The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-17

The story Of the discovery Of a marvel
GUS deposit OF native copper In Alaska
near the headwaters of White river. a
tributary OF the Yukon. Is told by Col
Frank X. Miles and Capt. A. Mclean.
VINO nave just returned to Seattle from
mat country. They bring as evidence of
the truth of their statements a bag con-
tanning thirty pounds of pure copper mug
gets, which they claim they dug In the
only copper placers they have ever seen.
Their trip. which was full OF perils and
hardships, was undertaken for the pur-
pose of obtaining information regarding
the section Of Alaska they explored, for
syndicate OF wealthy New York and
Boston mining men. They are now en-
gagged In writing up an extremely favor
able report to be submitted to their en-
ployers.
In Peterboro canoe. with two French
Canadians as canoemen. they started up
the White river from It's confluence with
the Yukon. July g. They lined and poled
the entire distance against a swift and
turbulent current. They passed Ladue
creek July q, and made the mouth OF
Snas creek soon afterward From this
point they could see the Scoloi pass, TO
the north. They took the south channel.
and In l25 miles had gained 100 feet In al
titude. Proceeding. they found the river
cutting an entirely new channel through
the woods taking everything before II.
The falling trees. accommodating drlftwood
and great landslides gave a weird and
terrific aspect to the landscape.
Almost = Catastrophe.
At this point the whole party came near
losing everything. including their lives.
One man was on shore ahead, with 4
towline $50 feet long. Rounding a sharp
point the current tore the line from his
hands and. with the other three men
nearly helpless In 1t, the canoe was borne
down stream at q terrible speed. Miracu-
lously the towline did not catch on any
snag or root. Had II done so the three
men would have been spilled out and
placed at the mercy Of the torrent. With
supreme GOODNESS tho boatmen guided the
canoe hither and thither around sweepers
and log jams. After quarter OF mile
q slight eddy was gained and tho canoe
landed. 1t took two days effort to pass
beyond this dangerous point.
The journey continued through canyons.
rapids and ICY torrents. Finally, about
200 miles from the Yukon. the upper
basin Of White river was reached.
The camp OF the stampeders OF 1928
who went into the Yukon via Copper river
had then been passed: seven abandoned
sleds were found in the woods, and the
pit for whipsaw indicated that boats
had been built there.
At the upper basin the canoe and out
with packs 10 a permanent camp, twenty
miles further on. The first night in
camp they were greatly surprised by .
visit from three Indians. the first and
only human beings yet seen. The Indians
had but three pounds of moose meat. q
single blanket. a small kettle and two
old fashioned rifles. They carried bows
and arrows. the latter tipped with native
copper. Some were spear-shaped for
shooting fish. others blunt for ptarmigan.
story Of the Find.
THE Indians could not understand q
word Of English" said Coz. Miles at the
Hotel Northern last night. land It took
long time to find out from what direc-
ton their copper came. One of them
pointed In an easterly direction and made
signs that the distance was two sleeps
By signs he described the topography
and declared that there was 'hiyu' cop
per- That night five inches OF snow fell,
80 we waited and fed the Indians three
times the next day. We started out the
following morning.
Two reached the place after untold
hardship, fording Icy streams and trudg-
ing on with blistered feet. and camped
for the night After breakfast the fol-
lowing morning the Indians showed us TO
the placer copper ground and picked cop
per nuggets out Of a perpendicular bank
twenty-five feet high Further up stream.
where the bedrock was exposed We gain
cred copper nuggets from It's crevices.
But soon We came TO an immense ledge.
beyond which the Indians said we would
find no more copper. And such proved
to be the case.
After stalking several claims we re-
turned, and by August 20 were safely
back on the Yukon, having mad. the
trip down stream in our canoe IN three
days"
ssnas ara McTenu descrihe the country
as being the toughest and most broken
they have ever seen. They were within
ninety miles OF Mount 81. Elias. but
could not see Il owing 20 an intervening
mountain range. Mount wrangle. sixty
miles away. they saw plainly. This
mountain Is known active volcano.
but they saw no FIRE nor smoke.
About thirty pounds Of heavy copper
nuggets and beautiful specimen OF
pearock copper ore are their souvenirs OF
the trip.
Miles and Mclean win go back n their
dIscovery this winter over the See with
dog teams They arrived yesterday morn
Ing on the Humboldt.