Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-05-04

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that it often requires from eight to
ten such holes to locate the pay streak,
even on prospected creeks like Bonan.
"a and Eldorado, it isn't much wonder
that man who can't expect to live
more than eighty OF ninety years don't
care to attempt to prospect all the
tributaries of river three or four
hundred miles long with tributaries
from three to five miles apart.
There are claims on Bonanza which
have been worked every year since
its discovery and the pay has never
been located until this winter. So
don't blame the poor sinner who gives
it up, for if he hasn't got plenty of
money and provisions it's uphill busi-
ness at least.
CANADIAN GOLD FIELDS.
In describing these will begin at
the boundary between Alaska and
Canada and try to give you brief de-
scription Of each creek, which empties
into the Yukon from there up the
river.
First comes the Forty-mile, which
runs through about twenty miles of
Canadian territory before emptying
into the Yukon, but the gold bearing
portion Is nearly all In American ter
ritory.
Next comes Twelve. mile Creek,
which is about eighteen miles below
Dawson and on the same side of the
river as the Klondike, and was staked
last fall, but / am Informed by a pref
ty reliable person that it was only a
fake, he claims there has not yet been
any holes to bedrock. There is some
thing of that kind going on nearly
every day and if "A person should at
tempt to follow up all of these STAN
pedes he would wear out about ten
pairs Of legs In three months.
The next is Kentucky Creek, about
six miles this side Of Twelve-mile and
was staked in about the same manner,
something like two months age, land the
next is Moose-hide, about thirty miles
below Dawson on the east side of the
river and here there are probably half
a dozen claims that are paying about
$40 per man. Or course it is quite
possible that when these creeks are
thoroughly tested, they may all con-
tain good gold, but there isn't many
people here who think 1t at all prob
able.
Next comes the wonderful" Klon-
dixie. The water is clear and runs
very swift. The bed is covered with
coarse gravel, but no one knows
whether it has ever carried gold or not
because no attempt has ever been
made to sink a shaft in or near the
channel, They tell you that it is all
staked, but have not been able to
find anyone who has ever been at or
anywhere near its source. Ii Is sup
posed to be from 200 to 250 miles in
length and it is claimed that near its
source it broadens out into wide fiat
valley or plain; the lower portion OF
it lies between low timbered noun
tains.
There are many tributaries to this
river, but no gold has ever been found
on any OF them coming In from the
north, and l will not attempt to men
tion any except those upon which
some gold has been found Bonanza
is the first and empties about one and
. half miles from the YUKON. 1t is
about twenty-four miles In length
and on this there is about five ana a
half miles of good paying ground, be-
sides the benches. The average width
of the stream is about 800 feet from
rim to rim.
Eldorado is about seven to eight
miles in length and is far the richest
creek that has ever been discovered in
this part Of the world, though the
pay has never been found above No.
81 or about three and half miles. So
you see there was only room there for
thirty-seven men to get rich. There
is also about fifty to seventy-fye bench
claims on Bonanza and Eldorado that
viii put out from $1,000 to $4,000
each.
Next comes Bear Creek, which
empties into the Klondike from the
south side about eight miles from the
Yukon. This creek has never had
much work done on it until this win
ter. 1t 10 only six or eight miles long
and as far as / can learn there are
only six or seven claims on 1t that will
pay. Hunker comes in about two
miles farther up and heads from the
same hills as does Bonanza, and on
this creek there are about twelve or
fifteen good claims and about the
same number Of good benches. 1t has
never had much work done on 1t until