The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-21

Inc methods o. prospecting anu
on the Yukon differ widely from those fol-
lowed in other mining countries n warmer
ATTITUDES. Only crids appliances eave
been introduced so FAR ana they are adapt
ed 10 saving only the coarse gold II $
estimated that this constitutes only from
IS 10 30 per cent. of the entire god con-
tanned IN The ground. SO that, while for
tunes are being taken out. An eqaAl, II Tot
greater. fortune remains in the tai.ings OF
each claim. in the shape Of fine gold. Nu-
merous inventions for the saving OF this
fine gold now being introduced and the
tailings of the old claims will De washed
over again. and the improved appliances
attached TO the sluice boxes through which
fresh dirt Is to pass. Many OF these IN
ventions VIII certainly prove worthless fer
practical use, but some OF them vii. sue
coed. Much lower grade dirt than has
hitherto been worked vii thereby he mazda
TO pay and creeks which have beer aban-
doned or neglected VIII come into notice
as good districts.
Likely Places to Prospect.
The present methods and conditions Of
work are best described by Mr.. Ogilvie in
his "klondike Ofa,ial Guide His state
ments apply equally TO districts on the
Yukon IN Alaska and will prove valuable
20 inexperienced men. He says:
Having found a creek which we deter
mine to prospect we search Tor some
sharp angle IN it where the creek runs
obiquely agains, steep hank. In a place
like this you ARE more apt ID t!3d gold
than N other places in the creek valley:
may be no indication OF what is 10 be
found below. for the gold found on the
surface may have come from the hillside
drift ne clay and sand which came with
it being washed away by the creek wa
ters. but you will sooner determine the
fac, whether or not there is gold in the
valley al a point like this. Having salts
fled ourselves that there is gold IN su!fi-
cent quantity 10 warrant further pros
pecting. you now take the risk OF sinking
hole" a. il Is termed 10 bedrock. The
most convenient season 10 do mis- : early
In the winter when the surface water Is
all frozen, otherwise X will interfere with
your progress by flowing into your pit and
putting out your fires. or Al least prevent
ing their most efficient action II YOU cam
not wait for this season choose some high
spot where you WI no! likely be bothered
feet more digging TO do 10 bedrock. but
YOU are more certain OF reaching IL. II
YOU want 10 sink where the best pay -
likely TO be found. try just below the june
ton OF some creek. guich or ravine with
the main stream or valley. The HEAVIER
parts from both streams are held here.
Experience shows that the best claims
are generally. just below, forks. as ii
Is termed. Hlving reached bedrock. YOU
may find pay or you may not II YOU think
the surface prospects warrant YOU in ex-
tending you operations, select some other
point in the creek valley and sink 4 hole
to bedrock again. Continue In this way
until the character OF that part OF the val
ley Is determined, but It may he taat you
will ''cross-cut" the whole valley, as 1t is
termed and find nothing: Vet. this does
not warrant you in assuming that there
Is nothing IN that creek | have known
Places where this Was done without any
thing being found. and yet few yards
above or below single mole found rich
pay.
The burning Down Process.
To work the claim properly. IL tile gray
ell is deep. ii is necessary TO DO this by
what is termed burning. that is Xou thaw
the. frozen ground out with fire. This is a
tedious ana costly. process and requires
much more labor In procuring the wood
and attending TO the fires. 'dispoSng Of the
waste Dirt, as 1t IL called, that Is, The non
paying dirt, than that connected with the
actual paying dirt. Several schemes are
Tow under way with view to ooviat.ng
these hindrances TO mining In that c0un-
try. Proposals n thaw out by steam are
being tested, also by coal OIL. TINS latter.
If II can be perfected, VIII be much the
cheapest and also effect We. as coal oil can
he purchased in that country for about 81
per gallon. and Inter on. no doubt. much
les-4. one scheme which has been proposed
10 me IL is asserted. VIII thaw one cube
yard OF dirt wth less than one gallon OF
coal oil. Th.s. II successful. VII <---c:.!y
be a cheap and expeditions way " mining
in that country. | am not In a position at
present 10 give the details OF this method.
re- lfitS 80 far are aIo 16ra g,nG-
Some OF the proposed methods by steam
appear practical bic when used on "A large
scale. but, 81 far II appears il does noi
realize expectations or i small scale, but
this VIII no doubt he overcome by exppr-
ment. | cannot advertise any PARTICULAR
scheme proposed rs aSains; any OtheT, but
have no doubt each exponent OF ANY meth
Cd Will soon advertise i h mscI My oh
jet il simply to call ate NJ on 70 the fact
tia. some method other than firing as it is
now used is speedily necessary.
Ground Siuicing.
In places where the ground IS shallow
that IL not more than ten feet deep-wAat
i called ground s.u3Cpg IS rrsorted 20
\ ditch = dug through me claim. a dam
constructed in the upper end uf II. ana The
water il directed through the ditch Tha
water soon wears away the tce-.ourd dir,
down - the bed 81 gravel below The
7ea' nj ne sun msits the frozen 6irt on
tn+ SdG$ Of the ditch. AMI Z - iNToWn
into The stream and carried down and
away from the c!aipi. In ms way z Uart
n the claim. twenty-five or thirty feet in
width. is cleaned down - tas gravel.
siuice boxes are then erected AMI .fha/
wei@n "a may cor am s. tHfa ss3 ry the
ripple bars ia n. boxes. white me grave:
ana nd are hN tte force II fhe current
- water carried EDWARDS aud iown - the
iau,nES =; ths end et the lice of sgice
boxes. When bedrock = reached m fht~
in. Another portion ~ tine grove. -
stripped oT the muCk au1 washed iu the
same way. Il - evident fnat Wctu ire
nUck ana gravel are :0a hep t.ls ng3neI
- smprar. c41l@, - Wh.en .ae@ ms pay
stTosk n8S 20 ue ar s'e!" cut by U1rn.nG
u aich : done az fo.i VS..
Drifting for the ray >sr-ak.
hoe IS cut In the s4~f4c- mos snf
i .f-r g. u r.fr