The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-18
NOT GOLD ALONE
BUT MANGANESE
Found in Paying Quantities in the
AtIin Mining District of
Alaska.

Washington, D. C.-Tne state de-
partment has received from Consul
General Dudley, at Vancouver, B. c.,
brief but interesting report on gold
and manganese mining in British
Columbia. In part Consul Dudley
says:
Il have recently visnted Atlin. Brit
ish Columbia, and vicinity. This dis
trict is very rich in gold, and there
are large hydraulic plants being es-
tablished there, some of which are al
ready producing gold in very consld-
cradle quantities. There IS one
dredging plant in process OF construc-
ton; it is expected that 1t Will be IN
operation before the close OF the pres
ent season. This dredging plant IS
the first that | have seen building IN
the Interior 1t is quite a different
operation from dredging work on the
bars Of rivers which | have seen here
tofore. A large basin is excayated,
in which the dredge is built. ditch.
seven miles .Clg, brings water with
which to al mis- basin and float the
dredge whel completed. This Will
also furnish power 70 develop cleo
ericity to operate the machinery on
the dredge. Tie advocates OF the
dredge proposition think 1t superior
to the ordinary hydraulic work, Tor
the earth that has been washed fills
up the space Immediately in the rear
and is not thrown down into the
stream as is the case with the ny
draulic companies. This dredge is ca
pected to dig into the benches and
make it's way, leaving the ground
very much as it found it, except that
it will have excavated the gold.
Quality of AtIin Gold.
The Atlin gold is generally not as
fine as it found in the beds of streams
in other districts. There are some
individual miners who seem to be do
ing we'll in this district, but it does
not appear to me to be a country in
which men with small capital can do
very much, but at the present time
wages are very high. The ordinary
pick-and-shovel men are paid $3.50
per day and board, and their ex-
penses into the country in the spring
of the year and out again in the aut-
umn are paid by their employers, and
they can save nearly everything they
earn if they are pleased to do so.
Returning to Atlin after a visit to
one of the creeks, | noticed a great
bank, which at first seemed like snow;
upon a little further examination |
thought it was alkali, such as l have
often see in New Mexico and other
| places in the southwest. On inquiry
| | found that it was manganese. One
gentleman told me that he had inves-
tigated this deposit and had dug
down fifteen feet through pure body
of manganese. 1t appears almost like
potter's clay of the finest quality.
Manganese Plentiful.
| 81 was assured that there is unlim-
| tied quantities of this mineral in the
vicinity of Atln, but the present
I 1T6lSQC rates IL DlpoSSADlS "
deliver this to the iron manufacture
ers at profit. l have little doubt
that the time will soon come when
this will be a very valuable deposit
to be developed at great profit; to
day it appears to be valueless. 1t is
my opinion that some of our manu-
| facturers of steel in the. United
States would do we'll to investigate
this large deposit Of manganese.
There are new mines being discov
cred in the vicinity of Atlin constant
ly, and believe that this will eventu
ally become one of the largest min
ing districts on this coast, but, as
have previously said, it will require
large capital for it's development. Al
the present time there are five by
draulic propositions under develop
ment. Three of these are now send