Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-17
A COPPER MINE.
J. {. HamIen Has Started One
in Copper River Section.
At Home for a Visit During the Severe
Alaskan Winter.
Proposes TO Form Stock Company in San
Francisco : His Adventures

If every prospcctor who Went to the
! gold regions Of Alaska should find a
claim where the ore in some metal
would be worth $l5S a ton, he would
consider himself very fortunate.
That however. is the very thing that
J. f. Hamlen of Augusta better known
among his boyhood friends as Bert.
has left in Alaska while he is at home
for the winter. The claim is not one
where there is gold in any large guam
titles. however. but it is copper that
n"ia! that has made so many people
rich in the past year. Mr.. Hamlen
says that the copper as it is at present
ana with the conditions surrounding
it. that are found in the large claim
that he is interested in. he would much
rather have ii than to have a gold
mine. for it is more easily accessible
But Mr.. Hamlen is also interested in
several claims where there is pay dirt
in quantities. These latter are on the
s"acoast Of Alaska on Prince Will
liam's Sound. He does not show the
interest in them, however. that he does
:. III copper mine.
MIR. Hamlen went 10 Alaska nearly
TWO years ago to try the fortunes Of
tho new gold country. Unlike the ma
jority he did rot rush into the klon-
dixie region, but he went to American
soil in the Copper river region. Here
he has been prospecting ever since in
company with nine other men. These
others are men Of the West. with some
Ok whom Mr.. Hamlen was associated
when he was in the ranching business
in Montana. They were all Western
men and all used to hard knocks.
Consequently they We're net of the sort
to succumb to whatever hardships they
had to endure. ana they did pass
through some very trying experiences.
They went 70 Valdez. a point on the
shore Of Prince Williams sound. that
was at the time they landed two years
ago. not known of by many. Even to-
day it is not on the maps unless one has
one of the late ones. though the town
of Valdez has become an important
one with hotels and trading houses.
The town is 700 miles northwest Of
Juno. and the other cities and towns
where the klondikc miners go. 1t is
seven days from Seattle ~ boat
When they arrived there each man
had about Il ton of supplies which they
hauled with them into the interior.
The journey was made over a very
large glacier which is 2S miles wide.
They have noW discovered a way in
which they can go around this great
block Of ice. The journey over. how
ever. was Il perilnUs and tircsomc one.
ana many trips had to BE- made over
and back with the great loads of sup
plies that. in places. had to be hauled
NJ over inclincs where a tackle and
fnlls were required. However. this
band of adventures went on without
serious mishap.
They have pruSp"ctnd in the country
for two years. taking out but little
gol |, and it was. in fact, Il months be
fore they made good strike. This
was on branch of the Chttyna
creek. a tributary of the Copper river.
| Here it is that the copper deposits that
thev have stakcd out claims upon.
were found When they struck the
COPPER they felt repaid for the entire
| two years work. for here Is q gold
mine in another form that will prob
| ably in time make them wealthy.
| During these two years % prospect
| inc about they have had naturally
MANY unusual experiences. and have
axpcrienced weather away down 10 ~
below zero. They have seen two WIN
ters with a fall of snow amounting 10
about IA feet. The country is far diff
fnrant from the klondikc region. IN
the meanwhile the settlers have been
coming in and establishing claims here
and there, until the government mas
become interested, and has not only
had n more thorough survey OF the
Mace made, but has established post
| Offices Mr.. Hamlen was one OF VI"
nnstmastcrs appointed, he being the
one mt the point where the claims OF
the company to which he belongs ileS.
II is virtually company for TN" ten
mon have signed papers of partnership,
and have a plan of action which they
yiu follow out next year.
The government has done another
hing 1t has in mind the building "i d
r,i,road from Valdez to the section
where the copper claims are located d
distance of about - miles. a route
nae been found where the highest att
.,dc will be only $500 feet that the
.rain will have to reach. The railroad
CON bo run there as we'll as in Maine
u Mr. Hamlcn believes. IN case w
,npocnt does not bullu the fodO