Douglas Island news., 1902-04-16

en at the top and fitted at the ootIom with perforated iron plate, E to l inch holes. The dirt is put into this box, and if the gold is fine, mercury, not exceeding ten parts to every one part of gold, is added. Water is then led or pumped in, and the fine material is washed down through the bottom screen plate and falls onto inclined ta- bles of about 20 feet in length by 20 inches in width. These are provided with five rifles, of which the upper two are inches high and the others of less height. The disintegration of the ma terial is completed on the tables by workmen using small rakes. When dis integration is finished, the stream of water is diminished; and if the gold is fine, and mercury has not been pre- viously added in the hopper, little is now sprinkled on the sands, the raker meanwhile continuing to rabble the material accumulated behind the riff Hes, pushing the contents of the lower ones up to the table again, until the contents are thoroughly cleansed. More water is then added, the pyrites washed away, the magnetic removed by a magnet, and the gold and anal gam collected. The black sands are treated over again with the next charge. The Siberian trough treats about 800 pounds of dirt at time, or about five tons per day-Alaska-Yukon Mining Journal
 Scarcely week passes without some interesting discovery being chronicled from some of the members of the Jesup North Pacific Exploring Expedition. The explorers belong to all classes of scientific investigators. Among the mineralogical discoveries of interest were number of celts, apparently of Jade (nephrite) from prehistoric village and burial sites in British Columbia, near Lyton, at the junction of the Fra ger and Thompson rivers. The celts are small, from one to four inches in length, and very delicate and thin. All stages of their manufacture are shown, from river bouIders grooved and cut with thin slabs of siliceous sandstone, to pieces cut off, celts partly finished, and those completely polished. The material is translucent, pale green and closely resemb bles nephrite; tho with out analysis, it is not yet fully deter mined. Its occurrence in boulders in- dicates that it's source is farther up stream. MT. Smith states that the coast tribes now use celt of similar form, mounted as adzes to smooth boards that have been split out with wedges; and many such wedges, made of elkhorn, were found with the ancient celts.
 Capt. Morse, chief signal officer of the department of California, received orders from the war department March 18th to open negotiations for the in stallatiou of a system of wireless tele- graphy between army stations in Alas ka. There are four routes mentioned. A is to Fort Davis, at Nome City, and some point on Stuart Island, ninety miles distant. Route B is the prefera- ble alternative of route A, and is to ex- tend from Fort Davis to Fort St. Mi chael, on St. Michael Island, approxim- ately los miles distant. Route c is to extend from Rampant to Winterhouse, on Panama river, or some other conven- tent and suitable place near the mouth of Delta river, 136 miles distant. Route D, the preferable alternative of route c, is to extend from Fort Gibbon to some point on the Panama, which is 165 miles distant. The station at the latter place must be at or near the mouth of Delta river, or at Bates Rap ids, and must be at some point acces- sible to boats.
 Probably one of the most interesting Indian curios ever brought here, says the Vancouver World, was received from the North by the Tees in the shape of piece of copper formerly owned by Chief Skow-el, who in his time was one of the most powerful and wealthy Indian chiefs of Alaska. The copper is part of the equipment of ev- cry chief of any standing, and the use it is put to is quite characteristic. If the chief has difference with neighboring chief, he hacks off piece