The Nome nugget., 1902-05-28
FACTS ABOUT K0YUKUK.
The Gold Belt of That Section and inc
 Outlook for 1t as Mininu Center.
"A Comprehensive Report of the Flew District CenCernino Which So Much Is Now Seid---A Conservative
 Dpinon of One Capable of Judging.

i drifted under an immense slide. ana l was rewarded for his efforts by Gndiny ! an old rfver bedof wash gravel of good 1 pay and dimensions. A layer of pay ! dirt of an average Gepth of three feet and 90 feet in width is in sight, which averages about 20 cents to the pan. The | peculiar feature is that the old channel contains no frost, making it extremely easy 10 handle. In croSs-cutting the | paN>tfeak nugget worth f2S was l tound. Mr. Betties will tap the old channel at different points along his line claim on the creek to prospect hi, ground, and then make arrangements for the installing of an electric plant underground railways, and every ap- paratus for handing the ground economically for Conlinuou, operation during both the winter and summer months. This proposition when opened up will give employment to Il large force of men and visibly increase the gold output of the country. On Vermont creek, tributary of Ham, mond river good pay is ia sight on the two claims that have been prospecled. One of them, No. l above discovery, is owned by two well-known Dawsoniles. C. [. Grouse and Herman Smith. They have Tt paystreak in a gulch which has been thoroughly prospected the full length of their claim. The gold is found in muck or broken slate, pay be- ing found from the surface. The pay is five feet wide and three or four feet deep and is. in d mining sense, easy money. The writer banned 20 pans of their ground, taken from every portion nf ha lu ySt poal- nd of hn lot. This is the general average of the dirt so far banned on the claim. Mo- } above, owned by Oscar Johnson, is equally as good. On Union gulch good pay has been found on Gazette & Eddy's property, and a 3o-ounce nugget has been found on this gulch by Frank Gillespie.
 On Merriman creek late last fall man named Jacobson rocked out SfOO in coarse gold in q few days while pros pectin% his claim. The,same party also sluiced out on Kelly's Mistake about 5000 while proving claim there. This Keily's Mistake derived it's name from the experience of a former vaudeville artist known about Dawson as Rag Time Kelly" Having received q tip that a discovery had been made on Emma creek, he hied himself away to stake. Not having his bearings clea},, defined, he staked on the wrong creek and recorded 1t as being on Emma. Later when the creek opened up he found out his mistake. He had the error rectiiied on the recorders books to hold the claim he had slaked. and to drown his sorrow traded the claim 10 former Dawson woman for bottle of whisky and drifted Nomeward in a rOwboat.
 The KOyukuk country in mining sense is q hydraulic country. There are hundreds of miles of territory con talning bars and gravel banks which carry sufficient gold that with the &d vent of proper machinery will pour a golden stream into the circulating me- dlum of the world. It also has prom lsing outlook as quartz camp. In all the creek beds can be found float and wash of all kinds of mineral l-hearing quartz. From the standpoint of min eralogy it has great and diversified mineral resources. Fragments of cop per ore, native and peacock, iron. sil- nickel and platinum can be found in almost every creek bed.
 The town of that country will from
 
 is the head of steamboat navigation at present. Up to the present time boats have had hard time to reach Bettles, and very few of the larger ones could reach that point. One mile above Bet ties the Koyukuk waters are cut ia twain by the inflow of John creek. Nine miles farther upthey again split at Wild creek, and + miles still further by the inflow of the North Fork. so it can be readily seen that it is not prac- ticable to go far above BettleS with sLeambOatS.
 Coldfoot is GO miles above Bettles, at the mouth of slate creek. The mining recorder and civil officers are located there. There is also d rOadhOuSe and about 20 cabins. Another town, called Colder, will be built at the mouth of Hammond river, which will be in the heart of the gold bearing territory, | and this will undoubtedly be the camp of the lower country. That will be 22 ,lnfies above Coldfoot.
 The country has many disadvantages to contend with. Tho season is from 5O | to 60 days. The mine owner can work two shifts and double this time. All the supplies used must be moved from Bettles to the mines, from 60 to lZO miles, which makes it. very expensive. 'as freight of from p to 50 cents d pound ; is then added to the original cost. i; Miners received Sl2.50 q day last sea son, and mechanics from Sl5 to $2O. ! Everyone must furnish and cook his own food or he will not be employed. i The cost or goods is reasonable, consld- ering the, expense of getting them into the country and the cost of handling them. The N. C. Co. have we'll equipped post at Bettles and control the business of the country. While several small outfits have gene into the country they have as Il rule made very little money. as they were unable to eake sufficient stock to supply the needs of the miners.
 The country is place that it will be well for poor man to stay away fPom for the present. As to the element that Is going to the country to look for easy money they will meet with a sad shock. Only two classes of people are required in the country at present.