Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-01
whole blocks having been destroyed by

whole blocks having been destroyed by
fire.
After the tourist on the Canadian Paci
ic railroad has passed through the scenic
wonders OF the Rocky Mountains and the
Selkirk range. and has hung Tor hours
above the precipces I'm the Fraser River
canon, the train suddenly shoots out into
level space In the river valley and
brings up at a station called Yale. Yale
IS Inhabited only by handful Of white
men and several hundred Chinese and
Flathoad Indians. whom the traveller
sees upon the station platform with
baskets Of tempting fruit. The hamlet
is as lonely as one can lima CINE. but thir-
iy-ive years ago there was a regularly
incorporated and thriving mining city o1
between 1900 and 1900 people at Yale. 1t
was the big town OF British Columbia,
and $4,000 would not so very far I'm maxi
ing an investment there. Now one could
probably buy the whole city for $1,000
The assessed valuation there reached 3D.
10000. That was when the Fraser River
placers were at their best. The late Henry
George lived at Yale for some months.
and John w. Mackay was there for
long time
The visitor who leaves the railroad
train and walks about the ruins of Yale
will find abundant suggestions Of it's past
glories There are the bank buildings.
where Englishmen did a business Of thou
sands of dollars daily. now open, floor
less. and almost rOofess. Strangely
enough. one saloon has been kept almost
intact all the years a Yale. 1t has Few
broken windows. but its front doors are
still on their hinges. The lettering on one
window "Whskeys and Wines" yet re-
mains Tons and tons Of iron wheels
cables, and broken and rusted machinery
all brought to the Pacific coast from Eng
land around the Horn. lie in the earth
and snow. A little gold IS found in the
river banks and among the sands near
the shore. As the train leaves town tour
lists often see a few Chinese digging IN
the sand on the left side OF the river
The Chinese are satisfied II they make
an average Of s. a day. They monopolize
the left shore. but on the right bank,
where the site Of the former city lies,
is a German. Edward Stout. who has been
pannlng gold dust there for several years.
Gold washing is possible only during q
few months in the year The Chinese
work only from July until November. At
most other periods OF the year the water
is too high 10 admit Of digging In the
sands where gold is found.
Arizona has several interesting ruins
Tombstone IS the most famous mining
camp ever known I'm the Southwest. but
il Is not a deserted town yet. even If IL
, has shrunk from 1900 TO 200 population
since the great days Of 1880 and ISL.
Tombstone once had daily newspapers,
street-car lines, dozens of gambling
houses. a half-dozen dance-hals, $1,000
theatre. the finest hosting works and
stamp-mills ever known in the South
B west. and three banks. each of which
was capitalized at $4,000. For year or
two. until It burned down I'm 1881, II had a
$4,000 hotel. where the rates were from
I s. 20 $50 a day. Narrow business-property
lots used to sell for 5000 each. When
| the lodges petered out in 1881 the town
soon melted away. The people who have
remained there are interested in cattle.
/ The 5000 lots can now be bought for go
| each. and one can buy for 800 or $SJD
| houses which were erected nineteen years
| ago for $4,000 and 5000.
! out on the line Of the railroad from
| Prescott 20 Congress, in Arizona Terri
! tory. are the remains Of the town or
| Brown. a place Of 1900 in 1876. The town
/ has been torn down largely In the last
| dozen wears for the frewood there Is IN
| II hut a weather-beaten. ramshackle
| structure still manages 10 stand here ana
| there TO testify TO the importance OF
/ Brown. where the Avapai COD Com
| pany's lodges were yielding wei. Inc
| graveyard on the sun-baked hillsides Is
| the only thing there that has not changed
since the population rushed to Signal, an
| other deserted mining town or 2,Vo peo-
ple. I'm 1879.