The silver lance., 1898-03-25
s.nolNo New GOLD FIELDS.
KiondIke May Turn out Richer Thaa Was
supp .sed Last Fall

KiondIke May Turn out Richer Than Was
Supp .sed Last Fall.
Skaguay. Alaska, March IL (via Sc
attic. Wash. March 1S).-Ben Atwater
arrived here last night from Circle
City and Dawson, y. w. T., bringing
100 pounds of mail from the above
places. Atwater's former home was in
Morrison. Illinois. He went to the Yu-
kon country in 1856. and has resided
there ever since.
Atwater, accompanied by II. c. Pet
tit of Snohomish. Washington. left Cir
Gle City January 10th and Dawson
February Sth, with dog teams. The
trip up the river and lakes was a hard
one, the weather being bitterly cold.
Atwater says there is food enough in
the Klondike country to last the pres
ent population two years. AS a conse-
quence of the food scare, the output of
the mines will be curtailed. He esti-
mates 1t at about $1,000, 900.
Atwater says that many claims
which were considered to be only wild
cat properties on various creeks are
turning out well. Dominion is paying
finely and will have big cleanup
next spring. Sulphur and Hunker are
also good. and SO is Indian. Quartz
ledges have been found on the latter
creek, which looks we'll There is
quite a settlement at the mouth Of the
Stewart, but no reports have as yet
been received from the prospectors
who went up the river early in the
winter.
A stampede occurred from Circle
City about January 10th to American
creek, about 800 men leaving for that
section. Atwater met three or four
hundred from Dawson making their
way to American creek. American
creek is fifty miles from Forty Mile,
and about twenty-five miles below the
international boundary on the Alaska
side
The reports from the Minook coun-
try are very encouraging. courier
from Minook arrived at Circle City Just
before Atwater left that place with
about fifty pounds of mail. This At
water brought out. The courier had
with him a quantity of gold from
Minook, and he stated that the pros
I pectors had struck it rich in that sec
ton.
Atwater says there are but few
cases Of scurvy at Dawson. The hos
pftal there has but four or five inmates.
and these have either met with accf
dents or are suffering from chronic
diseases. The general health Of the
, people is good.
A. a result Of the agitation here
against the "sure-thing' men, led by
"Soapy" Smith, United States Com
missioner Smith and Deputy United
States Marshal McInnis closed all
gambling houses on Wednesday night
1t is said that an arrangement was
made whereby the gambling will be
restricted to so-called legitimate
| games, and all sure-thing or bunco
games will be prohibited. The sure
thing men are leaving the town in
twos and threes.
The weather here for the past week
has been mild and springlike, and the
warm south wind and the sun are play
ing havoc with the winter trail, which
follows the river for distance Of
| eight miles. Hundreds Of people are
making their way over the divide,
however, undeterred by wind or
weather
Snow has entirely disappeared from
the streets, which are muddy beyond
conception.
The strike of the longshoremen for
IS cents an hour has been declared of
by a vote of the local union. The
| wages now paid are 80 cents an hour,
f! the steamship companies agreeing not
/ to employ Indians in hauling freight
| on the docks.