The record-union., 1898-10-03
Skaguay, Sept. 16, 1898.

SkaSudy, sept. ~, 1000
Dear Papa: No doubt you are anx-
ious to hear from me, and to learn
that I am back safe and well. l never
felt better in my life than L do at pres
ent. I did not meet or hear OF any
one sick in the camp (Atlin Whlle
there. 1t is the finest country l was
ever in for water climate, game, and'
in fact, all a person could wish for.
There is moose, caribou, mountain
sheep, bear, grouse and trout, and Iast,
but not the. least, gold everywhere. In
most places a person has to hunt Tor
places to find it. It is very d1ferent
in the Atlin district, A person would
have to hunt to find place where he
could not find colors.
No doubt you have read in the pa
pers before now Of the country, but
will write you just as I found it, and
I travelled many miles to find out what
I know. Pine Creek was the first dis
covered. Miller Of Juneau was the dis
coverer He has his sluice boxes run
ming, and will average over $50 to the
man every day, and has not got down
to bedrock yet.
Jack Shepard, about No. 10 above
discovery, is cleaning up about the
same. There are only about six claims
on Pine running sluices, but many are
getting ready, whip-sawing lumber and
draining.
The bench claims are very rich. Men
carry the dirt down to the creek in
sacks. Some have twelve-foot slulces,
and some have rockers. They are all
paying from SO day up.
Last Tuesday evening I was coming
down the creek Captain Sperry Of
Skaguay was cleaning up a twelve
foot sluice and it was a sight to see
the glittering gold. He was himself
dumping sacks. and two men We're
carrying sacks, between ten and eleven
ounces. That is the best 1 heard of or
saw. But everything that is working
is paying good.
Willow Creek, a tributary to Pine, lie
claimed to be very rich, although no
claims are being worked. On account
of a dispute over the discovery the Gold
Commissioner closed the creek for the
season.
Birch Creek, that empties into Pine
about four miles above Discovery has
proven good above Discovery. At pres
ent I can only give you the workings
Of few claims. No 8 above DiscoV-
ery-Three men, two days work, seven
ounces four pennyweights. In No. 30 IN
several claims they have found mug
gets as heavy as $3.50. On No. 63
above I saw nuggets that went S4.lo,
and so on. The creek prospects good
all along. It is several miles long and
all staked.
Spruce Creek, about four miles from
Pine is turning out good. Wherever
they are working it is paying well.
Otter and Boulder are being prospected.
The last discovery reported was
Wright Creek. about twenty-five miles
from Pine. 1t is prospecting better
than all.
On Discovery two men panned in
two hours S97. The next day they
panned Sill. Above Discovery the
slate stands against the stream, so if
the gold came down it is surely there.
Once it gets in the slate crevices it
will stay. If I was to write until to-
morrow morning 1 could not tell you
all.
I will send you papers by every boat
with reports, SO you can keep posted.
Next spring it will be livelier than
Dawson ever was A person can get
in easily and out any time Of the year.
The trip can be made, in either summer
or winter. in -four" days from here - by
steamer in summer and over the ice
on a good trail in winter. All provis-
ions will be taken in over the Ice. A
horse can sled in 1000 pounds over
the ice in four or five days. The
bunch grass in there is waist deep.
I was in there just one month.
expected to- stay only eight or ten days,
and like all others only took supplies
for that time That is why more work
is not being done at present. I do not
say gold will be found in such great
quantities as in the Klondfke, although
# may when the country is thoroughly
prospected, which 1t will take next sea-
son TO do. Everything was being staked
as fast as discovered. Stampedes oc-
cur every night or two. They usually
wait until about 9 or 10 p. m, and