The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-09-12
ALASKA
Hon. Geo. Downing Returns From
His Trip.
Talks Interestingly of the Atln Mining
District and Other Points of
Interest.
ALASKA

shiAA WIZ itllNl ltil
last Friday from four months trip to
Alaska, in course OF which Mr.. Downing
visited the famous Atlin mining district
and he talks very Interestingly OF his
trip and the country visited.
Mr.. and Mrs. Downing visited with
United States Commissioner. Sehlbrede.
at Skagway, Mrs. isehlbrede being
their daughter, and Mrs. Downing
stayed there while Mr.. Downing pene.
trated further into the Alaskan wilds.
Cars are running from Skagway to
Lake Bennett, and that part of the
trip, formerly so much dreaded, is made
in comparative comfort.
The road is great piece OF engineer
ing, and was very expensive, being
built nearly all the way on and in the
solid rock, not enough dirt being avail
able to tramp the ties. The scenery is
grand beyond description, and in places
the danger seems imminent.
On Lake Bennett steamers are run.
ming, which take the traveller over Ben
nett and Tagish lakes TO Windy Arm
and through the Golden Gate, 60 miles
from Bennett, to Taku Lake, which is
followed 40 miles to Taku City. Here
portage OF 2ie miles is made to Lake
Atlin.
This, like other Alaskan lakes is long
and narrow, being l25 miles in length |
and to 10 miles in breadth. Crossing
the lake s miles, Atlin City is reached, |
a place Of 2OOO to 5000 people, the build |
ings being principally log cabins and
tents, though sawmills are in opera
tion and good buildings Of lumber are
being erected. Good rough lumber il !,
$50 to 800 per thousand.
A good road leads miles to Discovery
City on Pine creek, about 40 miles from
Skagway the central point Of the dis
trict, and place Of importance, con.
tanning about 1900 people including |
miners in the vicinity. The business
part Of the principal street is "a Of
mile long.
To quote Mr.. Downing; "The Atlin
mines have been greatly over-estimated |
as to the extent Of the mining district.
There is not room for the number Of |
people who are there. There are good |
paying claims on Pine, Spruce, Wright,
Boulder, Otter and few other small
streams. But on each creek there is but
a small distance in the length Of the
stream that will pay for working,
though there are some good claims
oneach."
During the next season there will be
q great deal Of gold taken out Of that
country by the hydraulic process.
There is plenty Of water and plenty Of
fall. The ground is frozen in few
places where the sun can not get 10 il,
but none TO speak OF, and hydraulics can
probably run from June Is to October /.
Mr.. Downing was in the mines two
months and 20 days. OF the Salem peo-
pie there, the West boys, DR.. and Mrs.
Morse, on Pine creek, are doing fairly
we'll. Nat Bowerman owns good
claim ON Wright creek and will come
home with good stake. Captain
Lowell has every prospect OF doing we'll.
Albert Jacobs, from Macleay who went
in with Mr. Downing, was eit in the /
Atlin district doing fairly well.
Standard wages are s. per day and
board yourself Meals are SOC and zoe,
the latter frst.class. Beds are 5Oc 10 q,
depending upon whether you want one
with or without. The latter price See
cures a good clean bel. J.,
Provision prices run: Bacon, 2jc per
pound; beei, 25 to 5Oc; butter, toe;
lard s3lsc; potatos, l2c Hour, 81 per
sack. l.
Too many rushed in here. June /
there were 1900 people in the Atl'u
district. They came out in every con-
way. Some could not pay fare
came part way by small boat, part by
land. Hundreds built boats and came
that way.
On the return Mr.. aud Mrs. Downing
took passage on the steamer Topeka 0n
her excursion trip from Seattle, and the
Muir glacier, the greatest glacier ia J
America, was visited This is grand
sight, suuassing all exp 'tations.
Pisces Of Ice two and throe hundred
feet long break Of from the face of the