The times., 1899-10-02
PROSPECTS In THE YUKON
An Official Report of Its Mines and
Agriculture.
Flowers blooming in the Region of
Dawson City-The Demand for
Thawing Iachines-Advantage of
the Region Involved in the Dis
pute Over the Canadian Boundary.

United States Consul McCook, of Daw-
son City, has sent to the State Depart
ment what is regarded as peculiarly in
teresting report on the mining and agri-
cultural interests of the Yukon territory.
Much of the report deals with that section
of Alaska which is embraced in the Cana
dian boundary dispute. Consul McCook' s
report follows:
THE mining outlook for this country is
improving, owing to the use of machinery
and the appearance upon the field of the
capitalist Thawing machines coming in
are speedily bought. | am surprised that
no American machinists have come here
with material TO make these machines. as
it would have been a paying venture. In
all mining camps in Alaska, as well as in
the Yukon territory, these machines will
have 10 be put in operation, as this is the
most economical way to work the ground.
Claims that would not pay by the ordinary
method of pick and shovel, in consequence
of the high rate of wages and living will
yield profits by this method. Dirt which
was formerly considered not worth saving
and shoveling into the sluice boxes, will
yield large returns when handled in this
manner
The steamer Lotta Talbot, with refrig-
Grating machinery, that left Seattle in
June and supplied fresh meat at ST. Mich
aels and various ports along the Yukon,
has arrived here with about ninety tons
of dressed meats, butter, eggs, lard, etc.
The company's intention is to establish re-
friplraTipp nlaOfc a tho different larrp
posts along the Yukon, and to supply ST.
Michaels and Cape Nome next year, while
navigation remains open. Stock raising
along the Yukon should be very profitable
The building of sheds for winter shelter
would be the greatest expense To raise
provender is an easy matter. The markets
in Dawson are daily supplied with rad
ishes, lettuce, cabbage. turnips, carrots,
pease, beans, etc, grown within two miles
of the city. Flowers of nearly all varieties
are cultivated on a farm mile or two
from the city; there may be seen more
than an acre of beautiful flowers; bloom
ing as if they were in a southern region.
May June, July, and August are rracti-
cally free from frost.
Bricks are made about six miles up the
Yukon, and sell at $50 TO SIPS a thousand,
according TO quality. There is a marble
quarry close TO Dawson, from which trim
mings for doors and windows can be OBJ
tanned Porphyry is also found.
by the 1st of October. it is expected !
that the telegraph line to Dawson from
Skagway will be completed, so that any
thing of Importance can be communicated
from the States or Canada in about three
days. | understand the railroad is being
pushed farther than Bennett, and should
be to White Horse by next year. The
lower river is fast losing ground in the
carrying line. Very few passengers go out
that way since the stampede TO Cape Nome
ceased. The upper river boats have all the
freight they can handle.
There is quite stir in mining circles
about the good showing in the Forty Mile
district in Alaska. The Alaska CONNER
cial Company is TO build store at the
boundary, where miners can be supplied
/ understand that arrangements have also
been made with the customs officials,
whereby goods can be shipped through in
bond 10 Eagle City or Forty Mile. Jack
Wade Creek will be worked this winter, in
addition TO many others. The ground there
has only been scratched. Good mining
can be obtained at very low
rates Gold has recently heen found back
of Nulato, near the Koyukuk River where
il enpties into the Yukon. This only adds
TO the evidences that Alaska will be a
great gold-producing country in the near
future. In a few years, when mo5ern con-
veniences are brought in. one can live as
here as in many of the North
ern States"