The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-24
FORTUNES FOR A FEW.
THE CHANCES OF THE GOLD
SEEKERS.
Prizes Distributed with as hnch
Favor as in Lottery->omc Estf-
mates rs to the Value of the
Discoveries in the klondfke.

More money has gone into the KlondiSe
already than has come out .. II, said d
scientist in the employ OF the govern
rnent recently. People have spent moro
70 get there than they have brought bacA
When a man finds nugget or strikes
gravel that pays s. 10 the pan you always
hear OF IT, but you never hear OF iAose
who don't Gold stories are Ike nsh
stories. and miners. like fishermen, are
always liars. l have no doubt there IS an
enormous amount OF gold I'm Alaska, ea1
80 per cent. Of the people who 30 there
after il Will not pay their expenses mat
Is the record OF every mining craze that
has ever struck this or any other country.
1t is the doom Ct the majority 10 get iett.
For every man who has got rich prospect
ing for gold or silver nInety-nlne have Tor
leited their entire time and investment.
Just about as many people make fortunes
in mining as draw prizes IN lotteries. ana
the chances of getting rich are about even
between the TWO methods
In their annual statement. which IS
considered as high authority, the Wells
Fargo Express Company give the gold
product u Alaska for 1871 as S50.l,pJV OF
which about half came from the Tread
we'll and other established mines ana me
balance from the klondike. The duty OF
collecting statistics regarding that country
belongs properly 10 the Canadian govern
ment, so that Dr. David I. Day, chief OF
the mineralogical division OF the geology
cal survey. IS able TO give only a personal
estimate in regard TO the output
1T is my Judgment he said, "that the
product taken out has been greatly exag-
gerated. but be that as 1t may, there Is
no doubt that enough gold has been taken
out 10 make really sensational.
amount, cons Idering. OF course, the limited
facilities in the way OF machinery. and the
unskiled character of the labor. The
amount that has been taken out per days
work has been very large. In other words,
the average per pan is comparable with
the placcrs OF California in the days OF ~
This washing pan, though looking like an
ordinary dish pan. is really a tool. the
slant OF its side being a matter OF care
ful calculation. so that IL VIII perform the
greatest amount of work possible. Zach
wash OF Il pan yields about 80 cents, and
the men using pans are undoubtedly wash
ing about SIS worth of gold day apiece.
"A great deal OF the amount OF gold
that has been brought from the klondike
has not been washed. but has been picked
up in the shape OF little nuggets, or which
there seems 10 be an unlimited quantity.
1t is reported that one man picked up in
ii single day S2oooto worth of gold. This
report has not been verified and, though
probably true To some extent, has been
masnihed. There is no doubt that enor-
nous sums OF gold have been gathered
il this way
Then picking up a little piece of gold.
about the size of a small china button.
he said: This IS worth about 20 cents.
and came from the bonanza mine which
was the second opened tn the klondike."
Continuing. Or. Day said: Depending
on the present wages, which are largely
based on the cost OF supplies, neither the
miners nor their employers can afford 10
touch dirt which Will yield less than $40
day to each man employed. That IS,
each man must earn at least $40 every
day. otherwise IL is Improbable for them
to work at all. Under present conditions
there Is very little gold work being done
there which s yielding less than $50
day 10 the man. in other words, as soon
as they exhaust the earth that pays so
IL one place they move on, the probable
ties being that just as good dirt Is found
as soon as they finish WORK on their pres
ent stake It is very likely that improved
methods and considerable capital will be
put in there 50 as 10 make II pay 20 work
s. dirt and as soon this is done and
the less richer earth is worked there viii
DO an enormous increase in the quantity
OF the gold output; for. instead OF having
70 hunt around for the creamy spots. they
VIII he able to work everything right
along | judge that the output VIII be
Increased twenty times.
What is more valuable. particularly to
the American side. IS the probability OF
Sil Eh4NE quartz VEINS OF SunkEtent value
10 Justify the putting up OF improved ma
chluery 20 extract the gold. and / feel
quite sure that as soon as that is known
as matter OF fact there VIII be more
tnan enough capital ready TO start the
work ia lie hope OF making a big strike
In q word. the prospects OF gold from the
Yukon are excellent"
Director ~ the Mint Preston could not
be seen today. being In PHILADELPHIA. It
Is. by the way. his last day az director
or the mint Mr.. Roberts Of Iowa. sue
ceeding him ana taking fun charge on
saturday. NJ. Presiou's estimate Of the
amount ~ gold taken from the KIondike
is. IN round numbers. S6.Goo0 n IS ~
present, however. exceedingly difficult to
( obtain anything ike authentic figures on
the output 81 gold AS tho treasury depart
ment here only has quarterly returns
from the mint at san Francisco and
what is received there hy no means covers
thu amount brought into THIS oauntr,
some is deposited ct Helena, Seattle and
quite a quantity has come az far Faat
AS Chicago. good deal also goes "a mi
vate rehneries. and reports from the,n
are only received annually. 50 Il is plain
10 see thai anything Ike accurate figures
/ VIII pot be had for some time. Chicago
Record.