the pW 1
;tk over to
.riuncu1 1
osfn't""1'
.jlJICUllini
R fl .S.'. CS I V 1 U si fl UBt I I ' V 1 I I I i V - l(
Alas id
lliigaii ic.
J1""'
5 tM
del"1
"I'M
I!
ri
' it
HE United States
(iovern uii'iit in
18(57 paid Itussia
7, a 0 0.(1 0 0 for
Alaska. The terri
tory bus paid buck
her pu rutins mon
ey in gold four
times, having pro
duced during the
time it Ims been n
part of the United
States about $30,
000,000 of the pre
cious yellow uietul.
Tu-uu. the eyes
of
our
for
the world are turned toward
frozen inquisition in the north,
wilhin its borders has been dis
covered an I'.lilorailo. The word Klon
dyke, literally translated meaning Ieer
Jtiver. is on every tongue and is known as
the designation for a gold-bearing district
greater in mea nml rieher in diameter
than iiny the world has ever known, with
the txtssible exception of California.
Klond.vKe is the new open sesame to
Aladdin's cave; it supplants 'Tike's I'eak
or bust" in the fold-seeker's vernacular.
"The days of "!I7" may become as cele
brated a phrase ns "the dnys of '4!t," for
the same fever that seized upon the people
nnd dotted the Western prairies with em
igrant trains hound for the Pacific const
INDIAN IllVhll.
is claiming victims by the thousands, all
eager to brave the perils of the arctic eli
de and wrest a fortune from the frozen
iue.
The icpoiled gold discoveries of the
present day in Alaska and the reported
gold discoveries of '-111 in California afford
many parallels. To the aveniite mau the
treasures uf the coast State were secin
IiikI.v as inaccessible as are the riches of
the Ynl.un and its tributaries. One was
more ih in I'.ooo miles across n trackless
desert and over Hiiow-boiiud mountain
passes, beset by savages, whose deadly
allacks iiiiirked the trail with blenching
bones across the Western States; the
other is nearly 7.000 miles by water.
I'lZb" El, .o' "L"!'""!
tain liaises to scale as iini?..riniii n ti...u..
- I,,... in,,. in
uf the Swiss Alps,
The fabulous tales of wealth sent out
by the California pioneers were no less
wonder?'!) than those brought back by the
men who bin veil the last cold season in
the Kb nd.vke mineral belt, and in both
cases those who returned brought back
with th.'in great nuggets of the precious
muff that left little or no doubt in the
mind of the hearer. The California miner
in the mniir who hnd so many nugicets that
lie was Hii ustonied to "go hatful blind"
rinds his parallel in the Yukon miner who
Haiins tn have "washed out" $212 in one
panful of dirt a process that requires
ten or twehe minutes.
The Alaska and California gold fields
re alike also In being placer mines. Placer
Ii.liiw Im x.niitiitiilv culled "iioor mni.'a
mining." for the reason that it is done
without machinery, while the implements
required lu the work are few mid of small
cost. A placer miner ran get along very
well with a pick, shovel and gold pan.
If Ui dirt U uot rich he can accotnpllsh
STOXK HOUSE AT THE FOOT OK CHII.KOOT PASS,
better results by running it through a
sluice box, but where the yield is lu nug
gets instead of hue gold be prefers to
"pan" it.
The (.-rent Klondyke strike wua made
last year, but nothing was known of it in
the United States until June 15 of the
present year, when n vessel culled the
Excelsior arrived in San Francisco laden
with miners from the Klondyke, who in
turn were laden with gold. They told
almost incredible tules of the richness of
the newly discovered district, where for
tunes had been accumulated in a few
months. Experienced miners and "ten
derfeet" seemed to have shared good for
tune alike, and with some justice, too,
for the credit of the discovery of the new
S'i!d !;!! in due to the inexperienced men.
Another vessel brought to Seattle a sec
ond party of successful prospectors and a
ton ami a half of gold. These men hnd
endured peril and undergone great hard
ships in accumulating the fortunes they
brought, and they told a story thut had a
dark as well as a bright side. To follow
their example means a risk of wealth.
health and even life, but for those who
are willing to take the chances the pros
pect they hold out is alluring.
T h K'lnnHvIrn Iklat.!.
The richest of the mines in the Alaska
region seem to be in the Klondyke, a few
miles over the British border. They were
discovered, as has been said, by a party
of "teiiilerfeet," who, against the advice
of the old-timers in the distriet, wandered
"over yonder in the Klondyke" and struck
it rich. Eroni Klondyke comes much of
the gold and from Klondyke seems to
come all the excitement. A few "tender
feet," going It blind, have stirred up the
naiion. uut or ine region of their (lis
covery has eon-e, it is estininted, .$2,000,
000 worth of gold during the nresent sum
mer. Nearly all of that gold has found
its way into the l nited States.
