The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-01-01

now known as Bonanza from It's head
downward, as it lay in the direction OF
his way home.
The Bonanza Strike.
He found nothing Of note until he
came down about midway, where from
little nook in bend Of the creek he
panned out a good prospect. This en-
couraged him to try again. He did SO,
and III a few moments panned out
$l2.75, which he put in an old cartridge
shell and cprked with piece of stick.
This was Oh Aug. 10, 1896. He then
made his way down the creek as fast as
possible and went down the river for u
supply of provisions.
On the way he met several miners
and informed them of bis discovery.
At first they would not believe him, as
his reputation for truth was not above
par. These miners said they could not
tell when he was telling the truth, if
he ever was, as he was the greatest liar
this side of-a great many places. Some
Of them came to me and asked my opin-
ion. l pointed out to them that there
was no question about the man having
the :i2.15 in gold. The only question,
then, was, Where did he get it? He had
not been up the Sixty Mile, nor yet the
Forty Mile. and he must have got it
somewhere near where he was engaged
fishing and that was right at the mouth
of the klondil:e.
The Rush Begins.
Then followed the excitement Boat
load after boatload Of men went up from
Forty Mile. They went up any how and
any way. starting at all times of the
day and night Mtn who had been drunk
for weeks and weeks, in fact, were tum-
bled into the boats and taken up with
out any knowledge that they were trav-
elers. One man. indeed. was so drunk
that he did not realize that be had left
Forty Mile until he was more than two
thirds of the way TO the klondike, and
yet he owns one If the very best claims
in the klondike district today.
The whole creek, Il distanc. Of about
20 miles. giving III the neiahhorhood of
200 claims. WAS stakcd III "A few weeks
FL Dorado creek. seven and half or
eight miles long. providing so claims
was staked in about the same length of
time Boulder Adams and other sulches
We're prospected and gave good surface
| showings, gold being found i'll the gravel
| in the creeks. Good surface prospects
may be taken as an indication of the ex-
istence of very fair bedrock.
The news went down to Circle City
early in December, and it at once emp
tied itself and came up to Dawson. The
scenes Of the Forty Mile rush We're re-
/ peated. The miners came up any way
they could, at all hours of the day and
nioh- with provisions and empty hand.
ed. On their arrival they found that all
the creeks had been staked weeks be.
fore. 4 good many Canadians and 9th
ers. who mt Circle City had out -Ameri
caned the natural, native born Ameri
cans III their protestations and profes
sions of AmericaniSm, came up to oul
territory in this rush with certain eX
pectations of realizing something III tn,
new finds by reason of their nationali
". and in Canada made loud professions
Of loyalty, cursed their luck and declar
ed it strange indeed that Canadian OF
a Briton could not get foot Of ground
in his own country.
Wealth of bonanza and Ell Dorado.
Bonanza and FL Dorado creeks affor,
between them 2,s claims. Their sev
eral affluents will yield as many more
and nearly all of these claims are good
l have no hesitation in saying tina
about 100 of those on Bonanza viii
yield upward of $50, 900, 600. and abou
80 on the FL Dorado will yield $1,000,
900 each. These two creeks will, ! al
quite confident, turn out from $50, 900,
900 to SIS. 900, 900, and can safely sa
hat there Is no other region in tn
world that has Afforded SO many home
stakes-that is, fortunes enabling tn
owners to go home and enjoy the re
mainder Of their days at their ease
considering that the work has had to b
done with very limited facilities, tn
scarcity Of provisions and Of labor. an
that only the crudest appliances are a
yet available When l tell you that t
work properly each claim 10 or IL me
are required, and that only 500 wer
available that season, it will give 20
an idea Of the difficulties which had I
be contended with.
On Bear creek, which joins the klol
dixie about seven or eight miles abov
that, good claims have been found an
also on Gold Bottom. Hunker, Las
Chance and Cripple creeks. On Col
Bottom as high as $40 to the pan hs
been taken, and although we cannot sa
that they are as rich rs Ell Dorado or s
Bonanza, they are richer than any otis
creeks known in that country.
A fact easily demonstrated is tn,
from Telegraph creek northward to IL
boundary line we have in the Dominic
and in this province British Columbis
an area of from $50 to 900 miles
length aud from 100 to l5O miles
width, over the whole Of which ric
prospects have been found. We mu,
have from 10000 to 100, squal
miles which, with proper care, jud
, cious handling, and improved faciliti,