The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-03-03

TARAH, METROPOLIS OF THE COPPER RIVER
| DISTRICT.
months, for Ii Is generally believed the
untold wealth awaits the men who shall
face the dangers and explore its upper
reaches. Placer beds have been found near
the mouth of the river, not rich In gold,
| IL is true, but rich enough to lead shrewd
| prospectors to believe that farther up the
river are plaoers which will equal those
| along the Klondike.
But while the chances of finding gold are
supposed to be good there Is an equally
alluring prospect based on the old tradi.
tions which led to the naming Of the
river. They tell stories Of a mountain OF
solid copper which rears red peak up
somewhere near the source, mountain
which the Indians know about and which
they jealously guard, but which no white
man has ever seen and lived to tell about.
1t Is like the tabled silver mountains OF
| the Aztecs.
That the Indians get copper from some.
| where is most certain, for It is q common
metal with them. They make bullets,
knife blades, pans and other articles of 1t.
They also bring down copper ore in which
silver and sometimes gold Is mixed. 1t Is
well known also that the Indians are toe
lazy to be miners and that II the copper
did not lie exposed on the surface they
would never take the trouble to use 1t.
Lieutenant Allen, U. s. A., explored
Copper river in 1885 and nearly starved
through loss of supplies. Much rain fell,
so that, although 1t was in April sledging
was next to impossible and the men slept
In the slush In sopping clothes for weeks.
The natives, who are known as Midnoos.
kies, or Stick Indians, have an ancient
reputation for hostility and are credited
with numerous massacres of Americans
as we'll as Russians. Recent visitors to
Copper river deny this and say the Indians
are intelligent and friendly.
In recent letter posted at Alaganik @
Copper river prospeotor has this to say OF
them: "The Indians are not hostile. On
the contrary, they are more than friendly.
They are much finer, more intelligent
lot of men than any Alaska Indians along
the coast and compare favorably with the
best examples Of the Crows or Chippewas
They are very clean, have q fine skin,
paint very little, have clear, kind eye
are very manly In action and look you
square In the face when they talk.
"We travelled and camped with band
Of six of them for nearly ten days, off and
on, and in every camp found them ready
TO help carry our stuff short distances tc
help us get wood and water for camp, and
although they were curious sometimes,
they never molested a single article"
Tho same prospector, In describing hi
trip up the river, says:
"The actual hardships commence on the
trip from the Bear House. for even undel
favorable auspices party with q loaded
boat can only make about two miles day
| and must work like heroes to even accom-
plish that distance. They must be ready
to sleep upon river bar, where the stone
vary from fine black sand TO powders th'
size of ones head they must WOO Nor
pheus lying on patch of open swamp, will
the rain falling In torrents; they mus
work early and late and expect TO be soak
cd to their waists day after day; they mus
be content with two hasty meals day
and such mesls-bacon and beans, theI
beans and bacon, then bacon and beans
coffee and occasionally a tough fiapjaok.
"It Is impossible 10 cook more whel
pushing ahead; then, again, blankets of
ten get wet and there Is no place to dr..
them-no picnic even for men acoustome'
to hardships of frontier life.
Beyond the Sheep House Is the Uppe
Bear House at distance Of seven mile
and on the same side of the river. Her
the current is about ten miles an hour. Th
river is mile wide and very deep, ther
being only two seasons of the year whel
passage at this point Is practioable--in tn
fall, from Sept. 10 to Oot Is, approx
mately (by boat), or In March and Apr
on the ice."
But even under these disoouraging oon
ditions the possibility Of finding rich plaS
ers or Of reaching the mountain Of coppe
will lead determined prospectors to pus
TO the end, and by next spring Copper riN
or will be no longer mystery.