Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-02-22

As soon as the paintings show that
the gravel Is not running over 10 cents
to the pan they abanlcn that portion OF
the drift and either locate the pay streak
at some other side Of the shaft, or, IL it
IL not found there in what, according to
the above, il paying quantities, they
sink new shaft in the endeavor 70 re-
locate it. II will be seen that great
deal OF dead work" is necessary, and,
of course, this is all loss. since it costs
just a. much to drift in poor ground ~
in the richest portions Of it.
In many instances the pay streak
runs in q course SO irregular that 1t ID
very hard indeed to follow it. At places
the beirock is smooth and consequently
does not hold the gold. At others it Is
very rough and shaly, and IL is at such
places that the big pans Of which one
on the outside hears so much are found.
Owing TO these conditions it happens
that Lot only arc some spots immensely
rich, but also some others-sometimes
en- ire claims-are worthless blanks
Careful Investigsties Necessary.
And there Is where the investor must
exercise great discretion in the pur-
chase of properties on creeks which are
known to be rich. think that ! may
say that In every case. both on FL Dorado
and Bonanza creeks, where the present
owner has located Q pay streak he Is
either unwilling to entertain q PROPOSE
tion to purchase his ground or puts a
figure on it at which, with the expen-
sive methods OF mining in vogue. would
offer no inducements TO the speculator
who understood the conditions thor
oughly.
True, many of these claims which are
now considered blanks may prove to
contain immensely rich deposits OF the
precious metal. That was so Of several
claims on Bonanza creek last season.
It was thought that Bonanza creek was
very spotted-that there was no contin.
nous pay streak but many claims which
were designated as blanks last season
are now proving rich. Still these are
the exceptions.
BY the time that this letter reaches
the eyes of the reader hundreds Of men
who are now on the way ont will be
flooding the country with Klondike gold
mining properties. 1t will be readily
seen that these men must have seen
much more prospect Of making money
by selling their claims than by working
them, and while. as | have said. this
district offers many excellent opportu
mites to the investor or speculator, great
care must be taken by intending pur-
chasers not TO be caught by one Of the
many schemes which will undoubtedly
be worked by these persons
think that there are some Of those
now going out who have really valuable
property to sell. but when one considers
the great risk that they run by taking
such trip he will understand that the
prices which will be put on prorertie.
will be far in excess Of their real value.
Besides, these men know that they have
but to wait until the river breaks up IN
the spring. v ben they will be oyerruu
by anxious buyCrs-but men who are on
the ground 10 investigate before parting
with their money.
IL does no. look. therefore, rs IL many
Of these men who are Drawing the dan
gers Of 600 mile trip over the ice IL
the dead Of winter In order to sell tC
those who cannot investigate are work
ing in good faith. That is the impres
sion that prevails here among those who
are in a position TO know.
shaky Options
The few claims OH which these men
have secured options-such options run
ming in most cases only until July,
some only until March. thus allowing
the investor no opportunity TO investi'
gate-are those on Bonanza and I'll Do
RADIO which have the reputation OF being
blanks those near the mouth Of Bonanza,
where the creek bed is several hundred
feet in width and where II Is impossi'
BILE. with the present system Of mining,
TO locate the pay streak with any chance
Of getting enough out to pay expenses.
The gold. after travelling so far. also IL
30 fine at this point that it will not pay
to mine under present circumstances
Then again properties at the upper
ends OF Bonanza and FL Dorado which
have not SO far been opened mp by their
owners, because they feared they would
not pay for the outlay. are being offered
for sale, the agents and owners count
ing ON the ignorance Of purchasers-an
ignorance Of which the most astute in
vestor may be guilty, since no one who
has not himself seen similar conditions
can understand those here-to lead them
to believe that any thing on Bonanza aud
Ell Dorado must necessarily be rich
ground.
Other properties which will be offer
ed for sale are those located on the
"pups"-small gulches varying from
fsw hundred wards To two or three miles
In length, tributary to these two
streams These properties are from first
to last unknown quantities, with little
chance of any Of them proving at all
rich, according to the best a. shoritie'
here. A few Of the bench claims on
these two streams are proving valuable,
but this is only in spots where the old
river or glacier bed has been left by the
present stream. and these, like all othei
properties, should not be touched by in
vestors without first investigating them
Rich prospects are reported ON Hunk
or creek, and it would seem as II this
creek offers better opportunities to th'
investor than any Of the many others
which are staked from mouth to source
for speculative purposes l have no
been able to investigate these reports
from Hunker yet, but hope TO make thu
trip within the next few days. a good
deal Of work is being done on various
claims there, but nothing certain Cal
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