The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
INDIANS DlVULGE RICHES.
Two Great Alaska Finds Discovered b
Red Men of that Region,

Two Great Alaska Finds Discovered bv
Red Men of that Region.
Gold in quantities beyond the fancy of
the most frantic Klondike adventurer is
reported among Alaska Indians, said L..
L. Watson. member of the Saxman In
dian council, instituted by the government
to civilize the Cape Fox tribe on the
Alaska coast. Mr.. Watson then told a
story that would almost give an old pros
pector commissions. and furnished explain
atory details of nature that demanded
consideration at least
"Last fall. while the Indians were all
engaged packing for the miners Klondike-
bound" said Mr.. Watson, Il was told a
strange story. A son of Chilkoot Jack,
one of the chiefs. belongs to the Cape Fox
tribe. He had been packing between the
coast and Dawson during the summer
and fall, during which time he claimed to
have met an Indian from one Of the
Yukon tributaries who had struck price,
less district This latter Indian said he
was hunting some distance from Dawson
when he happened to examine the bed Of
creek and found in it what be took to
be gold nuggets. Not certain Of his own
Judgment, he got a few and Travelled
down the stream few days, until near
Dawson he found a white man living
with SQuaw. This man pronounced the
nuggets gold and importuned the Indian
to tell where they were found without
avail. The Indian said he returned Sc
cretly to the creek and labored there nj!
summer, gathering along it's bed as many
of the nuggets as he could with his linn
tied facilities. He erected a temporary
structure for his habitation. and stored
his findings there until he had severalfold
more than he could carry. He then left
in search of his friends. who lived along
the coast. who were to aid him in carrying
out of the mountains the gold. Chilk DOT
Jacks son told me this in confidence, as
member of the tribe. l do not believe
it is the nature of those Indians to fabri-
cate stories, but think he really met some
Indian who furnished the information
The nearest that he could locate the place
was klondike, which meant anywhere
along the Yukon or tributaries south of
Dawson"
Mr.. Watson fell in with a man named
George Bailey on the trip down from
alaska, who also had story of rich find
lngs, which he was able to corroborate
with great pack of nuggets. Bailey
came aboard from the Stickeen route
and, learning that Mr.. Watson was an
Alaskan and interested in mining. showed
him several nuggets as wide as his hand
he mad two or three small sacks contain
ing gold. and had the same metal stored
about his ragged clothing in abundance.
Bailey said he had been up the Stewart
river with two companions for two years,
and that he and one of the other partners
were then on their way out with the clean
up, which weighed about ninety hounds,
Bailey stopped in Portland a very short
time and then proceeded to San Fran.
cisco, where, he intends to procure a
fine outfit for working the claims he and
his partners have secured. As they al
ready have small fortune taken out, and
good claims that will yield more, they
were not particular about keeping Others
out, and Mr.. Watson was promised the
! privilege of accompanying them on the
return. The latter will leave for San
francisco tonight to make arrangements
for the trip.
Bailey said he was located on the Stew
art river about 300 miles above the falls.
which are about so miles from the con-
| auence with the Yukon. He travelled by
the Stickeen route, which he said was
the only practicable way to enter the
Yukon region in the winter AS the
Stickeen is frozen now, its wide channel
makes a fine road. 1t is followed until
the point for turning across to Lake Tes-
lin is reached, where another pavement
| of ice with it's covering is found. After
travelling north for considerable dis
lance, Bailey says. he turns directly
across the country for the headwaters Of
Stewart river