The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-24
ANAC ONDA NE WIS.
WINTER IS BREAKING UP
The Sun Appears to Warm Cold
Klondikers.
Interesting Facts Sent to the Standard
by . Gentleman Now at Dawson.
Some Prices - Output VIII
Be About s1o.ooo,ooo.

The Following letter from q well
known Montana mining man descrip-
tive OF conditions in Alaska contains
much information relative to the situa-
ton. The writer went part of the way
with the Word expedition from Helena.
The letter Is dated Dawson, N. w. T.,
March IL. 1898. and is as follows:
TO the Editor of the Standard:
The unexpected frequently happens
after spending five months of winter
on the Yukon, Saturday, March IL,
opened up like a May morning in Mon
tana, excepting there Is nothing visible
In nature but snow and a few trees.
Old Sol pours down his enulgent
rays In such a manner that the effect
Is very p~erceptible and acceptable to
the native and pioneer as well as to
the "c~heechocker' miner of the Yukon.
This has been a winter with the ex-
-ception Of about three weeks, that
would compare favorably with the best
Montana winters, being less subject to
those sudden n frequent changes that
are SO dangerous in the northern zone.
In the vicinity of Dawson the snow is
about three feet deep, on the low noun
tain ranges surrounding US it is five
to six feet. The Yukon is covered with
Ice from four to seven feet in thick
ness, the klondike nearly frozen to
the bottom and all the smaller streams
frozen solid. Thus. from the condition
OF t~hings-there being no chinook
wfnds-tbe sun has a great task be-
Tore him; consequently serves us long
days and must become very hot for a
number of hours during the day, i'm the
months Of April. May and June. There
Is great activity in various lines, espe-
cially in building. The district laid
waste from the ravages of fire during
the winter will be the first to be built
up. although improvements and build
ing will be galore throughout Dawson
the next three weeks, the only draw
back being the scarcity of material.
Lumber is $3.50 per thousand at the
mill, nails $500 per keg, common labor
$40 per day.. mechanics SIS per day;
n by a little mathematical calcula-
ton i figure that If a person builds on
a lot so by 100 feet In Dawson at the
present time he necessarily must have
enough capital to afford him a compe-
tence for life. but just the same they
are all building, IL matters not what 1t
costs. My friend will build with logs
that he secured In early winter and
roof with material from tents that he
has already purchased n use but few
nails, consequently he is in the swim,
m am sure he will make a success
of 1t.
There have been. a number of new
discoveries, but hadAnot the new law or
regulations been enforced there would
have been many times the number Of
discoveries and new developments.
There appears to be a system of SIAM
peding in & that many in their
zeal and ambition to obtain claims
have been carried away and a few
exposure and neglect have lost
their lives, but taken as a whole, con-
we are bordering on the 63d
degree north latitude. north of which
a distinguished writer a said God
intended neither for man nor beast,
and IL / am to adhere to the doctrine
preached in my younger days, the heat
Is not sufficient to warrant us in be-
We are at the back door of
Hades, but imagine we are just border
on King Boreas' possessions. l
confess I see around me strong
evidences of heat at an earlier period,
but during the last struggle King
Boreas evidently prevailed and has the
frozen vice grip on this vast region.
From the resurrected heads of the an
bison N bones of antiquated
luadrupeds. snakes and beetles (under-
meath which the lucky miner finds rich
of the auriferous) indications
~ formation SO recent that |
na~turalists and scientists would have
no serious difficulty in tracing the
footprints of time. As to the abund-
ance of gold. there is no question
about II. The richest and most extern
sive deposits the world ever saw. But
Under the new laws and regulations 1t
will be impossible to learn the amount
II gold hat will be extracted from the
Yukon district, and no miner will be
in locating 200 feet (the limit
It present), give one-half to The crown,
also a royalty of 20 per cent. on the
gold extracted, paying SIS recording
and a tax of 800 annually, and in
'eturn getting a grant or right to mine
90 feet, subject to cancellation at any
ime. according to the whims n IAN
of the gold commissioner.
The population here Is principally of
extraction, about four-fifths of
is from the United States and I
wish to say h queens subjects are
envious of them. And as
he British government Is fo1n led and
supported by taxation IF foreign sub
ecls n residents, successful United
boys, in my opinion. will take
heir medicine, the others will hunt for
;ew fields in Alaska. While ~ works
hardship on some of the citizens Of
ne United stats, IL will be the means
" an earlier development If mines in
Asska. thereby benefiting Uncle sam.
here IS q grea. deal of speculation as
o the course Major Walsh (now Gov
rn"r Walsh, will pursue upon mis- ar
Judge MaGuire a arrived. He Is
ute a dignified and distinguished