The San Francisco call., 1899-07-08

DAWSON, Y. l., June lo.-[AI lillS time
there is no means of making anything like
a close estimate of the output of gold
from the Klondike for this year. / have
travelled up and down the creeks that are
making the big yields and the creeks from
which most was to be expected in the way
of new developments. Expectations have
been exceeded in many places and have
failed of realization in many others. The
washup is only half completed and what
the footing will be cannot be more than
vaguely guessed at. The so-called new
creeks are turning out famousiy as a gen.
eral rule and the hillsides and hilltops are
developing very rich dggings 1t can only
be repeated at this writing that the out
put will exceed that of last year by from
a half to the full amount.
The camD has been almost stunned by
the publication of a notice from Ottawa
directing that the hillsides and benches
of Bonanza and Ell Dorado creeks be
withdrawn from the public-that is to say
that no new locations may be made on
those creeks. The communication from
Ottawa is brevity itself 1t says that the
ground is TO be withheld and nc more
offers no explanation or excuse. The To-
cal authorities interpret the terse MESA ge
to apply to relocationS of ground already
staked, but which may be allowed to lapse
and to cover also the so-called pups or
small tributaries of these, the two rich
est streams in the diggings. The common
guess for this extraordinary step is that
the ground still unclaimed on these
streams is to be reserved for some rich
syndicate and the plain prospectors and
miners who have sought and found the
gold, and especially those who are still
seeking it and have not found 1t. are dis
gusted and angry. The action of the OF
taWa Government is wholly unexpected,
no hint of it having been whispered here
previous to the public announcement. The
news has spread rapidly and the democrat,
Bonanza and Ell Dorado are to be closed
10 the prOSpeCtor because of his diligence
in the face of every hardship has revealed
them to be very rich the same result may
be expected to follow the same effort on
every other creek. So they argue. One
of the immediate effects is to give TO
every claim already recorded on these
creeks an enhanced value.
No boat has yet arrived bringing pas
sengers or merchandise direct from the
outside. either from up or down the river.
The water front is lined with boats that
have come here from their winter quar-
ters, having been released by the ice. But
Bennett, at the head of the lakes, on the
southeast and st. Michael at the mouth
of the river have not yet reported. The
situation in steamboat circles Is most pc
culiar. The river is alive with all man
per of big craft, for which there is no
business and will be no business this year
The aftermath of the unparalleled Klon-
dixie stampede will present no more Gu
riOus feature than this. a few of the
great fleet of boats that started for this
place, dispatched by Missionaries and
boarded and conducted by visionaries
have for the first time arrived only in
the spring of the year 1893. The Robert
Kerr. one of the broken-backed Moran
boats, is the most important of these.
But in addition to the great fleet that
struggled up the river to this, their desti-
nation, last year there is nearly a hum
dred boats that have not arrived and
many of these will not attempt to get
here. There are fifty-three boats reported
In the Kuyokuk River alone, and the peo-
pie who went with them will almost to a
man return disappointed. There are
ones, too, to do twenty times the busi
ness that there will be here to do now
or any future time within the ordinary
life of the craft. Either of the two big
pioneer trading and transportation COM
panies have ample facilities for the car
rying of all the people and freight that
may be moved on the river this year.
Both the old companies lost their laeds
as completely as did the "checharcos," or
outsiders. They trebled their fleet at
great, expense, and SO. will have no use
for the boats of outsiders that will be
slumped on the market by the dozens
during this short season and which may
be bought very cheaply. Already the
RideOut. chartered last year by the La
Due Company, is offered for sale. With
not be taken back whence they came for
the value of them. and if they could there
is no business for them there So that
very many thousands of dollars represent
cd in these investments can be accounted
as already lost. The fleet of monster pas
mercial Company that travelled UP and
down the river last year with a mere cor
poraPs guard of passengers aboard must
suffer the same or a worse experience