Evening star., 1898-03-04
MADE A VERY RICH STRIKE
Mr.. David Ward Tells of Discovery Of
Alaskan Riches.
An Accidental Find Which Promises
Large Resu1tsNExperfence Of
Three Years In Prospecting.

MI. David Ward, who recently returned
from three-years' prospecting tour in tie
Alaskan gold fields, is at the Arlington
Hotel. He is quite enthusiastic over a
strike" he made on the American side Of
the Klondike region, which he believes will
pan out far richer than any Of the territory
that has been worked. He has with him a
| number of nuggets which are unusually
| large. They are fiat and plate-shaped ard
| are especially bright. In addition to these
| ne mas a number of smaller nuggets that
look very much like the kernels of pecan
nuts.
I'm short WHILE" said Mr.. Ward, Il
expect to take numbsr of my friends to
a place In Alaska where they can get rich
quickly II they will only work. After we
have located 1 will let the public generally
know of this rich find, which is on Ameri-
can soil.'
Mr.. Ward said he had gone into the Yukon
country about three years ago with party
OF miners, when the first gold discoveries
varied one. consisting for the most part of
ill fortune until last winter, when he acci-
dentally made the strike referred to.
The Discovery.
Speaking Of this particular find, Mr.
Ward said:
Il had two Indians with me, working
both as guides and companions. After a
hard days tramp I gave the order to get
ready for pitching q camp, and directed
the Indians where 20 place the cache. Be-
ing dead tired. I threw myself on the
ground beside the river to take a rest.
was just doing on when the Indians came
to me and said the location would have to
be changed, as they had struck rock
which made it impossible to sink the poles
amined the dirt they had dug out and
found that 1t was thick with nuggets This
turned out to be a pocket, and got nearly
four pounds by washing out the few cubic
yards of dirt.
1T Is to this locality" said Mr.. Ward,
that I propose to take my party. After
we stake or our claims there will be room
for twenty thousand miners, and everybody
Will be able to get plenty If they will
only work for it.
''One needs neither Skill money nor
knowledge of mining in order to be sue
oessful in Alaska. What he does require,
and that to the very fullest extent. is pluck
and industry. Then he is almost certain Of
success. 1t don't even depend upon luck.
for, taking that element out, II q man
will only work he will win.
Take myself, for instance" Mr.. Ward
continued. II have been a practical miner
for over fifteen years, was scientific
mineralogist and geologist, and had thor
ough. practical knowledge Of all general
established surface indications of gold de-
pCsits l had been in Alaska three years,
Fart of the time with experienced miners,
and ten months ago 1 was ready to give
1t up. l went through the Klondike terri
tory twice, once with two companions and
once alone, and thought mighty little Of
it. Yet the strike there was made by
tenderfoot a fellow who knew little or
nothing of placer mining, and, as / said
before, simply stumbled upon my strike.
Hardships Experienced.
II spent all Of the winter prospecting
in this nsighborhood and found Indications
of rich deposits on every side. I was alone
except when I had the native Indians with
me, and no tongue can describe the hard
ships I endured. The fever of gold was
upon me- however, and that will nerve one
to do most anything l nearly starved for
want of food, and all but perished many
times from the cold, but it was as danger
Gus to try to get out as to stay and hefors
my eyes all the time was the lure of the
golden fleece. Situated es I was, with only
prospector's kit and with limited proV-
siohs, could do but little mining during
the winter, but got enough dirt ready for
sluicing by the early summer to give me
all the gold dared start to carry out and
l could have easily brought out more, but
measured my greed by my life, and was
afraid to carry too much gold and too little
food. Food Is the problem in that country,
and wnen that problem is solved the mat
ter of getting gold will be an easy one.'
A Typical Miner.
Mr.. Ward looks like a typical miner He
is dark and swarthy and very strongly and
oompactly built. He is about five feet
seven inches tall and weighs IT'S pounds.
He is forty-two years of age
He Is here in the interest of some gen.
eral mining and land laws affecting the
Alaskan territory. 1t was his intention to
seek special legislation on this subject but
ne found that there is a bill pending before
Congress which completely covers the
whole situation. A number of prominent
men, including Vice President Hobart.
Senator Jones Of Nevada, Senator Carter
and others are said to be greatly interested
IN Mr.. Wards find.