The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-08-29

board at s15O,OOO. Among the fortunate
returned Klondikers were J. A Walsh
of Redland, Cal. He had about $12, 900
in dust and nuggets. E. J. Linen of
San Francisco and his partner, Bert
Floyd, had about 5000 each. Various
others had amounts ranging from $1,000
to $13, 900.
Major J. NJ. Walsh, commissioner
of the Yukon district, was among the
passengers from the Yukon country to
arrive in Seattle this morning via the
lakes. He is en- route to Ottawa to
make an official report. He talked at
length to The Call correspondent re-
garding the conditions in the great gold
field in the north. In speaking of the
probable changes in the laws governing
royalties he said that since coming to
Seattle he had met several men who
had just arrived from Ottawa and they
informed him that any recommends
tons he would make to the Canadian
Government would unqueStionably be
enacted into laws.
If the information received by Major
Walsh from these men proves to be
correct, he stated in positive language,
all grievances would be removed short
~ after he submitted his official report
and recommendatio to the Dominion
Government. The report would be ac-
companied by a petition from Yukon
miners.
Major Walsh takes exception to the
charges made through the newspapers
against the Yukon officials, and is out
spoken in his declaration that all COM
plants have been made by calamity
hOWlers and not by legitimate miners.
He says 10000 men have already gone
to the Klondike, and half of them gave
grievances against the other half as
a consequence of violation of contracts,
agreements, etc.
The ex-commissioner denies a report
sent out criticizing the Yukon officials
and alleging that they endeavored to
discourage the Fourth of July celebra-
ton. He pronounces this a malicious
falsehood.
In speaking of the output for this
year and next season. the country and
the people in general Major Walsh
said:
Three million dollars was carried over
from last autumn and the output of gold
this year will exceed ten million dollars,
and perhaps reach eleven million. When
l left Dawson, on August 4, the spring
and summer output amounted to $500, 900,
and we estimated that there was about
which could not be washed up for want
of water, but should be cleaned up by
the middle of September.
II will require this year about three
and a half million dollars to do business
in this district. great deal of prospect
ing has been done on Dominion, bunker
spring. and this will increase next years
output greatly. Royalty was not collect
ed from any claims which had not got
into good working order, and this would
represent quite a large sum. Many
claims. too. were exempted from royalty
on account of having been removed pre-
vious to August Is. 1897. the date of the
law requiring the payment of royalty.
It is not the claim-holder who is MAX
ing the greatest noise about the royalty.
He would certainly like to see 1t removed
or reduced, but he is not bowling about
II. It is the Spectator, who thinks 1t in
terferes with his profits in selling claims
who grumbles most.
Gold mining in the British Yukon has
only commenced. Next year the output
should be $50 900. 900 and 1t should con-
tinue to increase every year until 1t
reaches a sum which will class the dis
trict among the greatest mining camps
of the world
With telegraph communication and i'm
proved transportation facilities which
will soon come the cost of living. the
price of labor and the cost of material re-
quired for mining purposes will be so re-
duced that thousands of acres of land
which cannot now be worked profitably
will be thrown open in such a manner
that the greatest of operations will be en-
tirely satisfactory. Some less expensive
way of thawing out the ground will be
found and a better process of mining
adopted. There is a great field for hy
draulic operations, and this system will
be no doubt introduced before long and
work done on larger scale.