If- lu linril to titll tvlw.t-n tl Al.lfll-n ..!.!
fields nre located except that In a general
way the licst or them are along the lukon
Tlmr.i nrn n few "InHn" mirwta tt.tiit. In
neini ani along the southeast coast of the
i.-iiikii.i .ill- iiiiini m-t-.-ssiiiit- pail. 0 111,
but the one is of low grade mid mining is
made profitable only by the most careful
nianageiueut.
The placer mines, from which prospect
ors nre said to he lining their pockets with
gold, occupy the prominent place in the
popular mind. These are in the region re
mote from civilization, little known, and,
on account of its uncertainties, danger
ously alluring to the average man. This
golil-m-oilui ing couiitrv of the interior
is in the vicinity of the Yukon near where
that great river turns to the west in its
course to the sea. Before the discoveries
in the Klondyke the most productive dis
tricts had been along Forty Mile Creek,
partly in British and partly in American
territory, and the Birch Creek district, all
in America n territory. Along all tf the
rivers in this region, tributaries to the
Yukon, geld diggings exist and in many
places pay the prospector well for his
trouble.
Cook's Inlet is another place where the
rumors of gold caused crowds of uupre-
." ' -k' '"e -listrict has not
exactly borne out the reputation given to
it by early prospectors.
In all the immense country over which
the placer milling extends it is estimated
.inn up to last year there were 2.000 niin.
ers. The districts In ti lib.h .. .. .i
worked were in a broad belt of gold pro
ducing rock tlip.,i.l. h .......... :
T -. ........ M.ian. lenm
enrryiug gold occur frequently. Through
the BO 111 lien r n r..lia ll.a 1......
the gold-bearinir rock tl. iirsiiiNia liU
cut deep gullies and canyons, and In their
i i .i ","-. .i. ..in
Keils the gold which was contained in the
nicll U i.ii. .n,....i.v.l Tl... ..Ul .1.1.
rock is comentratisl. The luiniug of thl
eolllltrr tonslsts. thereforo. In viuI.mii
out tne gravel of these beds.
To Keach the Gold Klel.ta,
The best way to reach the Klondyk)
district? One gwi from Seattle by oceai
steamer west anil a little north, and pass
es through. Dutch Harbor, at the
: " .... ."
ttxnie ind of the Southwest Alaskan no-
nlusnln. From there the steamer tun..
north and continues on to St. Michael's
sian.l. a little nlnive the mouth of the
L ukon. In llehrintf Sea. At that noint
Ylllii.il I.. llnKrl..
passenger are transferred to the rivi
l to the viw
sicuucra to ueglu the loug journey up
k .
the
Y'ukon, which winds northward and cast
ward, and finally brings the traveler to
I.awaon City, now the principal town in
the district, although sixty-five miles from
the Klondye fields.
The cost of the trip from Chicago this
way, as prospecting miners usually travel,
is $251.50. It is divided as follows;
From Chicago to Seattle (second class),
$51.50; from Seattle to Dawson City,
$200. In time the trip costs thirty days
four from Chicago to Seattle, sixteen from
Seattle to St. Michael's Island, and ten
up the Yukon to Dawson City by the fast
boat. The distance in general figures is
2,250 miles from Chicago to Seattle,
2,500 miles to St. Michael's Island and
1.HH0 mih up the Yukon to Da
total at ii bout fi.000 miles.
43
MAP SHOWING TIIE
Another wnv. the "mniintuin pmiio " a
shorter in miles, but equally long in the
time it requires and a great deal more
ilLSf- 72
more directly north to Junenu, which is
S!l!l miles from Sen 111., ii i.rt thmi imps hv
lake and
iver and over the mountains
i to the new m n iib terr torv.
1.000 miles tn the nr..- niloint tni-intni-i
The cost of the trip this way cannot be
definitely stated beyon .Tin eu, bec
after that noint it lenenrt, ., n
after that point it depends somewhat on
tile Dliri'nill mnile with till. I'liilllnnt In.
diaus, who pack supplies through the pass,
aim tne lengtn or time the overland part
of the journey requires; but the Indians
who act lis guides nnd nnck smmlies do
wbo act lis guides nnd pack supplies do
noiworK without big pay.
Dawson CltT.
Dawson City, the center of the new
mining region, although sixty-five miles
distant from the Klondyke. is said to lie n
typical mining town minus the guns.
