The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-29
CONDITIONS IN ALASKA.
Conditions I'm the KlOndike District
Need of Railroad Facilfties-Fisll-
cries u Source Of Profit.

ned for this season devoted to develop
ing and exploiting the resources of
that vast territory far exceeds that
contemplated or accomplished at any
prior time. In the interior every
tributary of the Yukon river has been
more or less prospected and many of
these stream beds and the adjacent
country are beiug worked to profit.
The Klondike district of the North
west Territory of Canida, just one
hundred miles up the Yukon from the
imaginary line which intersects the
two countries, does not give promise
of increasing its output CT gold over
that of last year, which amounted to
ST., 100000 Lack of new strikes or
discoveries since the memorable find
in 1896 has set limit on the output
of this famous mining camp. 1t was
reached two years ago and is now on
the decline, having at this date pro-
duced over SSO,OOO,0O0 in gold. But
while the richest spots are thing of
history, the importation Of modern
machinery has made it possible to
work to profit low-grade propositions.
Large pumping plants and heavy
draining machinery have ameliora:ed
the condition of the mining operator
and reduced expenses to reasonable
basis. One company has taken to
Dawson this year 450 tons of machin-
cry, the cost of transportation of which
exceeded the original cost of the plant.
Freight rates and high wages for day
labor have deferred the rapid develop
ment of the Klondike distict. Now
it can be safely stated that the wages
for day labor will average $3.50 and
board per day. The Canadian govern
ment pays SIS and board to all of it's
employees on government work.
The Nome mining district is daily
increasing as a producer and is being
extended. .over a vast expanse of terri
tory, projecting from GolOvia Bay to
the Arctic Ocean and east inland
from the Behring Sea as far as the diff
ficulties of, transportation will permit.
As yet it has not settled to defined
limit, for prospectors are daily find.
ing prospects in isolated districts
which give evidence of substantial
discoveries. The future of the north
ern mining camp, with its rigorous
climate during all seasons of the year,
is very promising. The known
wealth in placer gold and the pros
poets of the development of the miner
al veins and coal beds, of which there
are ample indications, give evidence
that for many years to come this sec
ton will be a great producer of valued
minerals and large consumer of pro-
duce and mercantile products.
The year just passed proved very
profitable TO this mining section, and
as consequence many necessary and
costly works were begun. The need
of water had curtailed development
work heretofore, and to supply this
need large bitches, tapping streams at
distance of twenty-five miles from
the center of the mining section, were
begun and the work vigorously pur-
practicable for further work.
One of the heavily interested corpor-
ations has now under its management
one narrow-gauge railroad running
out of Nome to its properties, dis
tance of five miles, and now has under
construction similar railroad from a
point south of Nome (Golovia Bay) to
Council City. the center of Il mining
district. This company has in opera
ton on the bank of the Snake river,
near Nome, a pumping plant costing
STE, 900 at the builders in Chicago,
which delivers through a pipe line to
an elevation of 500 feet 5000 gallons of
water per minute. Another, company
sent 900 tons of machinery to Nome in
one shipment last season and will con-
struct large pumping plant this
year.
Day labor, as well an those employ
ed in the trades, had a most prosper
Gus season in the past year. The aver
age wages paid for labOring was SIS
per day and board. Some mining
operators were compelled on account
of lack OF labor to pay as high as Sc
per day and board. IT may seem
strange that more labormen do not
flock to that place; but every man
who has served in this capacity will
concur in the statement that every
man is expected to earn the wages he
is paid-that the laborer is well worth
his wages.
Two new districts have recently
attracted attention. They are known
as the Tannan and the Copper River
districts. They are deep in the very
heart of the territory. Discoveries
made last summer have developed so
satisfactorily that this new find bids
fair to gather round it very substaD-
tial mining community. Valdez, a
town on Cooks inlet, the point from
which all the miners start for this
new discovery, is the gateway of a
tremendous eXpanse of practically un-
explored or unprospected country.
The need of some practical method
of transportation is keenly felt. Last
season the price of freighting to these
new camps was 81 per pound. This
problem can be solved by the building
of railroad. A survey has been
made from Valdez to Eagle City, on
the Yukon, traversing the heart of
this district but as yet no steps have
been taken for building the railroad.
The prospects indicate that there is a
vast amount of wealth in minerals and
unnumbered acres Of agricultural and
grazing land in this district awaiting
development. This season one th0us-
ond head of cattle will be driven to
these grassy plateaus and slaughtered
in the fall of the year. Another party
contemplates bringing similar num-
ber of sheep for the same purpose.
Along the coast of Alaska, especially
in Cooks Inlet, men have prospeCted
for oil for the past three years. Dur
ing October gusher was struck seven
ty miles south of Valdez. All the ad-
Ijacent land was taken up and recorded
and companies formed for the further