Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-21
OUTLOOK IN
The kL0NDIkE
Does Not Seem to be a Very
Rosy One.
The RUSH NOT JUSTIFIED
The Mines Which Pay Well Are Con-
fined to a Small DiStrict--
Future Development.

' washinston, Feb. 20.-Secretary Alger
has transmitted to congress a complete
report on the relief work of the war de-
partment in the Klondike country, un-
dertaken under an act of congress as a
result Of reports that extreme distress
among the miners followed the influx to
the gold country during 1898. It en-
braces the reports of Capt. P. H. Ray and
Lieut.. w. P. Richardson. Aside from the
details of the relief work, Capt. Rays
last report dated May last, contained the
following interesting statement:
II deem it Of the greatest Importance
for the development of the country that
roads should be opened so as to enable
people to enter the country not only from
the Yukon to the open sea in our own
country, which is of the greatest import
ance, but to enable miners and prospect
ors to get into the interior with their sup
plies. Under existing conditions persons
can enter the country only by the one
greathighway-the Yukon overland they
cannot nope to be landed at any point be-
fore July /. The gold bearing districts
are from so to $50 miles back from the
main stream. There are not any hummer
trails except foot trails and provisions
and mining tools can only be transported
on the backs of men. I do not find any
thing, either in Alaska or Northwest Ter
ritOry, to justify the great rush of people
to that country or the enormous invest
msnt now being made in transportation,
trading and mining companies. In North
west Territory no discoveries of eXtraor-
dina1y riches have been made since that
OF the KlOndike ana the claims are al
most entirely confined to Bonanza. Ell
dorado, Dominion. Honka, and Sulphur.
with a few lain on Bear creek. In this
district all rich claims are we'll known
and held at very high prices and while
the whole COUNTRY has been staked, it
has Been done for speculative purposes
and no work is being done except such as
IS necessary to hold a little until they can
be sold to unWat new corners or dispos-
ed Of in the states for corporation
schemes. Capt Constantine. of the Can
adam Northwest police, is my authority
for denounclng the movement as a fraud
In the absence of Other industry, except
wood cutting for the river boats, I do not
see anything in the future for over so per
cent OF the people now Hooking to that
country, but disappointment and suffer-
Ing. Even those who obtain employment
at $3.50 per hour find that after deducting
the cost of food, packing, candles, etc,
they do not exceed 81 per day and they
tell me it is barely enough to tide them
over the idle season.
Up to date no paying mineral leads of
either gold or silver have been discovered
in North Alaska so far as known. | am
now fully satisfied that in the near fu-
ture Alaska will be the source of great
wealth, but the development will neces-
sarily be slow owing to the limatic con-
ditions. ] recommend the early introduce
ton of horses. mules and cattle and extra
inducements should be held out for the
development of agriculture III the valieS
of the lower Yukon especially. Wild hay
can be obtained there in great abundance
and oats, barley and spring wheat can be
successfully cultivated, as we'll as pota.
toes, turlips and all the more hardy gar.
den vegetables, all of which would be re.
CURED for many years to meet the lOca