The Monticellonian., 1898-04-01
RICH STRIKE IN KL0NDIKE.
The Biggest Stampede Yet Recorded in the Gold Regions of the Far North-t Hum
 dreds of Waiting Men in Line

SKA6UAY, Alaska, March 24, via Seattle. Wash, March 2s.-OHe of the biggest stampedes yet recorded in the Klondikc region was oecasioned on February 12 by a very rich strike on the divide between the Big and Little S5oolum.
 The strike was made in bench dig gings on high hogback 300 or 400 feet above the level of the gulehes. Pay dirt running from Sl to SD to the pan was found Following the announce ment of the strike occurred a stampede from Dawson of immense proportions, and the entire ridge was stalted out in q short time.
 This news was brought to this city this week by Mr. A Piche, official courier and dispatch bearer for the Ca : nadian government
 Mr Piehe says there was immense excitement 1t Dawson when he left over the Skootum strike and that over 2o0 men were standing i'll line at the recorders office to record claims
 Mr. Piehe also brings the news of new strike on Lewis river, which is of great importance, if it develops as is promised.
 On March man named Connolly, while prospecting q small pup lead ing of the leads, about 75 miles below Lake Lebargc, found pay dirt, which Is promising Piche personally visited the claim and took from & to S3 from a single pan. The discovery is about 30 miles up the stream from the leads
 The latest reports from the Salmon river country are brought out by Charles Fitzpatrick, who arrived here from that district yesterday. Eitzpat- r,ek says the find on Walsh creek is all that has been claimed for it; that he took from his own claim S2.59 to the pan. He says there are already about 1so00 people at Walsh creek, which is an9 more than can secure claims on that particular stream. Tine creek is not 54 miles in length, as first reported; II will not measure over - miles in length. He says, however. that the whole country in that locality is min eral bearing and that, in his judgment, the next three months will see some further remarkable strikes. He says:
 For instance 1 think the south fork of Big Salmon will turn out a paving investment. It k about l25 miles from Lewis river. Then there k the Eoto creek, which has already shown up fa- vorably, running about 75 cents to the pan, and l could mention four or five other creeks in the vicinity equally good.
 What is regarded bF many as in port ant, . rich gold strike has been made in the immediate vicinity of Slaguay. For some time past systematic pros peeting has been carried on in the hills surrounding the skaguay trail and at last Ii has been rewarded
 Thomas Il. Phipps and Ralph Ii Smith claim to have unearthed a lot of rleh quartz-b bearing free-milling gold The location is kept a secret, but is de- scribed by them as being within an hours walk of the port office.
 The value of the find cannot be de. termined until returns from the assay office at Juneau are made.
 The prospect bears every evidence of being more than d surface cropping. Samples picked at random were beaten up with a hammer, and particles of yellow metal washed from the dirt ex- cited much interest The locators claim to have abundant capital to de velop the mine, and say bucket tram way will readily solve the problem of getting out the quartz
 Charles Mccarthy, well-known ward politician of san Francisco, was shot through the legs in this city yes terday morning by Charles Ritter, waiter in the Horseshoe restaurant The row grew out of drunken brawl McCarthys wound is serious, though not dangerous. About the same hour another shooting affray occurred on Nick inney street. in which several shots were fired. No visible results were left save d bullet hole through d sign eff newspaper office.