The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-03
UP THE STICkEEN RIVER.
Interesting Operations Contemplated In
Northwest Territory.


Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Boulder, March "A Standard cor
respondent recently had the opportunity
of interviewing Alexander Hamfield
representative of the Transvaal Gold
fields company of London, England,
who is spending a few days in Helena,
and learned something of portion of
the Northwest territory that is to be
opened up and explored this year
A few years ago a wealthy English
man who travelled for pleasure and eX-
element into remote and unexplored
parts of the world made trip up the
Stickeen river by canoe, accompanied
by Indians. From the headwaters of
that stream he portrayed across to {.
chain of lakes forming one of the
sources of the Dease river, down that
to the Laird, then up Francis river as
far as he could go with a canoe: then
he made a portage across to the Pe1ly
river, one of the tributaries of the Yu-
kon, and down that stream 1000 miles
to Boring sea, and finally back to Vic
toria. The trip occupied about two
years, and one of his conclusions was
that there was fine mineral region TO
be opened up about the headWaters or
the Stickeen river. This he suggested
10 friends in Victoria, and it coming TO
the knowledge of the representatives of
the big English company. the plan was
inaugurated of getting concession OF
land for building a railroad from nav
igation on the Stickeen to navigation
on the Dease river The company had
a good standing and abundant capital
from operations on similar lines in
South Africa and other portions of the
world where they own mines, so a prop
osition which they made to the Cana
dian parliament was accepted. The
company was granted 100000 acres OF
| land which was to be selected by them
| about the headwaters of the Stickeen,
with all mineral rights and other re-
| sources For this they are to build a
| railroad as above stated and have sew
| en- years in which TO complete it. Last
| fall, just before navigation closed on
the Stickeen. Mr.. Hamfield went up
| there with party of surveyors and
laid out townsite at Telegraph creek
| and others farther into the country.
| Though the work done then was princi-
| paIly in the line of surveying. he states
| that the indications for rich mineral
/ district are very good
He is now gathering a party of pros
pectors to go in there representing the
company, and to thoroughly prospect
| and explore the tract. Last fall when
! he made the trip with his party. there
| were no steamboats, on the Stickeen,
| but they We're taken up and back by
| Indians. During the winter he has been
/
cations are that there will be at least
20 river steamers plying on the Stiekeen
| az soon as navigation opens, which VIII
| be about May l. and that they will
| make connection with ocean going YES
sells at Fort Wrangel. He expects that
there will be a very large travel that
way into the Yukon country.
Besides the railroad project above
| mentioned. which was started before
| the Yukon excitement was commenced
| and before gold was discovered on the
| klondike. there is another company thai
is working on the proposition of build
| ing a railroad from Telegraph creek
north about $50 miles TO Teslin lake
from which navigation is easy to Daw
son, in fact better than by the branch
heading in Lake L!nderman, as tins
deadly White Horse rapids are avoided
They are asking certain concessions fol
building the road from the Canadian
parliament, and il is understood tina
arrangements are nearly completed
They viii need u get to work very
promptly. for they have put up q bono
OF 100000 that they viii have the roal
in operation by September. Taking mt
consideration the difficulty of gettins
supplies and railroad equipments int
the interior Of that country. they vii
/ need to push things.
MI Hamheld reports that there is
great abundance If English capital 70
Investment IN thdt part OF the Counll
and plenty Of country for almost an,
number of prespeetors. He expects tina
d great number will 60 in there tn.
season and that some good placer ant
quartz districts viii be opened up II
goes from Helena 10 Spokane and froa
there 10 the SLOGAN district for fey
DAYS Then To Portland. where h. Wi
clear the steamboat which the c1mpan
has purchased Tor transporting rs sup
plies and men from Victoria, ana The
into the Cas-iar land grant with IN
party Of prlSpeCtDrs as soon a. the e.