The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-02-09
In YUKON TERRITORY
Interesting Facts Concerning This
Remarkable Region.
First Provision for Preservation of
Law and order in the Mining
RegiOns-Immense Gold
Output, etc.

Seven years ago the sole representa-
tives OF authority on the Upper Yukon
were detachment of 20 Northwest
mounted police under Maj Constantine,
sent up by the Canadian government to
maintain law and order as best they
could. They built post at Fort Cudahy
on the Yukon % miles on our side of
Alaska, near the mining town OF Forty
Mile. Gold digging had been going on
there for ten years before. but English
men had heard nothing Of IT, and would
only have smiled If they had. The do
minion government thus took actual
possession of the gold country, which
was supplied entirely by United States
trading companies, working up from
the Boring sea, says the London Times.
In the summer OF 1896 the great gold
deposits in the Klondike creeks were
discovered. and when the news reached
England IL months afte-ward no one
knew where they were. Was the Klon-
dixie In British Columbia or Alaska?
Nobody thought Of the Northwest terri
tories. little knowing that they
stretched far beyond the northern
ranges Of the Rocky mountains Within
q couple OF years Yukon, on account OF
Its remoteness and innccessibility, was
taken out Of the jurisdiction of the ter
ritorial government and created a sepa-
rate territory. under a commissioner
and council and now the force Of police
is 290 strong, with detachments
throughout the whole basin Of the Up
per Yukon.
1t is satisfactory to be able to obtain
some interesting facts as to this re-
markable region derived from sources
OF less doubtful accuracy than the lit
erature Of company promoters.
Assistant Commissioner Wood in his
report for last year, states that the total
output Of gold for that year up TO Oc-
tober 81, not including White Horse
and Forty Mile for that month, amount
ed, according to the records, to over
$12700000. The amount upon which
royalty was collected up to April 80 was
$4,000 The five per cent royalty on
gold mined was on that date abolished.
and an export tax OF 211 per cent. in
stituted in its place which tax was paid
on the remaining s11 100000, This is
computing the value OF the dust at SIS
per ounce, which is by no means the true
value of the gold, as the greater part OF
1t is worth over SIG, some going as high
as SIT.
In the winter OF 1901 steam plants
were in operation in 600 cases in the
vicinity of Dawson. In December last
this number had Increased to over 900.
Development work in the quartz has
also been prosecuted with the greatest
vigor, and several new quartz strikes
are recorded Assays have been made
which run very high. in some instances
averaging $40 to the ton.
The assistant commissioner gives
particulars of very interesting ex-
pertinent which was being conducted
on Eldorado creek Two years ago
shaft was sunk below the gold-bearing
gravel Is feet. and through the sup
posed bedrock, until another bed OF
gravel was reached which yielded fair
pay. The sinking was continued. when
a second gravel bed was found at 81
feet containing gold in paying guam
titles, and again one at 1856 feet. Still
deeper another bed was reached con-
tanning gold and the question was:
What would be found on the actual
bedrock? The Yukon council made a
grant to assist in the prosecution Of the
work
At the depth of 222h feet an under
grounds stream OF water was struck
which quickly filled the shaft and con-
tinuousiy flowed therefrom in a vol
ume exceeding two good sluice heads
Thus the water question in the future
in the mining area may be solved, but
meanwhile 1t was serious menace to
the town of Bonanza and the claims
below II. since the water froze shortly
after It's exit from the shaft, and force
of over 40 men was required to keep
channel open for II. II it had been al
lowed to freeze near Bonapza it would
have formed a glacier which would
have engulfed the town and put a stop
TO mining on the creek below It, The
government then took charge and let a
contract to cap the gusher. so that the
water could in future be controlled.
Incidentally. these operations seem to
show the approximate thickness OF the
permanently frozen surface OF the
ground.
Mos MwaGuoe