Ihe British tiovernment enforces Its laws
' , , "
Dawson, and those laws prohibit the
' of firenrins. rn four mui. tnv n....u
lu
use of firearms, co few nimi mrrv ,if,u
The laws of the en mo nre ntifr,oii u
mounted police, whose captain is a civil
officer. Though there nre said to be 3,000
people in Dawson, few houses have been
built, for the principal reason that lumber
is $100 per 1,000 feet. The genernl fear
is, of course, that there will be great suf
fering there this winter, and It will bo In.
creased, it is expected, by the rush of
ttnprcpau-d prospectors who sailed for the
new fields immediately on learning what
luck- had befallen those who have but
recently returned.
Ill give 1111 ncclirnte iilen nt tlia mwl r
living in Dawson City, the price list of a
general store there is herewith given:
Flour, per His $12 on
Mouse lut in. ner Mi . i ivi
CarMiou meat, tier lb ic.
ItiMiiis, per lb.
lo
luce, ner u...
Sugar, per lb.
ltnciin. ner Ih.
40
Hatter, ner roll
Kggs, per dozen !!!!!!".!!!! 1 SO
1 Ml
ltctter eggs, tier dozeu
2 00
Salmon, each
.(1 to
1 Ml
25
IS
1 00
M
;
Ml
20
Ml
1 M)
Ml
2 Ml
S (10
utilities, ner lb
Turnips, per lb
Ten. per lb
Coffee, per lb
I irl.il fruits, per lb..
('Mimed fruits
l.euions. each
Omnires. each
Tobacco, per lb
I.louiirs. ner drlnlc...
Sliuvels
Ticks
t'nal oil. uer gnllou. . .
1 (Ml
1 Ml
Overalls
I'mlerwear, per suit...
.$.1 to 7 Ml
Hubber boot 10 to 15 00
n (Ml
Alaska and Its Resources.
In the purchase of Alaska, the TTnlto,!
States acquired a territory more than
half a million square miles in extent, a
part of it within the arctic circle and' in
me rvfciMii oi everlasting ice ana snow
where, during part of the summer, there
is continuous day and during the winter
column. ms, ureary nignt. The AlnsVn.
coast line is greater than our Atlantic W
I i. .... i , i. .i . "'"iii sia
onuiiiioiis, ureary nignt. The Alasknn
board, but the entire population of white
iiiiui ami ncrce inuians w
called the Apaches of the North
i. .. .. . . 'uriu
r.sKimos anil nerce Indian. h
are
much more than that of a ward division
iu Chicago.
In acquiring the Alaskan territory,
though the Vnited States moved its cen
ter, figured lu geographical mines, not in
area or population, as far west at San
Jranelaco. The country now extends
imiu uuoiii me uiitn degree of Innvim.i.
in. .t ., . '"lt"nde
122,1 , eer, , . r ,0
of the Aa.kan mainlnn.l. Thl. I. Y.J. P
no aeeo.mt of the little Island of Vt
1 mul ...u . . ' J .. ttn? of A'.
" "r.w tb,
. ""im woicn, since the nur.
chaw of Alaska, ha really been our w
ern land limit. The United States, there -
fore, may almost say with England thut
the sun never sets on its possessions.
TX. - r V..t L1
j iic reai ukum icr.
The principal river in Alaska, the Yu-
nun, up nuau ijiobijvw :im a uu t- m ,u.n
meir weary way to reacn ine gom neius,
was cauea oy senwatka, tne Alas
Nile. It rises a little more than 200 in
a Dove MtKii. in tue soutnern part or
Alaska, and then strikes northward, fol-
I j ..: i ,1...
iu,(iig it uiuiiu circle lo uie roi uciuik
i. cuifii.rs uiio ut-iiriuK oca iiiiuuii uu
e.iensive oiMia. rix nuuurea nines in
from the coast it is more than a mile
wide and the volume of its water is so
great as to freshen the ocean ten miles
uiii from land.
The principal cities of Alaska are Jtt-
ALASKA GOLD FIELDS.
neau nnd Sitka. They are both thriving
towns, and probably they will thrive
from now on, for a time at lenst, as they
have never thriven hefnrn A inai-.. i ,..i..i
-e nr Z
by n territorial governor, who now is J.
Brady, recently appointed by President
McKinley to aucceed James A Sheakh y
ti. u ... " f1, ""enKiij.
lUe Governor's resiilnnna lu i.. .!,..
d"
. "1 f'T "si le from 8tlrriK "P the
Among the things Alaska has done for
present gold excitement one of the most
forward was to involve it in disputes with
England on the boundary question and
the seal fisheries business. Both of these
d isp 7
! i" eit?n"d n,t hlte-willg-
ed pence settled over the situation in each
case and brought the suggestion of that
newly invented English-American institu-tion-nriiitration.
