The herald., 1898-10-24
RICHER THAN DAWSON
PLACER GOLD AND QUARTZ
MINES IN ATLIN DISTRICT
WEALTH ON PINE CREEK
Return Of an Angeleno Who Has
Struck It in Northwest Territory.
Disguised With Dawson

The first Los Apgelcno to return from Az
lin, the new mining district OF Alaska,
Arthur Vinette, who left here over eighteen
months aao to seek his fortune IN the then
great unknown" Klondike. Over veal
! OF the time he spent in Dawson City, and
iseeing from the start, 1t was an overeetlmdtee
country, he devoted his time to his traue
carpentering..
his fortune at the rate Of IS day, with
board extra, one morning he packed MI
grip and decided to return home. When nc
reached Lake Tagish, on his return trip
which is about ninety miles from okaguay
rumors OF a new placer mining camp on
Pine creek reached him. As he was then
half hundred miles from the camp ne De
cided to make one more attempt TO meme
This fortune before leaving Alaska forever
| This decision he does not regret, and the
three bottles Of gold and titles to four rich
claims in different sections OF the district
which he brought back with him explain
why. Concerning his Atlin experience, ht
said:
when left for Pine creek it was said thai
both Pine and Spruce creeks had been staked
| from top to bottom, but by the time got
there many of the early prospectors had
given up, and were anxious to get home
Less than week later several new discov
cries began to be made, and stampede com
menced, in which no less than 5000 people
participated. At this time there were sew
eral claims that were yielding from $40 to s6(
day. One man, Jack Shepard he was
called, took out in something like 20 day;
with the most crude method $500, and ther
sold his claim for $4,000. The first ripple OF
excitement was caused by the Birch creek
discoveries and from that time almost every
day nugget of alluring weight would bt
found first in one creek and then in another
Nuggets valued at from $40 to $50 were very
common. The largest found that remem
ber was picked up by man named Viii
liams. 1t was valued at $500.
The district cannot be estimated by thi!
years outfit for the reason that few of us
worked our claims. When we took up I
claim we would just get down to work wheI
there would arrive news of new strike, and
off we would 60 for the new discovery, form
ing a regular stampede. In all performed
about five days gophering work on my sew
eral claims, and when / reached bed rocl
l saw enough to know that my fortune wa.
made.
THE Atlin district has not only de
veloped into a wonderfully rich placer
mining camp, but gives promise Of being Q
rich quartz district as we'll. A ffteen-foot
ledge carries copper pyrites, steel galena and
free gold, and is located on mountain be
tween Spruce and Otter creeks. Among
the Los Angeles people who have located
rich claims are Joe Merrill, former mil
owner, who has been taking out from 80 tt
S. day with just pan; and Charles Fisher
of the local carpenters union.
"I expect the Atlin placers will be thu
scene Of the greatest rush in the spring thai
has visited the country, and would advis,
all who want to make their fortunes to &C
there, as the country, or the new Klondike
as it is called, is fabulously rich. Another
point in it's favor is the comparative east
with which one can reach there. In the sprinI
thirty-five miles of the trip-from Skaguay
to Log Cahin-can be made on rail. From
the latter place to Lake Bennett, distance
of ten miles, there is a good trail. Tn,
rest of the journey through Lakes Bennett
Tagish and Atlin. can be made in a good
steamer. The district, being in northwest
territory, is not subject to the same strict
rules as those governing mining in British
Columbia, and is therefore an ideal place for
a poor man."