THE ALASKAN GOLDFIELD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10902, 8 September 1897, Page 3

THE ALASKAN GOLDFIELD.

A STORY OF FABULOUS WEALTH.

BIGGEST PLACSES IN THE WORLD,

A story rivalling in intensity of interest that told of the fabulous wealth oE Monte Christa ■was (the San Francisco Chronicle says) related. by the passengers of the little steamsr ExcelBior, which arrived from St. Michael's, Alaska, en July 10. Millions upon millions of virgin gold, according to the siery, await the fortunate miner who has the hardihood and courage to penetrate into the unknown depths of the Yukon district. V - . . t There was tangible evidence on the little steamer of the ttuth of the story told by the travellers, for in the cabin were scores of sacks filled to the very mouth with •' dust" taken from the placers of the far, frozen north. . The gold brought by the Excelsior was as follows;—/ '■■.'■

Alaska Commercial Company 250,000d01, T. S. ; Liuoy (S.OOfMol, F. G. H; Booker SO.OOOdoI, James jUfiSiann 15,000d01, J. 0. Hestwood 10,500d01, J. Ladue IO.OOOdoI, J. Fox IO.OOOdoI, Albert Crook EO.OGOdoI, John Marks IO.OOOdoI, Bernard Ander-son-KMHlOilol, Alex. Orr SO.OOOdoI, — Gilbraith IS.COOdo], Henry Cook JO.OOOdo], Louis Rhodes 25 OGOdol, J. Ernmerger IOJMQdpI, Fred Lefldesser _ lo.ooa'doi. •-".■■'■■•---■-- --•-•■•• •• •■■•.'_ - : The now. Eldorado lies just,across, the Alaskan btandary, in British territory. It is' of recent' discovery, but already there are at least 3000 people on the ground, and more are flocking in that direction as fast as transportation can be; secured. The discovery of the Klondyke regions presents.a story that is'nniquely interesting. Around Forty Mile, oa the Yukon, is a tribe of Indians known'as the Stickers,'and with them is a man who years, ago was known 88 George Cormack, bat who. is now called •'Stick George." In September; last, at the Thead of a party of Indians, he left his\hut near Forty-roile Camp and started in a southerly direction, sayjag that he intended to.find a new goldfieia before his return. True to his word, ♦f Stick: George" canje back two weeks later, and startled the miners with the announcement thai 40 miles away.ma place known asThroen<iiuck—which means " fish water "—there was gold to be found in plenty. The streams abounded.with the yellow metal, and all that was needed was for somebody to pick it up. -It is needless to say that there were many who were ready to accept'bis story. They flocked to the place, and in time the word reached Forty-mile Camp that unsold riches could be found along the bottom of Bonanza Creek and its tributaries. Men who had failed at the former camp immediately packed up their' belongings and set out for the new fields.. It was a hard and trying journey, but that was nothing with the promise of millions at the end of the route. The employees of the Alaska Commercial Company and of the steamer Excelsior carried Bomethinglikc 250, OOOdol from the wharf to the office; -. J. W. Lippy, who wts accompanied by his wife to the diggings, brought back 65,000d0l jb dost. When seen at the Palace Hotel he corroborated all that had been said of the fabulous riches in the new mining district, but ■was inclined to bs guarded in his remarks, because, as he said, he had no desire to be the means of causing people to go to the new district who were not financially and physically able to do so." Mts Lippy accompanied her husband to the Forty-mile Camp Something over a year ago. She was with him daring his bardships and trials, and'is now enjoying with him their hard-earned wealth. "I do not know that I can add," Lippy said, " anything to what has already been said of the new discovery on the Yukon River. The place is rich, wonderfully so, I might say. It would be impossible for me to even calculate its nchnesi).' But it is not by any. means an easy undertaking. It is filled with difficulties and triais, such ds one can hardly dresm of, bub if t a person is inclined to take the risk I do not: believe that he can lose by it. _ _ "The new mining camp was discovered in September last, and there are now about 3000 on the. ground.; The place is about 40 miles from Forty-mile Camp, and has been cilled Dawson City. With my wife I went there shortly after the" new* reached Forty-mile Camp. I was among the first to arrive, and to that fact I attribute in a measure the success I bad, for Ido not by nny'm'eans say that there are not other claims just as good as mine, and Still others which have not been located. " How much did I take out ? Oh, that i 3 gomethicg which I do not care to say. . People have told all kinds of stories about mv wealth, putting it from 100,000dol to 300,000d01, but that is a mistake. I brought down with me, well, Bay 65,000dol; thongh' as I have not had the dust-weighed yet I cannot be certain as to that. It is my intention to return to the mines next Bpring. My wife will accompany me. I have had any number of offers to sell my claim, though no one has named the price that I would dream of taking. 'It is worth millions, »nd I intend to hold on to it. " "Our principal mining is done in the winter, though it is hot until the snow melts and the streams begin to run tbat we knov? just what 'we have accomplished. We build fires on the ground, thus thawing it. and than throw the earth into great piles. When the spring comes we wash the earth, and that is how we obtain the gold." Up to 12 months ago Lippy was secretary ot the Young Men's Christian Association at Seattle, but he gaveup his position to go to the goldfields of Alaska. To reach' Dawson City from Juneau necessitate!? a jonrney through a wild, monntaiaouß sountry, filled.with numerous streams that are aangeroui at all times. The distance is 650 miles, and it takes an average of 25 days to cover it. James Ladue, one of the miners, now in the city, givea an interesting account of the trip, and also of his experience in the great unknown recfion. Ladne has been in Alaska for 15 years, bufc it was not until the discovery of gold- in Bonanza Creek tha£ he " struck it rich " Incidentally if: may bs mentioned that he is tha founder of Diwson City, though the Bonanza find was made by Kobeit Henderson, a man who has been prospecting for years m the sreat North-west. «•' It must not be imagined by anyone, said Ladue, "that the trip to the new goldfields is easy of accomplishment; it ie just the contr&ry. There . are maDy dangerous places to be encountered, but if one is strong and brave the^e may b?. overcome. There are two routes to Dswson City, but the ono by Jnneau is preferable, though it must be travelled largely on fool. ■ - „ ■ . c "/giving Jordan yea go to Dyea by way of T.ii/p' Caaal, and from there to Lake Lmder-