However, the boundary
question is not settled yet.
Character of the Population.
Ihe census enumeration of 1800,
!.- me population of the terri-
tory as H0,32l, of whom 4.410 were whites
I Mo l.l..i... i .... .... ""u's.
fill,.. i ne noliiilnt in. f !. . 1
ii . L .,r.v wiities,
blnoks. 1.5IIX linlr.i...,.,.i 1...1:..
,. - -" iiiiuiiiis aim
Eskimos. 1.1,, 35 natives not Eskimos (Iu
; 1.1ns). 2.125 Chinese and 8.400 Eskimos.
1 he number of whites has probably been
more than doubled since then, however
(is the Alaskan gold fever set in iu mild
form three r fr years ago. One would
hardly th.nk of going to Alaska for the
social advantages of the place
Neither could it be said that a reasona
bly constructed Individual would go there
for the climate. In winter the thermome
ter falls so low in places that no one will
recognize it; that it goes down to 70 de
grees ..ud lower. During all this kind of
win er up in the Yukon region little can
be done but sit about a fire in a vain en
deavor to keep warm, for darkness exists
most of the time, and the life seems like
that of a man uncomfortably seated at
the bottom of 11 well.
FACTS ABOUT ALASKA,
I ....H2?E' ,ln 1S"T 'mm Run-
, ";:.r. ;-'"M""': purchase uegotl
ated by William H. Seward.
Area la square miles. Ml. 400
riiilliailoll (census of 1101. 3nsn
nf whom but 4.41.1 were whites. 8.4UO t
Esquimaux ami I3.7;t.". Indluns
hstlniatetl present population, 40,- t
ITInclpiil cities. Sitka (the capital) t
Juneau, Wrangel. I'lrcle Cl.v ' f
. ..... i.i, . ,11111.1111., ..intinr 1
a It tmle HI. MS. f..oi- i, ...... ...
iirnn.
18.100: Mnnnt U'rm'.l ir.jj,'- I1H
F.I Ins,
(iovenii.r of the territory'.' James b
Brnily; residence at Sitka.
Principal products besides gold. f,.r,
fish and lumber. '
Principal occupations of the netinle
hunting and fishing. people.
iold first discovered In IS7B
Ratlmated product of gold to ilniu
I'rislnct of gold In lStm. 4.R70oi
Klondyke In Kngllsh I. illver
Tlierlver Is so designated uu the
Klondyke gold fields partly In Amer.
I'-aa and partly In Hrltlnl. t "rrttwi
"aitMre'r ",l,",,o"wi ot
Stvne of the present excitement Is
tari'es PPr 0 ulX trlbi"
I via C'kllkoot Pass
about 4.000 tllllea.
Time to make the
route, thlrtr ilnra.
"P by either ,
("est of the trip, about $.too.
Iravel possible uuly lu June
and Aliens..
. July
ruinate In winter severe In the n.
treaie. winter beglanlug lu Vepte".
l.nrlng June mil JiT eontlnnoii.
diyllKht: during KecemuerViid JkZ
ary contiuuous Vilght. lu
p the liar
t that Is
M-rviilion
uliou of
future.
;iitlotiul V
in the I'"
1 utllitt"'1
ahii,u
plit lllfiltl
1 During the summer season th
sometimes even a litii.. i.u i .
for long. In that time tun th
most ,.r.fit;.,nl .1.... . ' . ' il
"i "y, ior that end ni
earth (If it may be so cnllwli lui
i i'w,ii..-u uiiecuy at tile BUD
uu. me summer tirings '
one in such u way us to m l
dreaded Jersey vuriety sceni h "
u lil, ,lw. :i .. '
ih CauiK
i.ac .in- silvery, IlllgCuc swpptlt-
ih i,iuai-n ur u peaceful UrcaiD
travelers who return vn. .1.. v...'
iritory t
gion tell stories of how brave andfc!
iiild be 1
... w,st- enough tu undetUb
perils n J..,,rnoy to tiiinSumry (W
actually break down nml 1, 1. ....
in or sev
peration nnd despuir uuilor the tonm'
iu the
icrriiiie pests. The ice ani
mugnilicent distances" nf ,ha
not the only drawbacks to Its njj
... j,,,.,..,-., ,K u) 1Ile B01U BeMi
mosquitoes must ever ho mn,.n.i.i
Uf course, iu the southern part of Al;
irt was
an, wueve jtinenii and Sitka nreiiMi
me w.niers are not so rigoroiu.
the weather is comparatively mi,tK
niiiiiiucr IS H.IIM to he di. kr ,!l 11
Juneau und Sitka ore lufinitesiinuliij
pared with the whole conntm- j,i'
are not nn index to what is f u'niisliej fc!
mer up ana rartlier inland.
