Valdez daily prospector., 1909-01-15
RICH GOLD QUARTZ IN FALLS CREEK COUNTRY
Discovery of Skeen and Lechner Proves Valuable Property, and Leads to Other Finds of I'm portance--Greatest Free Gold Camp
 Yet Found in Alaska

able to prospect along the right of way, realizing that if any miuiny property of value were found. trans- portatlon facilities would be ayailo Die. In comparatively short time lhc proSpcctOr% located d vein which oulcroppcd near the head of Falls creek. The first 'spccimcn knocked rom tn" ledge was literally alive with gold, and the young men were iIstly ciat"d over the discovery. The l llnd was made five miles from tho rallroad track, but the enthusiastic | proSpcctOrS soon had a good trail cut through the heavy timber which fills l the valley of Falls creek, erected a comfortable cabin and began inc work Of exploiting their property. Tn" quartz carrie" high gold values. While the gold, on the surface o, least, is ire" milling, gold in the form "l t"ii'ir!G" i# also noted, this an ! parrnt!N Increasing with depth. Mill ''S'S on 'o ions of or" shipped to the states gay" an average mine run of S~ per ton. Tn" vein will avcrapc i rom two tO three feet in width and IS recognized d" q true Assure. A t,n- mel run on th" ledge about go fec, snow" cont inuItN, strength and even ness "f values. At the end of the !un- mel q wing" was sunk io q depth of 70 Feet, with values, maintainin~. if rot increasing, and the vein ho!dinp i,a own in Il" downward progress.
 Sk""r and !.vchncr have bou1cd thi" property for q substantial consiG "fa'I"n 'n company known aa the 'ailf"rn'a-Ala%!ia company. 4 stamp mill wa" shipped 70 the mine last fall and will be put in operation the com ing spring, a"d th" mirc placed on q producing basis
 Natur" Ina" bc"ns slavish in her gifts [" th" Falls creek region. To faciIi- tat" mining operations adequate Wa ter power |" available, timber for tim hrrlng purposes i3 unlimited in uuan titN' whiI" food supplies in the form "i m""S" and mountain #hcop are to be had with little difficulty.
 Betty Extension Claims
 IyIng In'rlo"" pruXimitN to thc dis | r"N"rN claim, known as the Betty, on { Falls creek, k the Betty Extension NOS. and ,. TnC$" claims are high on a SI"pinG mountain side. and were discovered by SkcCn and I.cchncr. and located by them and L. F. Shaw. \ remarkable showing is manifest on this ground. When the original find was made, the vein could be traced, before pick had been struck, il dis tanc" of 2G0 feet. It averaged three Feet in width, and dips into the hill. Gold was plainly disccrnabl" in the quartz.
 In doing the assessment last sum mcr, Sk""n. L@"hn"r noI Erie Erie son, th" lat!Cr representing Shaw. got m" on in" vein further down Inc hill. where dchri@ from above coy- CTS tn" natural surface. Several ,pcn cuts WCrr madn. with tI,C rrsuli iEoi the vein wa" tlpprd in attempts SO to do. At several p,irt4 ihc vein ": drn"d lo six feet, with high values plainly Cvid".t The vein can now b' traced ahou, 3cO feet, crosgcuts the formation, dips toward the hill. is easily mined hl tuuu"Iing on the ore, adequate water power is close at hand, and in every way the proucrtv presents an ideal mining proposition. several parties have made ovcrtuTcs to the ownCrS with q view to pur- chase, but thus far no deal has been consummatCd, as the owners realize they hav" magnificent property, which 1ustiIi"s q substantial consid- cration.
 Stevenson Properties. 1 Contiguous tO the SkcCn-Lccbncr | discov"rics.on Falls creek is the pror- crty Ot the Stevenson brothers, The vein can Dc traced, by outcrops at stated intervals, for 1900 feet. and ns- says show high values. The surface l lndicatiOnS point tO q mine of 1 brilliant future, the natural advan- i tagcs being such as to reduce the cost of working the property to a mini 1 mum.