The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-26

JACK DALTON TELLS
OF NEW GOLD STRIKES
IN THE FAR NORTH.
Pathfinder Of Alaska Gives DeA-
nite Account ~ PoReupine Greek
-ouartn LOeatioas ~ Reths-
ehIlAa' Agent On White River

Jack Dalton, known Ia the West as ''the
pathfinder OF Alaska arrived from the
North en- the steamer Faraaor from Pyrn-
mid harhor, Alaaka. Mr.. Dalton left Sc
attic last February with Henry Rratnober,
the Pacific coast representative OF the
Rothschiids Of Europe. Mr.. Bratnobcr IS
mining engineer OF high repute. and Il Is
understood THAI he was commissioned 70
explore Alaska. ascertain its mineral
wealth and the best route 10 build a rail-
road into the interior. The trader and che
mining man together explored the interior
OF Alaska and the Northwest territory,
travelling hundreds OF miles over rough
and uninhabised country, extending from
Pyramid barber. Oh the coast, 10 the up
per waters Of the White river
Ar. Dalton yesterday gave the Post-In-
tepigeneer a clear and definite account %
the god strike on Porcupine creek, Alaska.
last May. In which diggings said to be as
rich as Bonanza creek were found by three
fortunate prospec.ors- Meager accounts OF
the discovery have reached the outside.
and for this reason there has been bat little
excitement around Pyramid harbor over
the ana. Nearly 100 claims have been
staked On the creek and the development
work that has been done has proven that
the country is very rich. Men have av
eraged as high as $50 on che bench Dig
gings. Ii ia said. as the claims located on
the banks OF the stream ana moi N the
guich are known.
Mr.. Dalton made the round trip into Daw-
son during the summer. He located sew
eral claims or the upper tributaries OF the
White river. country about which little
Is known except that ii Is heavily miner
allied. Mr.. Dalton says that upward OF
5000 head of cattle went into the Yukon
country over the trail bearing his name
during the season, with no losses 10 speak
OF.
AT the Butler yesterday Nr Dalton said:
First let me ask you not 10 say any
thing OF boom nature about the new dig
gings or Porcupine creek. While there IS
no disputing the fact that the ground IS
rich In placer gold, and ;sst the men who
have worked their claims this summer have
made high wages, yet the country Is rough
and this Is no season OF the year for people
TO try 10 get to the new gold fields. Ny
own opinion OF the country Is that IL Is
All right. The prospects TO date are prac-
ticaily as good az anything yet found in
Alaska. Yet this is not the season Of the
year for people 10 try to make new loca-
tons In the North. The country is Access
harbor, being distant about thirty five miles
from tide water.
The three discoverers OF the creek were
Mix and Finley and a third man whose
Mix had driven cattle over the trail in
1897 and had become well acquainted with
the character of the country He and his
companions explored Porcupine creek early
in the spring. They uncovered some rich
placers not more than a half mile from
the Dalton trail. The gold is coarse and
averages high in value, running to SIS an
ounce.
Tn all about between eighty and 100
claims were staked, 600 by 1890 feet each.
The claims have not yet been thoroughly
prospected. The gold that was taken out
during the season came from the bench
diggings. for the reason that The water in
the stream was too deep TO permit the min
ers TO go 10 bed rock In the guiches. This
can be easily overcome however
The White river country Is Yet new and
unprospectef. II Is good country. how
sources Of Eninefal character viii attract
attention. Several good prospects were
found by prospec,ors during the summer
along the Dalton trail. among others at
Alder and Hootchai creeks. Between 800
and 800 prospectors entered the country
traversed by the Dalton trail during the
season and many Of them made locations
These as rule are far back in the interior
or the country and the men themselves
have kept their secrets we'll so that there
has been nothing like a stampede. / have
yet to find a man who is not satisfied with
the country and who il not going TO con-
tinue work in the new districts now being
opened up"
MIR. Dalton would say nothing whatever
OF the discoveries OF copper and gold quartz
said 10 have been made by Mr.. Brafnober
during the season. II is known. however
prospectors In the employ OF Bratnoosr
and that the latter staked a number of
claims The ledge Is about forty miles
from the coast Of Alaska on the line OF
the Dalton trail. Samples taken from The
face OF thu ledge are very rich The vein
IS said 10 be over fifty feet in width Mr.
Brasnober. X Is understood. acquired sew
eral quartz locations tn the White river
country. although Information on this point
Is very largely confined 10 Mr. Bratno8e-
and Mr.. Dalton. The former is row IN Flu
rope, ard Mr. Dalton refuses to disclose any
facts regarding the Investigations pursued
by the Rotilschilds' man.
The reporter q, two sacks filled
with coarse gold by MIR. Dalton from Por-
cupira creek properties. The geld IS heavy
free from quartz and OF apparently very
high grade.
The Chiikat Indians have given Mr.. Dali
ton considerable trouble for several years
past. They inhabit the country on the
coast ~ Alaska through which the Dalton
route TO the Yukon runs. Last summer as
time. the Chiikats alnbushed Dalton and
one Of them fired point-biank at him. One
bullet passed through his coat near the
heart Dalton was unarmed but stood his
ground like the cool negvy man he Ia. He
said yesterday that his enemies, the Chill
kats. fought from aInhaish-they were too
cowaFdly 10 come oiat In the open. We
had conference said Mr.. Dalton "and
they shook hands ard pretended 20 be
friendly. The next day they tried 10 muir
der me Their hatred OF me Is due 70 the
fact that in opening a road from the mouth
of the ChIlkat have interfercd with their
river ;vaffic. / have traded for years with
the Indians from the interior whose pa
tronage the Cnilkats monoposized until |
took IL from them. The authorities tn the
country are no protection 10 one"
Mrs. Dalton and her sever yeSir-oii son
are at Pyramid HaFsts3r- They Will spend
the wiaaer in Seattle.