Industries nf Ainb.
flls to t
When travelers were asked ns hit
two or three years aim wli.n
princip il pursuits in Alaska thev rfpfc
of course, that fishing and hunting 1,
nlshed occupation for the greater ran.
the population. What else was to ben
pected from n population made upimt
main of Eskimos and Indians? hd
Mtka district there are ningnilirent
esis ana lumbering is an industry, km
the barren, icy north the nccnimii
the Indian was to shoot nnd trap it
bear, the fox. the otter and the .ilk.,,.,
mals whose fur would bring a price ii
the markets of the world, tn ..nti, n
seals and spear the whale and catch it
otner nsn or game that could he turn-:
into money. Salmon canning is the pn
industry of the Kadiak district, and k
been for vours.
Of lute, however, the other industrial!
A.usMi nave sunk ulniost out of sight U
cause of the new gold rlnirv. Minim i
course, is the industry of the white au
Virgin cold might have lain iu "lain lid:
in the rocks to a limitless extent and ii
all probability the Indians nnd the b
kmios would never huve touched it. M
PBOSPKCTI.NO IS ALASKA.
and furs nre the standard of vtilue M
them, (iol.l liiiu no KsL-inwi Mt.uiijii-hs anil
keeis no KRkitno hotly warm.
Hut with the white man it was differ
cut. He came, he mur. be ilit. nnd u
the digging lie found richness, (ilitteriw
goltl greetetl his eyes, and the fever ol
gold is ppoii us,
Work Inn Placer Mines.
The Klondyke mines ure placcrs-th'
most easily worked mines of nuv. and
requiring the lenst expenditure. The
methods of washing out placer gold "
known us "sluicing" and "punning." Th
former is employed where the yield l ot
ordinurv value, while nil old-timers un-
for the hitler in rich ground.
In sluicing the dirt is shoveled into tb
sluice box, through which wuter is raiW
ly running. The box is of varying lenftb.
nnd has holes bored in the bottom. Tht
holes are filled with quicksilver; the dirt.
Kravel and smnll bowlders are washed
over the qnu ksllver, hut the gold ailbew
to it. When a miner "cleans up." win"'
times every night, sometimes once a wwk,
the water is turned off und the sluice b"1
holes are cleaned out.
In panning, the dirt is put into a
pan about the size of a small dislipas
l'hls pan is ninde of copper. The miner
squats beside a stream, dips water in
the pan, oscillates It with a motion that
can only be acquired by experience, "
gradually sloughs out the water, dirt,
gravel, etc., retaining the gold In the pa
(.told being the heaviest substance, it U of
course the easiest to retain iu the pan.
If It be In the shape of nuggets, the mint
picks them out of the pan with his fineefi;
if the gold be lu small particles, fine pW
up .,.. u 11 .. . ....
....... muti. ne ones tne pnn in i"
sun Ulld cnrefnllv .... .1 .1. In' V
a piece of buckskin or other mnterial u
or carrying tue precious metal. '
A pick, a shovel, a gold pan, water, n4
of course, some gold are the only essen
tiala of placer mining. Mnchinery Is only
ueceasarv in placer mining where lane
areas t,f ground that yields only moder
ately are worked, nnd then onlv for hr
"roullc power In washing down the dltt
ood Mews for Him. .
lou are destined to mnrry rlche
the seetvaa an Id, "but "
"But what?"
"Death will clnlin you two year b
fore the event" Town Topic
1 . 3I1
valuiiu
ainal or
whole 1
com!
ulaton
tv spot
:uiselvei
n maite
lits U111
Kvate sp
the wh
'here It
presi'n
., will
wuty si
uplexli
ut to
inlid ov
visitor
The ba
Shlckaw
irluigloi
ir tur
the )'
Jure sat
e sout
a pee
fee tet
i-nersl
ttorevi
itiiple t
1 There
lie wis
fcord
Guns ai
there 1
if the
an
trivak
wners
ifflcierj
:ratlot
Thet
I Ui
Var
liler
oers
it tin
icier
fd a
Will
'tant
huitf
iinip
at I
ihe
the
jiisln
mot
itt
A
laU
liri
nw
V8
rid
ft
1111
at
a
e
ho
lo
l
i
Ii