The San Francisco call., 1898-02-05
Reports of Discoveries Proba- bly Responsible for the
 Rush.
RICH DISTRICTS OPENED
Creek in the Indian River District Whose Banks Are Scanned
 With Gold.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


 ship City of Seattle to Victoria, Febru- ary 5).-A stampede from Dawson is imminent. The news was brought out by party of about dozen men which reached Skaguay on January 2S, sev eral of whom reached here by a small steamer on the evening of the same day. Among them was George Me Kenna of Douglas Island, who nas been in the Yukon for two years. He also states that a number of very rich new strikes have been made. This is the very latest from the Klondike. as four men in the party left Dawson as late as December 26.
 A party of twenty-four men left Dawson on December 19 for Stewart River They bought all the grub that money would buy and left with five months provisions. They intend to prospect the Stewart River up its en- tire course to and into the Rocky Mountains. Gold has always beer found in the bars of the Yukon. For years the sand banks of the Stewart have produced gold and in some places there has been a rich yield to the pan.
 As much of the gold in the Yukon came, doubtless, from the KlOndike and its unequalled rich tributaries-Bo- nanza, Fl Dorado. Hunker and other creeks-it is argued that so, also, the gold in the Stewart River bars may come from the same situation and from deposits equally as rich. The ob- ject of the expedition is to find these rich placer deposits, and there is said to be not a man among the number -l,- 5 Lz %I,a discovery and make locations on a new Klondike of another name
 McKenna said the Stewart River was being talked about more and more at Dawson and was attracting a great deal of attention. The fact Is recog- nized now more forcibly than ever be- kore that new territory will be found, Mnd in spite of prediliction for Amer ican territory there seems to be widespread "hunch" that the gold of the new diggings will be found in Ca nadian ground. He said he expected to hear soon of a stampede from Daw- son to the Stewart River.
 Of the crowd that started down the river last summer and fall several hundred went up Stewart River, so that it is possible that information of new discoveries may come down the river from some of these men after the clean up next spring if they have made locations and are able to do any development work during the winter.
 Two new creeks have been discov- cred. One is in the Klondike district. Here the ground shows forty cents to the pan, with seven feet of pay dirt to work The richest creek is in the h. dian River district, in the same vicin- ity. Eighty cents pan was found in this dirt a few inches below the sur face, with bedrock many feet below. This is said to equal anything found at first on Bonanza or Fl Dorado. There was stampede to the Indian River came known.
 The first news of the wreck of the steamers Corona and CoQuitlam reach ed Juneau in the morning. and Dyea and Skaguay in the evening, of Janu- ary 29 by the steamer Noyo, which brought up a few of the passengers. The Corona was visible hard against the shore, but Captain Pierce put out in a small boat and told how 1t hap pened.
 The passengers, particularly those vrho had to steal from theIr fellow Passengers enough grub to live on while ashore awaiting the coming of relief, are divided in placing the blame for the disaster between the captain and Pilot Coughlin. Many place the blame on the captain, many on the pilot.
 While the A1-Ki was taking off the inhabitants of the new town of Corona vile in stiff gale and lively sea, which were transferred to the Ore gon few hours later, as the Al-ki was taking water from having gone aground in Lynn Canal, as did also the George W. Elder a day later, pa thetic incident occurred in sight of all
 Two women, one with a baby in | arms, and a number of men were left | on Lewis Island The husband of the | latter took some personal effects. so goes the story told by several of the | aboard, intending to go ! back with the boat for his wife and | children. The gale stiffened and the | ships boats were blown down the | beach a mile and a half.
 Seeing 1t was not possible to make ] landing in such a wind and sea the | Al-Ki chased it, picked up the boat crew and the frantic husband and bore away on her course for the gates of | he Golden Yukon, leaving the weeping woman and the other woman and her husband behind. The former disem- parked the next day at Fort Wrangel, and is there awaiting by the next ship north the arrival of his wife and child. That ship will probably be the City of Topeka.
 The two hundred Corona passengers transferred from the Al-Ki arrived lere on the Oregon January 30. As many of them as had sufficient money eft bought another Klondike outfit in elneau.
 That night there were four ships in he harbor at once The Tees, the lat est to arrive. brought the news that 'nly small portion of the Corona was Q be seen when she passed her and hat the Corona seemed to be dropping ,ff the reef into deep water to her final