Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-20
GREAT
COPPER
STRIKE
Alaska AdviceS State an I'm
menSe Ledge Of High
Grade Ore Is Found

Advices received by the Seattle Star
en- Monday from Valdez announce the
HfnrDvery Of the famous Knudson cop
per aedge, which was regarded as an
pzunnation Of the fevered imagination
of thu gOldseelrer, who, after three
ysarH OF heartrendering search, has
lgain stumbled upon the main body of
Usppw ore and set the inhabitants of
YalarE and the surrounding country
un1lB with excitement.
Already 200 frantic miners have ta-
8am mp the trail for the new "dig-
Einls,'' which are at Iliamna lake,
afl1ut 300 miles from Sunrise City,
ecOsIk7s inlet, and across the divide
Wrvm that noted gold.prcducing sec
Himd
Several local moneyed men are in
tbsrosted in the property, among whom
nre Judge o. Il. Sauter of the law firm
osf Sheldon & sauter; Julian Becker,
statesman in the employ Of Caldwell
Broa; II. f. Evans and others, while
y. al. Dawson Of the Dawson Ditch
company of Nome, and w. I. Perkins,
proszient Of the Northwest Commercial
company, are outside owners.
Many tragic tales are connected with
Che Famous copper lode, the latest be-
azg the murder by Indians Of one Of
azAe recent loeators Nels Knudson,
VINO, in company with Captain Edwin
H0fstad, drove locating stakes for
Uearly mile and a half on the cop
pr glance, and Knudson made prepa-
Enaions TO spend the winter on the
claims
Ht was while Captain Hofstadt was
hzstening 10 the nearest government
yIlace of record that the Indians, true
no their traditional hatred Of the
whites in preventing the securing Of
the property which they had surround
Ssd with Indian lore, ambushed the lone
prospector and murdered the only man
able bo conduct any one to the fabu-
zous mine. Since that time Hofstadh
ans spent months of time and large
~uns Of money in determining not only
Ghs fate OF his partner, but the loca-
zion Of the ore, which, when assayed
by Prof Strowbridge, netted $3.50 per
con in copper and gold.
Strowbridge died Of disappointment
at Denver, Colo, after spending a
large amount Of money in a futile at
aempt TO find the mythical mine, so
mis- friends have said.
As early in history as 1852 the Rus
SLAMS worked these copper mines, and
Il was from this source that the ezar
6aftened the monarchial strong box,
bat one day the fast increasing horde
Sailed 20 materialize and second band
of eolonists searched in vain for the
lost city and the valuable copper
mines. Years afterwards rumors Of a
massacre in the interior of the entire
population of the village was reported
bv friendly Indians, who told tale
OF torture and the utter annihilation
Of the whole village. The whites were
afraid TO enter the country, the ru'
mors died out and the tragic event was
almost forgotten.
According to these rumors the in
Aabitanis were surprised and attacked
by hordes of Indians, who had banded
together at the call Of their "medi
cline mon" TO exterminate the intrud
ers. That the massacre must have
been desperate hand-to-hand conflict
10 believed by the report that Skeleton
were found years after hanging in Tho
tottering ehimneys, where the Russians
had made last stand against inevita
bls death in its eruelist' form. The!
were stabbed 10 death from beneatl
and above by tho painted demons wit