Douglas Island news., 1902-03-12


 Commercial company at Bergman, went South recently to confer with the man. agement of the corporation in regard to the coming seasons operations. Berg man is below Bettles, 450 miles from the mouth of the Koyukuk. "No doubt now exists as to the richness of the new Koyukuk placers," says he. "The gold bearing streams thus far discovered are tributaries of the middle fork of the Koyukuk or run into the streams that empty into that river Among the best producers are Vermont. Myrtle, Emma, Swift. Union and Hammond, with two tributaries of the latter. Vermont yielded $50 in a hole 4x5 feet and at depth of thirty inches. Union Gulch gave up nugget worth S669,75. Gold and several others are known to be rich from the work done on them"
 From 2S above upper discovery on Dominion to one mile below Jansen creek, the hillside, bench and creek claims are being worked in most ex- sensive manner From upper discovery to 23 above. 80 men are at work. Be tween discoveries 277 men are working. From lower discovery to 143 below, 5S4 men are taking out pay dirt. On 9 be- low 40 men are employed, and on sever al claims the number exceeds 20. From g above upper to 143 below lower careful estimate places the number of pay buckets on the dumps at 100000. The dumps vary in size from 4OOO buck cts to 25,0OO On the upper portion of Dominion the pay is taken from the creek between discoveries and is found on both hillsides and creek. It event ually leaves the creek and clings to the left limit to 143 below.
 The Ketchikan Journal, in speaking of Kasaan, says it is all hustle and bus mess in this at present the most stir ring camp or settlement on Prince of Wales Island. A fine new blacksmith shop has recently been completed, large carpenter and boat building shop is nearing completion, and it is expect ed to have the new and connections wharf ready for use by the 18th of this month. The saw mill is being run to it's full capacity thirteen hours per day, the company's store is we'll stocked with goods adapted to the wants of the local customers, and altogether Kassa- an may be regarded as not only dis tinct, separate and independent com munity, but as something more than the nucleus for the growth of thriv- ing town.
 The Ketchikan Journal of the 1st inst. says that last Monday afternoon Alexander Marsden, native, was acci- dentally drowned at Saxman. He and his younger brother, Steven, were out duck hunting in small boat, and while returning the unfortunate lad stood up in the boat and hurled stone at some near. by game. The boat cap sized, throwing its occupants into the water, but they managed to catch the craft and padded to within twenty yards of the shore, when, thinking they could swim to the shore, they let loose. The water was cold and cramps seized them, when both went down. Rev. Mir. Marsden was near by in boat and came up just in time to save the young CT boy, who was rapidly sinking.
 E.. Sola, prominent mining expert of Dawson, says that all around that camp.is one vast mineral deposit of high and low grade quartz, most all of which is now known to the prospec- tors, who, since the discovery of placers in '97, have been spending the summers up in the hills back of the creek dig gings. Over 400 15OO-foot claims have been staked, prospected, and are now awaiting machinery for development. The ore is a conglomerate or compress ed gravel that runs from S5 to S7 per ton. It is free milling and easy to mine.
 A Mir. Whalley, now at Bettles, in the Koyukuk district, writes to brother in Dawson that he sees nothing up there to justify a stampede. He says the seasons are short and wood scarce, and it takes fully one-half of ones time rustling dry stick for frewood.
 A new strike on Oliver creek, off No.