The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-20
WHERE RICH CLAIMS ARE.
Rufus buck Writes of the Geolo9-
Zeal Formation Of the klCndike.

A letter TO Mines aud Minerals, an au-
thori'atiye mining journal. published in
Scranton. Pa, has been written frosn Daw-
con by Rufus Buck. formerly a well known
young man Of this city. The letter has 10
do with the geological formation and fea-
lures OF the klondike. and Is Of especial
interest as coming from n.neraiogist so
well known here. Mr.. Buck Is a graduate
OF Stanford university. The letter in full
follows:
Owing to the persistence of the pros
pector. gold has been found at the extreme
limit OF the klon1ike mining a!vlson. Not
only at the extreus- lowest point--the Dot
tom Of the Yukon--bgi aso at the highest
point viz. the summit Of the mountain
on the west side OF Eldorado. lasi below
French guich. Their reward = noi few
co!ors only il those widely separated spots.
In many Instances s. 80 TO the pan il found
In the gravel taken from bedrock.
''Geoiegicaliy, the auriferous strata are
Of paieo2o.c age. and the altered states
and shaies are much contoried and broken
UP, thus allowing the formation Of inpu-
meTaele small rel.s 81 quartz running in
all directions. None eeefns 10 be more than
cash veins. and with but one exception
geld has not been observed In them. Pros
pectora are stu pecksng away, hoping 20
find likely looking quartz The divide De-
tween the kIondike and Indian rivers ap-
pears 10 be the enriched portion OF the go'i
belt as only the streams heading in this
belt are productive. Eldorado, Bonanza
and bunker empty into the klondiae, aud
Dominion and Sulphur into Indian river.
These creeks are wonderfully rtch in cer-
tain portions. but tue same capnat 70 said
OF the entire ieHgth Coarse gold concen-
trates itself into bars and is not easily
moved. Fine gold being found in small
quantities only accounts for certain Of tie
lower portions seeming almost barren.
Glaciers have practically played 40 par
In forming the piacers in the creeks They
are the result OF water concentrating the
gold IN the lowest part OF the creeks. three.
four and even ten fee, down In bed rock.
There Is no glacial drstt 10 De ssn along
bonanza or any % the other creeks In
the glacial age gndoo otediy this District
was covered by an zee sheet. but a. the
topography Is quite tat Il - very doGe.ful
II the glaciers moved at all, unless they
were pushed out by the Rocky mountains
ana themes over the ktoTltliAe river ana it<
basin
''Eidora8o has cut It's channel Sown from
The summit af Ire mountains back IT
French guich to It's present level, ard II ~
doing has left rich benches the west
sss. of the creek Bonanza creek. dHrag
the same period. cut down osio~ the mouth
OF sko0ssau1 Pup and left a very rich bench
about isi feet above iss present level on
the southwest bank Of ,ne mouth % he
skooksn pup ana Adams creek.
The richness q a claim depertsis largely
upon the location on q creek About thFss
stiles from the hsadwaters seems 70 be
she breast ~ the creek sn1 he Ftctest
claims ara generally ia ,his loea.ity, IL
ing "a srcsn The SIDE Il al@aEs Seems - en-
-irs ,he claim and Is easily explained ~
fne fact that The gold canes cat - tte
rgfrs and lodges In ths ereek II the forTna
ssen 81 tse hsdrock De ~ loose s-aSs point
sas ~ stTsan and lying 49, &c % form 4
nafga-ai rife. = wilt certainly prove rich
shoai4 4 % ~ : sTuoofh nature, tae god
szs~eEx right over = AMI IS ONLY 1ap1sites
ysn4yl Il rough rifle ia encountered ftoara@
gold lies % hs5roek or on Il f3Iu zseT o,
CAV found on be3roe,k BY SrTap.Hk ne
s@f--.k n ore !rstance the sts; Tss1Ilt
seut ar Aizk az So "a TIE ysaa. te@ T9are
averaging 81 - ana seven Ao@ as s3
+-F94crss.5 goIi = 5sn~sr - a3Assty. 6u1 we
cnartI,v kes SAP me &aan3ensT. 3stA3r-
ing pieces ~ quartz 8n3 saver mIf9y"a
.xtfr zct4 brizg ifs Xssse u sss fser 9sitr-
Ye-arxs see1ne Sosne% hzi r1Tsr s1t HUNK
er and novniu.os firm ~ by far ne aF8@bt-
EFT au.s psrsszs geld That - Hogs3sr cF@@E
81 reddish Tn appearance G4e - sons cop
Per asIoysS wth tas native g@sa @T>s
very interesting fQs9 reneA IS faAs@ tFfa
sataa ln me r4a eeTs. Or Ne $ - E}do-
rsAe fossil f0osa - a uaa-tos393 y -
sas1nts in eAv dirt. Toss 81 Hunter anf Do
1zsa.oH sections Of q n1astcso1 sCs2 were