The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-08
ANACONDA NEWS.
DIRECT FROM KLONDYKE
DR.. Lesser Receives a Letter From
His Brother.
FIGURES COMING DOWN
He Thinks That 100000 Will Be
More Than Next Seasons Clean
Up-A Strike of the Miners
On Short Rations

DR.. Oliver Lesser has received letter
from his brother. j. j. Lesser. who has
been in the klondyke for some time. Mr..
Leisers opinion is that the result of the
next cleanup will be not nearly so
pleasing as was anticipated. His letter
is full of what may be accepted as solid
facts concerning the discoveries in
Alaska. The letter is as follows:
Dawson on the Klondyke. Nov L.
Via Victoria, n. w. TIN a FORMER let
ter l made statements in relation to the
klondyke gold fields which L now have
occasion to correct. These statements
were made, not from direct personal OBJ
servation. nor yet from wild, floating
statements; they were made from word
of mouth of persons direct from the
field. All facts. from producers, from
middle men, if you choose, and from
shippers, will vouch for the statement
i made that 5000 600 was the outside
limit for the Klondyke mines produce
tfon last leason. The poor fools who
went out during the summer and Gre
ated most of the excitement told the
fables to lionize themselves; they most
~ lied as to their possessions, while
some who actually had big bags car
ried the dust of other friends with
them.
Then | made a statement that this
season would pan out $50 600, 000-I mean
this winters work and it's cleanup next
June. 1 am very sorry for saying that.
The fever had extended along our route
so stubbornly that miners mining and
working elsewhere than these diggingS,
and apparently not under the influence
of any excitement, youched for such
statement. They seemed to think that
conservative figure. Now / am on the
ground and can speak for myself |
have interviewed individual claim own
ers, and consulted unbiased observers.
The result is that | must materially
bring down my sensational figures of
heretofore. Ten million dollars l am
sure is the outside limit of gold for this
next cleanup, Il big fall indeed from
$4,000, 600. Well, / am sorry to have to
make such serious correction, but the
misled world has made too much ado
and needs to he quoted down. Last
year all the best paying claims in the
best paying gulches were worked and
may have been drifted out in from one
fourth to one-half of their pay streaks.
These same claims this year will be
worked much more extensively. In adj
dition a number of claims that were
prospected enough to prove their rich
ness, but not worked for pay, will be
added to the producers. Then, since
last season, number of claims in sew
eral new gulcheS have been discovered,
which will add more or less to the out
put. Yet all this will not more than
reach the sum named.
1T is claimed here by the sensa-
tional kind, including newspaper corre-
SpondentS, that mine owners are taking
a corresponding opposition to the BOOM
ers of the past. This comes, they say
from the bad effect the boom had on
the Canadian government. / do not be-
lieve such is the case. 1t would not
have such influence. The laws are al
ready made and are being in part en-
forced. At any rate, it appears from
actual calculation that only $1,000 600
were mined last year and ] cannot my
self figure how $40 900. 900 will be cleaned
up next. However. the best authority
says so. Other authority. which talks
to the outside world, still booms. A
'chechoclzo,' the Indian name for ten
derfoot, with his big sign, Dealer in
mines. real estate. etc, ETC., has just
been rafting off to me prospectus in
tended for you outsiders Why, there
are now S10,000,000 in dust bagged up
and in the safes Of the company stores
here. i know it!
u was talking upon estimates and the |
estimates We're made early in the sea-
son and under fortuitous circumstances
Two later conditions will most extern
siyely modify my estimate of $40 900 600 |
There is a strike of miners against a |
cut in wages. This has been on al
ready over a month, and much time is I
lost at the beginning of the season |
There is no telling when it will be set |
tied. but the effect has been that al |
ready many miners who intended |
working for wages have scattered over
the country and down below, prospect
ing for themselves. Even though the |
wages, $1.50 per hour. may be acceded
to, the strike has materially crippled
the output of dust A second condition
is the grub question. You will have
heard all about it, and no doubt more
than all It's influence upon the mines
is more serious than is the strike No
mine provides grub for Its workmen
Many owners of good claims have not
enough to keep themselves through the
winter. except upon low rations. Fully
half the old miners and fully half the
new ones, who intended to work fer |
wages, have not more than half a win
ter'S store These are quitting the
country In many cases. or rather
most cases, these miners leave their
stores, and one stays to work while
the other goes out to return in the
spring with more stores From this
cause | am satisfied that the output will
not be actually more than half the esti-
mated amount; that is, it will he less
han s., zoo, 900, instead of $40 O0O 0O0
believe that had all conditions been
favorable this season most of the big
claims would have been mined out and
that this year would be the maximum
year for the klOndyke-subiect of
course, to new strikes.
I'm a series of resolutions adonted
Yesterday to the Canadian government
against the new laws. was embodied (
his clause: That not more than two