The Portland daily press., 1898-01-03
GOLD AND TAXES.
A Wall from the Miners of the Yukon
and KlOndike.
Object to the Dominion's Scheme of
Taxa'ion-Dawson City's Chamber of
Commerce Resolves.

Commerce Resolves.
Ottawa, January LIN connection with
the statement that a 81 ecial meeting of
the Council is ordered for Wednesday.
January 9th, to receive deputation of
miners and others having interests in the
Klondike who wish to protest against
the Government mining regulations, it is
learned that at meeting of the miners
of Dawson City "a Chamber of Mining and
Commerce was formed and this petition
was adopted and printed:
"To His Excellency, the Governor Gen.
eral in Council:
Whereas the Government has SO
amended the mining regulations govern
ing the placers of the Yukon district of
the North West Territories, that heavy
royalty is imposed. based on thu gross
output of the gold fields. and that creek
and river claims are limited in length
to one hundred feet, rather than five
hundred feet as heretofore, and that eve-
ry alternate claim is reserved from loca-
ton
Believing that the Government has
been misinformed as to the Yukon pla-
GERS, and having profound faith in the
justice of the representatives of the Crown
and the people, we represent as true these
propositions:
Grossly exaggerated reports have been
published through the newspapers of this
Dominion and the United States concern
ing the wealth of the Klondike and In
dian divisions of the Yukon district.
Men of this district who have gone hence
TO the centres of population in this coun-
try and the United States are quoted by
the press as authority for assertions eth
or wholly false or grievously misleading.
The impression has been given, apparent,
ly, that enormously rich claims are the
rule and that gold may be mined with
profit even now almost anywhere in the
region about the village of Dawson.
That impression Is not justified.
"Of the three thousand claims thus far
recorded in this district, not more than
two score have been demonstrated to be
remarkably rich. The others are either
moderately rich, ruling conditions con-
sidered or practically unknown quanti-
ties-most OF them the latter.
"The indications are favorable for fair
profit, but considerable percentage of
the claims would be profitless if heavily
taxed. Indeed, it is probable that many
of them would not be worth working at
all.
HThe wage rates here are high and sup
plies are costly. Ordinary unskilled la
Dor commands 81 to Sl.50 an hour; flour
costs $12 to SIS hundred weight b.
con costs so cents to Sl.50 a pound
Fresh beef costs 80 cents to 81. SO mound.
Good grade blankets cost S25 apiece, and
other supplies are proportionately expen-
sive.
''It is difficult, and at times impossible,
to buy supplies at all, and along the Yu-
kon famine conditions threaten every
winter, and shortage is the rule.
These conditions are of course tenn
porary, but SO great are the difficulties
with which men are beset who cope with
this desolate region that it is unreason-
able to expect any substantial modifica.
lions as to wages or supplies until claim
holders have gone far toward l. aying the
proved stream valleys q mass of worth
less tailings.
''In consequence Of the costliness of Ia
boz. and supplies not many of the mines
OF this district, even in the valley of the
Bonanza and its tributaries, yield much
beyond expenses at present, and many
that have been well prospected are not
rich enough to justify the claim holders to
employ miners TO assist in working them.
''In many cases, accordingly, a royalty
of ten to twenty per cent. of output
would be medium of eonfiscation.
Mining is seriously hindarsd and its
costliness materially increased by severe
climatic conditions. From very near the
earth's surface to the greatest depth yet
reached everything is frozen throughout
thu year, the temperature from early Oc-
tober to June ranging between the freez-
ing point and 70 degrees below zero.
During this cold season drift mining
is carried on, and it is necessary to thaw
the frozen ground by means of banked
fires before the pick and shovel can be
used, and, before sluicing can be done in
the spring, the gravel mined in the win
ter must be thawed by the sums hea t.
''From June to October. when open pits
may be worked, the sun must be given
time to thaw, exposed gravel, and fire.
quently fires must be brought to bear to
unfetter the ice bound masses.
"There are no roads in all this coun-
try, nor are there. SO far as we know,
any steps in progress to establish means
Of transport, and naver were men more
handicapped in moving to and from
mines than are we of the Yukon Dur
iEg the cold season we are obliged to pay
zen to fifteen cents pound for transport.
ing supplies distance of fifteen miles;
during the warm season thirty cents |
For longer distances the charge is even
greater proportionately.
This ia land of tremendous solitude |
and marvellous wildness. 1t appears to |
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