Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-23
KLONDlKE LAWS.

q. S. Werner a Helena business man
who has been in the Klondike district
since 1897 returned home a few days ago.
Mr.. Werner says that the new discoveries
OF gold south og Juneau are attracting
much attention and many Of the people
now bound for Cape Nome will stop there
en- route.
Mr.. Werner has great faith in the fu-
ture Of the mines around Dawson, but is
OF the opinion chat the development of
the district viii be retarded under the
present laws. In an interview in the Hell
ena Independent ne says:
1.-THE laws are so unHavorable to pros
pectors and miners, THAT the DEVELOPMENT
OF the district is mat erially retarded. In
fact, SO unjust are the Canadian mining
laws that hundreds eff men who had ex-
pected to remain in the country and de-
velop interests there have given it up
and have either lett or are preparing N
leave for American terr..ory, where the
laws give a man a chance. The new
law that went into effect last summer or
early last fall, among other things. pro-
vides that all staked ground that has not
to the crown, and is thereby removed
from the pubNic lands. There are
thousa nds of abandoned claims in he
Klondike, left by men who either were
not able to comply with the laws in
proving up the ground they filed upon
or who, by one reason or another. did
not care to do SO, and no one ac-
quire title to these claims. The law
gives the prospector scarcely any on
portunlty TO secure new ground, and the
country mus ogres slowly.
MANY OF the people in and around
Dawson are preparing to go to Cane
Nome by the first river boats in the
spring. Small parties have been NOV
ing down the river on the ice ali winter
ri fhA nAW fQ1do T fh;~1, An. A.
boats will take out fully 5000 people.
There Is a great deal more interest
taken lat Dawson in the Cape Nome
dsggings than in the states apparently.
~ suppose there are from 5000 to
S,oOO persons in Dawson this winter,
That estimate, of course, does not in.
clude the men at the mines. ,The camn
is we'll supplied with all the necessaries
and prices are not as high as they have
been IN past winters. There are many
men would be glad of an opportunity to
work for their board that they might
Keep enough of their savings to AXE
them out of the district in the spring.
Men at the mines are now receiving only
"a a day and board. a big reduction in
the former price of labor. and many OF
the miners will be obliged to wait Until
the spring cleanup is concluded before
they will be able to get their money.
The health of Dawson and of the min
AH9 10 6OOu. 1IlGEc mas Deen
less sickness than in former winters, and
no suffering worthy of note.
mo new are being report.
ed. With the law d~iscouraging devel-
opment, prospectors are in no hurry to
go out and look for new ground, and the
Result IS that there ave been no STAN
pedes this winter from Dawson. Sulphur
creek, which was reported as being of
no account last year. Is proving to be all
right. No. S above discovery is proving
to be the richest claim in the Klondike.
That claim could have been purchased
at one time last year for $500.
The KlOndtlke, as I said before, is all
right, but 1T offers no Inducements to
either men or capital now. Until the
present mining laws are changed by the
Canadian government. -tue district can
not improve to any great extent. Mer-
chants are SO well stocked with goods
that they can more than supply the de-
mand. The result Is hat business is no
longer to such a solid basis hi the
merchants must content themselves with
small prod1ts. / certainly would moi
advise any friend of mine to locate in
Dawson or the Klondike at this time
When the laws are changed and men
are encouraged to develop the country
the district will be all right"
MI. Werner said yesterday that Cap.
tain John J.. Healy. manager Of the
North American Trading & TFansporta-
tinn company, expects to come mt thii
month. Mrs. Healy left Seattle q few
days 6 on the steamship Humbold,
for Skaguay. from where she will X
across the range and down rue river K
Mr.. Werner says that he new dlscov.
attracting attention: sThe are bodies 10