Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-05-18
kOff for the Gold Fields.

The Milwaukee, Alaska Gold Dredge
| and Mining company, of which our
| former tOWnsman, Dr.. T. j. Toussaint,
is manager, started its expedition for
| the Alaskan gold fields from MilWau-
kee at 1886 Monday morning, passing
| through this city over the ST. Paul
road at 1:45. The expedition utilized
two cars-a tourist sleeper and a bag
gage car. The route to the Pacific
coast was over the Great Northern
railway and Seattle was expected to
| be reached last night. There the
| expedition will embark in its own
steamer and proceed to the Yukon
country. Included in the members OF
the expedition are Drs. Frank j. and
| Jacob j. TOuSsaint, sons OF our late
! townsman, j. j. TOussaint; George r.
Williams, a former Pipersville boy;
! Frank Lewis, son of +. Z. Lewis, of
Pipersville, and Sim Robinson, of this
city, who is engaged as cook for the
party. The members of the party
expect to be absent over year, and
| to provide for their families mean
while an emergency fund of SIC, 900 is
on deposit in a Milwaukee bank, each
member being privileged to draw $40
| per month for his family's support.
This Alaskan expedition is considered
one Of the most important that has
! thus far been sent from the states, and
the following brief history of the pro-
ject given by The Sentinel is Of inler-
| est:
| In June, 1897, W. B. Dean, manager of the
| Davidson theater, conceived the idea that gold
mining on large scale could be successfully
carried on IN Alaska with placer dredge. By
making thorough investigation, Mr.. Dean
learned that dredge mining was being done in
Mexico, Georgia, and many of the Rocky noun
tain states. Heinterested George j. Lontsdorf
with him, and together they obtained authentic
reports from mines in many parts of the United
States and Mexico. While engaged in this search
for information, they learned that DR.. Frank
y. IouSSa1nt had been making study of placer
mining with ladder dredge in Mexico. They
met DIR. Ioussalnt and he agreed to enter into
partnership with them in forming a stock COM
pany for the purpose of dredging in the streams
| of Alaska.
1t was along in October of last year before
the plans were completed. A stock company
| was formed with authorized capital of
| S100,OJO. DR.. TOussaint made several trips
! through Mexico and into the Rocky mountain
| states. He wrote out accurate reports of all
! the successful dredge mining operations in
| this country. Toward the end of last year the
! stock company began to assume substantial
form and IN January, 1898, the stock was offered
| tor sale at par value of one dollar per share.
! There was a stipulation attached to the pur-
! chase of stock. Every block of 1000 shares
! had to be represented by an able-bodied man
| who was to give his services to the company
! for fixed salary.
! Thefrst actual purchase was a ladder dredge
There are several machine companies in the
! United States that are engaged in building
] dredgeS. Bids were asked for and the Vulcan
! Iron works, of Kansas City, obtained the con-
! tract. The largest dredge ever built in this
! country was constructed OF steel. 1t Will raise
| $50 tons Of sand and gravel from a depth of
| thlrty-five feet below the surface of the water
! every hour. The streams of Alaska are open
! but about four months in the year, and it was
| necessary to have heavy machinery to be sue
! cessful. As the dredge was to be built on en-
| tIrely new lines, William G. Greenway, one of
/ the most noted mechanical engineers on the
| continent was brought from the City of Mexi-
co to superIntend the work. Having been
! operating dredge in Mexican waters for the
| past five years, Mr.. Greenway was familiar
! with all that belonged to practical placer min
! ing. He took charge of the work of construct
ing the dredge and vas engaged by the Mil
Waukee-Alaska Gold Dredge and Mining com
pany to go with the dredge to Alaska and oper-
! ate the machinery there.
Another important factor in the success of
! the expedition was staunch steamer that
! would furnish transportation for the members
| OF the company and carry provisions enough
/ TO last f0r one year. 1t was thought best that
! and John Conrad, of Milwaukee, who built the
! lire boats, was engaged for the work. Mr.. Con-
rad took with him a number of ship carpen-
tiers from this city and began the construction
Of steamer at Ballard, Wash, six miles from
Seattle. The boat is now finished and has been
named the milwaukee," She is 1870 feet long,
! thirty feet beam and draws but twenty-four
inches of water when not loaded. She has 1S4
! cabin berths and will be put into commission
! on the Yukon river, running about :, 900 miles
! to Dawson City and return. The dredge ma
chlnery is on fatboat built for the purpose.
! Inc engines and boilers for the steamer were
made in Portsmouth, O.