The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-30
WARM WORDS FOR ALASKA.
An ENGLISH MINING EXPERT WHO
HAS VISITED THERE.
d. r. Laing. who IL ON His Way Back
to Report 10 His Principals. says
Alaska VIII De the Greatest Gold
Prsdsefng Section In the World.

Special Dispatch 70 the Po%s-Intelligeneer.
TACOMA. Aug. Sd. T, Laing, 81 Lon
don, England, a mining expert who uaads
the long Jump from South Africa to Alaska
"a the interest o. English investors whom
he represents. passed through tas city Sat
urday Ell route 20 London. after stay IN
Alaska Of some two or tArea months Mr.
Laing has done business In al the great
mining districts of the world fo- the past
twenty-five years. and speaks IN unauah-
fed, terms of the richness Of the entire
Alaskan mining district
The Information he volunteers Is decid-
eddy scant. owing. as he explains, 70 the
fact that he Is in I'D position 10 report pub
i.eiy VIVA, he is we'll paid 70 report 20 only
those whom he represents. But despite
his care 10 avoid details. his briefly ex-
pressed opinion OF the country generally
is decidedly interesting.
NO, ii is not d poor mars country
said Mr.. LANG. with just trace or the
English 6rawl. hut II IS nevertheless one
OF remarkable ricnGeSs-the greatest min
ing country l ever saw or heard of. The
natural draw backs are proportionate 10
the wealth Of the country There Is moth
ing To equal IL anywhere else IN the world
And l cannot avoid thinking how the
hardships 70 be undergone and The diHl-
calties 20 be overcome viii eventually place
the district in the hands Of wealthy cor
poratioLs- Science and capital combined
VIII master the situation. Now, for in
stance, poor man makes q. strike and
manages 70 remain there say two years
without breaking down under the hard
saif5s Ia undSrgoSs. he practically on!y
scrapes thu surface or his claim, taxes ols
a small fortune. and IS ready 10 quit with
his pile IL he can sell his claim. A hole.
maybe fifteen feet square on the surface.
fun Of water, IS what his claim looks Ike.
and the man who buys IL must have money
10 go at IL IN the right way 10 get Inc best
results.
Yes. as / say science and capital Will
in the end overcome the hardsh!ps ana
serious drawbacks OF the country and
heavily capitalized compa nies VIII control
the district. What would advise a calm
owner 10 do who had taken out few
thousand dollars and knows he cannot
stand another season up there?
My advice would be TO sell his claim
10 Ole Of the big com panies watch are ROW
bidding Tor good properties Lei him re-
Of the dividends and let others who can do
the hard work. company OF this kind
will work tie property 10 better advantage
than he can. Il seems almost unbelievable
thu way people have just kicked up the
surface earth and taken out big money.
But II Is true. and indicates what viii be
done and the Immense amount OF gold thai
a!ll come from Alaska when claims are
tries Most people have bat faint con-
ception of the wealth that will come out
Of Alaska.
Now. to the Canadian laws We hear
SO much about. Yes, there Is complaint.
bat for al that the Canadian government
IS right The laws are humane. and as
interpTe. them, are meant TO keep the
really poor mantle man who cannot pos
sb,y succeed except by the veriest chance
cat OF the territory. In keeping this class
away, they are kept from starving and
freezing that's all.
II visited au the districts where claims
are being worked on both sides OF the line
Ne. cannot give you details. but l am
quite sure there should be little difference
III richness between TIE American and
Canadian territories The whole country
on both sides is a wonderland az II wealth
III gold. II VIII take many years To d.
Ve!op II. ard thus FAR only the first small
results have been secured-practlcaly in
significant results as compared with what
will be done IN Alaska IN years 10 ccme
when the various districts shall he fully
prospected ard scientifically worked"