Mann, 30 miles, on foot, or portage as we call it. The Jake gives you a ride of five or six miles, and then follows another long jpnrney overland to the head waters of Lake Bennett, which is 23 miles long. On foot you go again for a number of miles, and then Cariboo Crossing River furnishes trausportation for four miles to Takish Lake, where another 21 miles' boat ride may be had! This is followed by a weary stretch of mountainous country, and tben Marsh or Mud Lake is reached. You get another boat ride of 24 miles, and then down a creek for 27 mile 3to Miles Canyon to White Horse Rapids. "This is one of the most dangerous places on the entire route, and should be avoided by strangers. The stream is full of sunken rocks, and rans with the speed of a mill race. "Passing White Horse Rapids the journey is down a river 30 miles to Lake La Barge, where 31 miles of navigable watev is found. Another short portage, and Loas Riv« is reached, wheu you have a 200-mile journey, which brings you to Fort Selkirk. At this point the Pell? and Lous Rivers come together, form-. in* the Yukon. From that point on it is practically smooth sailing, though the stranger must be exceedingly careful. . . " The most dangerous part of the trip is that crossing Cbiikoot Pass. Ever, as late as May and June, snowstorms^occur, and woe to the traveller who is caught. Ch'ilkoot Pfles is itself 380Dfthigh, but is the only opening in a mountain range whose peaks reach an average altitude of 10,000 ft. The snowstorms at the pass are sudden and fnrious, and many lives have been lost there. People who have been caught have saved themselves by crawling under some overhanging rooks, where they were forced to remain two or three days without food. " The second route to Dawson City, bntnot much used because of its tediousness, is by way of St. Michaels and thence up the Yukon, a. distance of 1700 miles. Over the Jurieau route, as it is called, one meets with magnificent scenery, .bat the average man is so much taken »ip with caring for bis safety that he doesn't find the tiine't'6' admire it. * " I will not advise people to go to Dawson City, or any other point in the great NorthWest; but -I will say that if a man can stand the trip it will pay him well. Thsre ia no calculating the wealth that lies hidden in.the creeks and.io the mountain sides, but it takes strength and courage to'get it." '• ' .