The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-07
MINER W.BRUCt N THE CITY.
RETURNS FROM THE EAST on HIS
WAY TO ALASKA.
and VIII De Later Getting BACK
Than Usaal-wan sail ~ Far ~
Point Barrow, In the Arctic.

Miner ". Bruce. the pioneer scientific
Alaskan. explorer, is again in Seattle. hay-
Ing Just arrived from the East. where he
has been lectu-ing for the last six months.
He IS here TO At up for another trip to the
far North over the trading route he has
followed for six years past He VIII leave
here early in June IN some swift sailing
schooner. and expects to go through Ber-
ing straits with the leaders Of the kotze-
bue sound feet now starting out. This
year his trading trip VIII be extended as
far north as Point Barrow. and the we'll
known trader viii not be back in port
until late n November, at the earliest.
Miner Bruce is considered by many the
best living authority on Alaskan geogfa-
ply and topography. For years he has
traded along the coast and made expior-
ing trips into the interior. He has warm
friends among all the Indian tribes ard is
one of the most successful traders that
have worked the North coast. Shortly
before the Klondike rush he published
comprehensive book on Alaska and its
resources. This was about the only book
on the market when the rush commenced
and 1t had an enormous sale. Last fAll
Bruce selected a very interesting exhibit
VI aldShdti HES cAOUSc
and started East on a occurring tour. His
lecture was very Interesting and took
amazingly in the East, where so many
people were Alaska wild. All OF the large
cities in the far Eastern and Middle states
were visited.
After completing the lecture tour Mr.
Bruce visited friends for time and then
started for Seattle to prepare for his an
nual cruise in northern waters for furs
" nd IL oil
returns from these cruises with his schoon-
er loaded {, the guards with q valuable
cargo obtaisied from the natives by bar
ter. For several years Bruce has used
the trim little schooner Louise j. Kinney,
but this year he Will have to find a new
tyessel. The Kinney is now on her way
north with a party OF Eastern prospect
ors and Will not return In time for the
trading trip.
Mr.. Bruce was seen hast night at the
Occidental hotel by Post-Inteiigencer
reporter and said:
Alaska is rapidly becoming dry SUBJ
Ject In the East since the difficulty with
Spain gave people something else 70 talk
and think about. / don't believe that
there Will be any wonderful rush this
summer. Thousands OF people have gone
north since the first OF the year. but from
now on travel viii be more normal The
arrival of the gold carriers from the
mouth OF the Yukon in July may start an
other rush. Eastern people, however, are
expecting an enormous output and viii
not be surprised even should the amount
brought out run away up into the millions.
In order to start another rush something
must come as a surprise.
kotzebue sound, toward which so many
people seem TO be heading, Is undoubtedly
thanked by country OF great promise and
may develop some surprises before the end
OF the season. i have traded up there for
the last five years and every year got gold
from the natives. Where they got Ii
Is unknown to me. but the prospectors, IL
they know their business. should be able
to find II. spent two winters on Ko,ze-
bue sound, but did not find II much colder
than along the Yukon. The stores that
game Is plentiful In that country are not
to be depended on altogether. There is
some game there. but II Is very hard to
find. Prospectors should not count on IL
fG- sustenance. The sailing vessels that
are leaving now will have a long wait
at the entrance of Boring straits, or Diff
ferent conditions will prevail from those
for number OF years past. I doubt II
any OF them are able TO get through be-
fore July ]. Three years ago we struck
Zee In the straits as late as July 23 and
were sixteen days getting out OF II.
II Will be much later than usual get
ting back from my trading expedition this
year. / expect 10 go az far north as
Point Barrow and have several side voy.
ages n view. 1 may not get back here
until some time In January. but 1t will
probably be in November. At the present
time I can give you no details OF my
trip Mrs. Bruce is now In the East, bu,
she VIII probably accompany me-"