Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-01-19
INDIANS DIVULGE RICHES.
Two Great Alaska Finds Discovered by
Red Men of that Region.

Two Great Alaska Finds Discovered by
Red Men of that Region.
Gold in quantities beyond the fancy of
the most frantic Klondike adventurer is
reported among Alaska Indians, said l..
T. 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
story that would almost give an old pros
bector commissions, and furnished explain
atory details of a 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
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
a creek and found in it what he took to
be gold nuggets. Not certain of his own
judgment, he got few and Travelled
down the stream a few days. until near
Dawson he found a white man living
with q 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 all
summer, gathering along its bed as many
of the nuggets as he could with his lin
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. Chilkoot
Jacks son told me this in confidence, as
a member of the tribe. | 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 a story of rich find
ings, which he was able to corroborate
with a 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 had two or three small sacks contain
ing gold. and had the same metal stored
about his ragged clothing in abundance.
Daley Salu he ndU Do0u 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 pounds.
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 a 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-
| fiuence 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 its covering is found. After
| travelling north for a considerable dis
lance, Bailey says. he turns directly
across the country for the headwaters of
Stewart river