All about the Klondyke gold minesKnox, J. Armoy (John Armoy)
History
All about the Klondyke gold mines
Knox, J. Armoy (John Armoy)
Klondike River Valley (Yukon) -- Gold discoveries
The greater part of the ton and a half of gold was taken from the ground
during three Winter months. Last Fall some green strangers,
"tenderfeet," fresh from the comforts of civilization, were so absurd as
to give no heed to the advice of the old miners. The pioneers of the
Yukon mines, the men who know Circle City and Forty Mile Creek and all
the surrounding country, said there was no use looking for gold "over
yonder on the Klondyke." But the foolish strangers went "over yonder on
the Klondyke." During the Fall the news reached the older diggings of
the amazing discoveries of gold by these absurd tourists from the South,
and from all the country round about came the rush to Klondyke.
When gold is waiting to be lifted out of the ground cold is not to be
considered. During the dark Winter days the temperature, 30 or 40
degrees below zero, the quest for dust and nuggets was pursued
continually. The product of the work of some of these Winter miners,
defiant of the cold, is shown in the treasure brought to the United
States by the Portland and the Excelsior.
The greatest fortune gained by any of the company of miners is the
honeymoon treasure of Clarence Berry, of Fresno, Cal. He brought
$135,000 in dust and nuggets. In 1890 young Berry went to the Yukon
country, and for several years he prospected along Forty-Mile Creek and
other placer fields without success. Last Summer he returned to
California, married, and took his bride with him to the North. Instead
of remaining in Alaska he went over the boundary line into British
possessions, and on the Klondyke he struck the richest pocket that was
discovered. He said that the principal part of his $135,000 came from
three hundred "box lengths." A "box length" is fifteen feet long and
twelve feet wide. In one length he found a pocket of $10,000. In another
length was a nugget weighing thirteen ounces, next to the largest found
in the diggings. Mr. Berry deemed his fortune sufficient for the
present, and is taking his bride to his home in Fresno, where, in the
July temperature of 110 above, she may find compensation for the 58
below of January on the Yukon.
One of the foolish strangers who gave no consideration to the advice of
the old miners is Frank Phiscater. Last Autumn he went from Borada,
Mich., to Alaska and thence to Klondyke. He was one of the first to
discover gold in the fabulously rich placers of the new El Dorado. He
employed nine men and in three months' time took out from two claims
$96,027. He still owns the claims, but having nearly $100,000 made in
less than twelve months he deems himself entitled to a trip to Michigan.
A FEW OF THE PRIZES WON.
THEY HAVE MADE THEIR PILE AND BROUGHT IT HOME.
Clarence J. Berry $135,000
W. Stanley 115,000
F. Phiscater 92,000
F. G. H. Bowker 90,000
T. S. Lippy 60,000
K. B. Hollingshead 25,500
R. McNulty 20,000
Wm. Kulju 17,000
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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