The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-08-28

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only in small quantity, and yet some
few are known to be very rich in places
and it is extremely probable that there
are many in which the whole of the ore
is of comparatively high grade.
The general character of the rocks
and of the ore deposits is extremely
like that of the goldbearing formations
along the southern coast of Alaska, in
which the Treadwell and other mines
are situated and it is probable that the
richness of the Yukon rock is approx
mately equal to that of the coast belt.
1t may be added that the resources of
the coast belt have been only partially
explored.
Since the formation of the veins
and other deposits of the rocks of the
gold belt an enormous length of time
has elapsed. During that time the
forces of erosion have stripped off the
everything rocks and exposed the met
aliferous veins at the surface for long
periods, and the rocks of the gold belt
with the veins whichlthey include, have
crumbled and been carried away bv
the streams to be deposited in widely
different places as gravels, or sands or
mud. In Alaska the streams have
been carrying away the gold from the
metaliferous belt for very long period
so that particles of the precious metal
are found in nearly all parts of the ter
ritory.
1t is only in the immediate vicinity
of the gold hearing belt, however. that
the particles of gold are large and
plentiful enough to repay working, I'M
der present conditions. Where a
stream heads in the gold belt the rich.
est diggings are likely to be near its
extreme upper part. In this upper
part the current is so swift that the
lighter material and the finer gold are
carried away, leaving in many places
rich deposit of coarse gold, overIain
by coarse gravel, the pebbles being so
large as to hinder rapid transportation
by water.
sit is under such conditions the dig
gings which are now being worked are
found, with some unimportant excep-
tions. The rich gulches of the Forty
mile district and of the Birch creek
district as well as other fields of less
Importance, all head in the gold bear
ing formation.
" A short distance below the heads
of these gulches the stream valley
broadens and the gravels contain finer
gold more widely distributed. Along
certain parts of the stream this finer
gold is concentrated by favorable cur
rents and is often profitably washed,
this kind of deposit coming under the
head of "bar dlggings." The gold 10
these more extensive gravels is often
present in sufficient quantity to en-
courage the hope of successful extrac-
ton at some future time, when the
work can be done more cheaply and
with suitable machinery. The extent
of these graVels which are of possible
value, is very great.
at may be stated, therefore, as a
general rule, that the profitable gravels
are found in the vicinity of the gold
bearing rock.
The gold bearing belt forms range
of low'mountains, and on the TANKS of
the mountains to the northeast and to
the southwest, lie various younger
rocks which range in age from carbon
ferrous to very recent territory, and are
made up mostly of conglomerates, sand
stones and shales, with some volcanic
material. These rocks were formed
subsequent to the ore deposition, and
therefore do not contain metaliferous
veins.
"They have been partly derived, how
ever, from detritus worn from the
gold bearing belt during the long per.
iod that it has been exposed to erosion,
and some of them contain gold derived
from the more ancient rocks and con-
centrated in the same as is the gold in
the persent river gravel
In one or two places it is certain that
these conglomerates are really fossil
placers and this source of supply may
eventually turn out TO be very impor-
tant.
An Atchison, Kan, woman will con-
sent to let her husband go to Alaska
if he will draw up a paper TO the eff
t9ct that if he has not returned in
three years it means that he will