The times., 1898-07-26
BACK FROM KLoNDIKE.
Harry r. Sands, of This City, a
Lucky Prospector

Lucky ProspectOr.
Although Harry +. Sands, of No. 2042
Seventh Street northwesc. who has re-
turned from the gold country, struck a
streak of luck in the Klondike he says
no one will do well by going 10 the rich
Alaska gold fields now without plenty of
money.
Mr.. Sands went 10 Alaska last Spring
and entered the gold district on Marcn
s. He was accompanied by experienced
miners and prospectors, but his luck
in making rich find is attributed only
to the merest chance. There were ten
old-timers from Montana with him, the
best known of which were w. ]. Wig
ham and ]. c. Felce, of Butte, and L. D.
Colvin, who was superintendent of the
famous Mayflower mines for many years.
They attempted to ascend the Sushitna
River, which enters Cook Inlet at its
head, and after advancing thirty miles
were forced TO abandon the trip. They
were about to return and start out in
another direction when one OF the miners
discovered some float" which was a
sign that there might be ore in the vie
unity. The first impression was that the
float" had come down the river, and the
party began TO hunt for ore up stream.
In forming this conclusion they had mis-
led themselves, however, for il was after
wards found in prospecting that they had
gone more than fourteen miles out of the
way.
When they discovered the quartz vein
they found that the float" had not come
down the river, but from a quartz vein
along the sea-coast. 1t had fioated along
the coast and gone up the river with
the wash of the tide.
The vein proved rich discovery, for it
contained tons of the richest ore. 1t is
ninety feet broad and could be traced
along the surface for several hundred
yards 1t is about three miles from Safe
Harbor on Coal Inlet. The ore can be
handily shipped to this country by steam
ers, as the water line of the inlet is deep
enough to admit the large steamers, and
by building pier 100 or $50 feet long
could be easily loaded
Mr.. Sands came from the gold district
on the steamer City of Topeka, which ar
rived at Tacoma several weeks ago, and
then came 10 his home in this city.
He is enthusiastic over his extreme good
fortune and only came to America for
the purpose OF purchasing machinery
with which TO reduce the ore. He is now
arranging for the building of a smeiter at
Juneau or some favorable port in that
vicinity. Among the samples which Mr..
Sands brought to this country was one
which assayed $40 to the ton and another
of harder copper mixed ore which assayed
about $3.50 10 the ton.
In speaking of his trip Mr.. Sands said:
II am highly pleased with the success of
the party, but I would not advise anyone
to try the experiment unless he has plen-
ty of capital, or several years grub
stakes
"At the amount at which the samples
assayed, think our party of eleven has
a paying proposition. But for any person
to go into the district without money
would mean disappointment. When we
came out there was a large number of
disappointed prospectors and gold seekers
on the beach, and many came home.
1T is almost next 10 impossible for
anyone to so up the river in the Summer.
THE Indians, who are expert with their
canoes, cannot do II. Others cannot
either. When the ice is on the river in
the winter. however, it is possible TO go
UP for a distance of more than a hun
dred miles, and cross over TO the Yukon
near the Little Minock district"
Mr. Sands, in speaking of the situation
a Cook Inlet, said that the Hopkins
Mining Company of Boston has several
placer mines and the same organization
mas two nozzles at place about two
miles from Tyanick. They began to wash
about the last of June and it looked as
though the results would bring good
results.
The general cleanup had not begun
when he left and he could not state to
what evtent the company had been sue
cessful. The region around Turragain
Arm had not been developed at all Con-
siderable ground was sold adjacent to
rich claims when the Spring SHOWS melted
but it was apparently worthless, although
as high as several thousand dollars had
been expended for some of the claims.
Many of the disappointed purchasers
branded the scheme a swindle and left
the place for their homes when the
steamer sailed.