Valdez daily prospector., 1912-08-13
YUKON GDLD's,
 ANNUAL REPORT
Increase In Dredser Operations
 Also Increase In Cost of Hand- ling Goods

| creek claims, both by outright purchase and by working agree ment. The principal purchases are situated on Upper Bonanza and EldoradO, with some few claims in other portions of the district within the limits of the operation. The total which has been added to the property is es- timated at i,93O,OOO cubic yards, practically all creek gravels suit able for dredging.
 Equipment-The dredging equip mcnt was increased during 1911 by the addition of two 7-cubic foot dredgeS, leased from the Gugg?n- helm Exploration Co.,, which
 makes a total of nine in all on the cOmpany's property. The two new drcdgcs represent the latest improvements in drcdge cOnStruc- lion and differ from the ones pre- viously employed in that the hull and SuDcrsiructurc arc built of 1 steel, instead of wood. The steel hulls have decided advantages in Inc way of strength and riSidity. and are SO designed that the drcdGcs can be taken down and moved without rntailing any loss of material. The first of the two new drcdgeS was finished and started operation on September 23rd on claim No. 6 above dis cOvery on Bonanza; the second dredgc, No. 9, was completed and started operating on October 7th on claim No. 7, Eldorado. The total weight involved in the con- strucLion was i ,340 tons, and Ov- CT 55,000 rivets were driven in the construction of each dredge. The thawing plants were in creased by the addition of four new boilers of standard type, with their steam lines and accessory equipment. Tn connection with the hydraulic work, two new pits were opened on King Solomon hill and completely equipped with two sluice-lines, pipelines and mon-
 itors. This plant is now ready for operation the coming season. At Trail gulch hydraulic equip ment was installed during July, and mining was carried on at this point during the remainder of the season.
 OperatiOn-Dredging operations in 1911 were begun approximately three weeks earlier than in 1910. The dredging season for seven dredges averaged 17i i-2 days, as compared cost; in fact, they are now handling with i59 days in 1910. The dredges started on May 9th, average date, and closed for the winter on October 23rd. The early start in May was made possible by the completion of the steam-driven plant of the North crn Light, Power & Coal Co.,, which enabled the company to purchase power before it's own hydro-elec- tric plant was capable of being operated. The drcdges handled i,t5i,2i9 cubic yards during the season and produced S2,67i,8I5 gross gold. This represents a gain of 27. per cent in gross value received. The average value per cubic yard was 5i.35c, as compar- ed with 66.i8c last season, show ing slight decrease, owing to the fact that No. 5 dredge was digging largely in worked ground and tailings, which decreased the av- craze grade of the material hand led by this dredge as compared with the season before.
 The cost increased from 3i .O9c per cubic yard for t9i0,- average, to 35.43c for 1911. A number of different factors entered into this increase. The May operation was disproportiOnatcly expensive on account of the necessity for thaw- ing some of the ground in April, when the weather was still cold the repair costs increased soms- what, due to the heavy bedrock en- countcred by some of the drcdges. and the power costs also were higher from purchasing power To- cally for the carly spring and late fall requirements. Thc principal increase in cost was in Inc thaw- ing operation, duo io inc great CT percentage of frozen ground met in this seasons operation.