Of the district
during the next five years at over ten mil
lions.
William Stanley of Seattle, formerly a
blacksmith, went into the country two
years ago last spring. He returned Satur-
day with $4,000 in nuggets and dust.
His claim is on the Bonanza Creek emp
tying INTO the Klondike five miles above
Dawson City, the headquarters OF the camp.
Clarence Berry, formerly a farmer of Fres-
no, Cal. brought back seven sacks con-
tanning Sl35, 900, Berry went to the Yn-
kon in 1894. He told the following story
of his fortune hunting:
"My luck was bad for three years. Last
fall came out and married, and when |
went back | heard of the Klondike. | was
early on the ground, locating with other
parties three claims on the EldOrado Creek.
We struck it rich. That is all there is to
tell.
Last winter l took out $3.50, 900 in 80 box
lengths. box lengths y by - feet, and
time the second largest nugget ever found
in the Yukon was taken out of my claim.
1t weighed Is ounces and was worth S213.
/ have known men to take out $1,000 day
from a drift claim. OF course, the gold
was found in pockets, and those finds, you
may rest assured, were very scarce. l
would not advise man to take in an out
fit that would cost less than 500.
"He must expect to be disappointed, and
the chances are that he may prospect for
years without finding a paying claim, and
again he may be lucky enough to strike it
rich. The country is wild, rough, and full
of hardships for those unused to the rgors
of Arctic winter. If a man makes for
tune he is liable to earn it by severe hard
ships and suffering, but then grit, perse-
verance and luck will probably reward
hard work with a comfortable income for
life"
Capt. Strickland of the Canadian mount
ed police, who is en- route to Ottawa on
official business is among the arrivals He
says:
"When | left Dawson City about a
month ago there were about 800 claims
staked out and between 1000 and 5000
people. We can safely say that there was
S1,500,000 in gold mined last winter.
Wages in mines were SIS day, and the
saw-mill paid laborers $40 day with
claims now staked, but will afford employ
ment for about 5000 men, l believe. If a
man is strong and healthy and wants to
work he can find employment at good
wages. Several men worked on an inter
est, or what is termed lay, and during
the Winter realized from $1,000 to $4,000.
The mines are from 30 to 100 miles from
Alaska boundary
The captain is cautious and conservative
in his statements. Tim Kelly, an old citi-
zen of Seattle, being questioned as to when
he proposed going back to the mines, re-
piled:
"Never. | have had all l want of it and
all l want out of it. l am satisfied and
can stay here
j. Keller, who pronounced it the richest
gold country in the world, said: at was
IS degrees below zero last winter and the
ground was frozen to the depth of 40 feet.
The snow doesn't fall to any great depth,
three feet being the greatest, and that was
light and fleecy frost. All the gold is
taken out of gravel by thawing in the
summer. There are nine months of win
ter. We left Dawson City on a river
steamer on June 10, and were eight days
reaching St. Michaels, 1900 miles. The
weather in Klondike was warm and sultry,
much warmer than it seemed and mosqui-
toes Were in myrads. They are in water
one drinks. They give a man no rest day
or night. | think we brought down about
100000 in dust, yet Others estimate much
higher am satisfied to stay away from
Klondike although did well
at is horrible country to live in, but
it is extremely healthy. Every man is on
his good behavior, and for mining coun-