The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-11
COPPER RIVER HAS RICHES.
Less Men There Now Than VIII
Ever Be Known.
BAD TALES TOLD BY BAD MEN.
Can't Abercrombie Speaks of the Tn
founded Reports Circulatcd by
Grubs sta ed PROJECTORS, and Says
That the Foture of the Great In
terror Haxin Ia Bright-Fioe
Land ROute to the Yukon.

Practically all the good tales that have
been told Of the Copper river country are
true. and the III reports have been circa-
lated by incompe.ents Or men WHO have
an Interior object 10 work out. That dis
trict % Asa ska is wealthy Ole and offers
the most feasible land route into the IN
terror. everything being naturally adapt
Il 10 railroad or trail. The maximum
grade is 1850 feet In a distance Of thirty
miles.
Such is the rapor. brought by Capt.
ADercromoie. who terminated his long tour
of the north and arrived IN Seattle yester-
day on the steamer Excelsior. Accom-
panying MIN were the members OF MS ex-
petition. He goes 10 Portland today, and
from there VIII proceed TO Washington to-
morrow. lie will again go 10 the Copper
river region with the came assistants in
the spring to continue his researches. The
party brought u great quantity OF shells. pc
cIliar glacial formations and bones OF ex-
tinct animals.
Men of No Experience.
Capt Abercrombie was seen at the But
ier hotel yesterday afternoon, and made the
following statement:
s'The people who started up the Copper
river last spring had no definite idea or
where they were going. When the klon-
dixie excitement broke out many Eastern
men grIbstaked relatives or friends who
.tfxrz Ian REQ
various tips as to piacers, etc. Among
these ! may mention w. 5. Amy. Of San
Francisco aad the Falls Greek Mining
Company. OF Chicago.
.They struck the country sarly In the
season. going over the Wales glacier.
which was in Itself a terrible task. Upon
getting On the other side they went into
camp and laid out their routes. Some
went north up the Copper river, ascending
the Tasllna. Gocona, Cheschtena ard
sI;na. then bearing off TO the right and
following a branch of the Copper TO a
large glacier In the vicinity OF Mount
WrangeL On one OF these rivers they
found flour gold.
.sThese men were parasites or grub
staked men. Old prospectors themselves
waited until the middle Of September, when
the water began TO fall, knowing that 10
prospect with any degree of success they
or river 10 find gold. for the simple reason
that the specific gravity of god being
greater than gravel, or. as they term 1t.
wash l. would naturally seek the lowest
levels Of the stream II this me'hod OK
reasoning is correct you will naturally see
that when the beds Of the creeks or rivers
were bank full from melting sno" or
glaciers it was wholly impossible for any
man 10 prospect with reasonable degree
h.. Ter
Therefore any person or association
who has given a forecast on the mineral
deposits Of the Copper river basin prior 10
low water, which obtains in the latter part
of September. Is utterly without the basis
for an Intelligent forecast of deposits that
may or sa1y LOT exisa in that region.
sold His outfit.
.srl,n grunstake man. after passing
through period Of excitement. AMI when
confronted with the excessive labor that al
ways attends prospecting. simply sold his
oatlt and returned to the coast. ITon
his arrival back 70 the community in which
,ha uprson lived who had furnished the
funds for his gruhstake. there was natur-
ally but one thing 10 90 and that was TO
report the country as an abSoiute laliofe
Every thinking man may draw his own
deductions a 10 whether any individual re-
turning - the states prior IL September ~
could have given a fair and unbiased re-
port as 20 the mineral deposits 81 tse cop
Fer river valley.
To ;,rospectors IN that valley IL is es-
seDtial that they should ne supplied with
mack animals as the consumption of food
taking llo men IS an average. Is about s's
pounds a day Granting this. it will readily
J.. seen that for Il man 10 leave his base of
supplies and sp in and come out Of the III
terror III less than thirty days would be i'm
possible and fer even this period would
require a back-pach ef is1 pounds Of food.
in addition 10 his Blankets. an amount that
il would be impossible for green man To
pack 30 matter hoW Wiling.
Tn. Time to Prospect.
at Is conceded tx all old miners that
Il Is practically imp8s si5in 10 prospect dur
irg MAY and June. ewing - the swarms of
mosquitoes that hayass man day ard
night Therefore as 7 said before. .; IS i'm
possible for man who has spent but a
feN mouths IL the interior Of a district that
l. far farxer IT, area thar Ne-a England or
the Eastern states 10 give an intelligent re-
port as n the resources q the country
I myself feel warranted in SAYING that
fhvfe are fewer mlne1s w:n'rEinae in tho
Copper river valley tn4s season than there
ever " Il be &. - history. / believe the
outlook for tae copper rfV~r district in
GLIDING ihe Ae4dNaters - 7ae Tanana. u
=, verv bright. !. wou,d bs is had form for
y "a say more l1aa tais. prior 70 submit
t.ps ;a the Rar delaytmeg.; Ban oflcia. re-
iogt u0 that csamtFy. believe myself to
l.. .ze0 informed oa tAe conditions prevail
.ag ffam tas head al copper fsver % Is
ns3a.a wh;ca sroaod tais expedition has
covered"
,-a.t A}1trcyofn.-se eoVyo4pfztt-i ,l+- rs.-
uart ~ ,ae esse roate sUt9 tht Furty Mise
district tae Tanaus aad other YukoA 10
caIlsits. watnh Mas InaGe 80 SAe ioSs-lntel-
us-ercer hs HON H. r. Mlaard. II Nlsoon-
81 > few weeks aga.