The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 24, 1898, Page 25

THE SAN FRANCI DAY, APRIL 24, 1898. ALASKA’S HARVEST Icy Streams Beside Which Be Gathered During the Summer. v | BY SAM WALL. It Will ITHOUT a map under one's eve and a comprehensive statement of the relation- ship to each other of the ks in the Klondike and Indian River mining divi- sions, one must have a very confused notion of their location and relative fmpc nce, especially since the multi- plication of them and their names that have followed the constant stampeding and prospecting of this long winter. In my published summary of the probable output of the districts I did not even refer to many creeks that are now listed in Dawson as having big possibilitie: and, the claims upon which are held at high figures. They story, because rear materially in reviewing had no place in that they will not figure th in the output. Howe' the mining situation there, they should not overlocked. ¢ all here at- tempt to give such a general view as Ay carry to the mind of the reader a asonably clear idea of the whole min- g region and the development that has taken place during this season— how it has grown under the influx of “techarcos. At the close of the mining season of t year—that is, after the wash up and at the time those men came ‘“out” whe arrival in San rancisco, weight- ed down with gold, started that Klon- dike fever that has spread over the , the new goldfields meant Bo- and Dorado creeks—those Now they mean almost every great Yukon River. r gold has been found so often in nse to patient digging in so many rent places that expectation has aised with regard to all the vast , and does not know where to place the limit. This is true of the old camps as well as the new, on the American as well as the British side line. In reviewing the whole, 1 shall speak of these dis- v and of that first attention. The Klon- dike and Indian River divisions are wetically one district, being only sep- arated by a low divide and having Dawson for their source of supply. Prospec g is now going on in the fol- lowing creeks in these districts, all of which are listed in the mining ex- ange and brok offices, and claims ipon them are the subject of daily bar- uctuation in price, inquiry as to developments and general two. ributary of the whi f the period of speculation. They known from end to end to be rich. be sure, there are many claims on both that, for one reason or another, | have not been worked. The one reason is that their owners were compelled to 1 the country for lack of provisions. n will not exist next year, man going into the country is now compelled to take provisions with him, and, besides commercial companies, new and old, are carrying | of provisions into the coun- both up and down the river. EIl ado Creek will probably be worked t next year. Bonanza Creek is good for two or three years yet, as a steady and big gold producer. The others will nly fair the list of producers hat re quantities try year. This the KLONDIKE DIVISION. Bonanza Creek. Boulder Creek Adams Cr Big and Little Skookum gulches. El Dorado Creek. Chief, Frank, Irish, Victoria and Gay gulche tributaries of El Dorado. r Cre Quigley ( Hunker Creek. Gold Bottom Creek, Last Chance Creek. Dominion Sulphur C 3 Caribou Creek, tributary of Dominion. Lyon Creek, tributary of Caribou. : Arkansaw Creek, tributary of Domin- on. Green Gulch, tributary of Sulphur. Friday Gulch, tributary of Sulphur. Quartz Creek. Ophir Creek. Nine Mile Creek. Eureka Creek. There are besides these the follow- ing independent divisions, creeks that empty into the Yukon; and that figure on the bulletin boards in Dawson: Henderson Creek, above Dawson. Reindeer Creek, above Dawson. Ensley Creek, above Da: n. Baker Creek, above Dawson. Montana Creek, above Dawson. Bryant Creek, above Dawson. Dion Creek, above Dawson. Rosebud Creek, above Dawson. Deadwood Creek, below Dawson. Moose Hide Creek, below Dawson. These are named somewhat in their geographical order. 3 Standing upon “the Dome,” the high. est point in the region of this district, one can look down the valleys of Bo- nanza, El Dorado, Humboldt, Domin- jon, Sulphur and Gold Bottom creeks, the principal creeks of the two divi- sions and of which most of the other creeks named are tributarfes. They all have their rise in the hills about this Dome, which seems to stand like the center of a star of which these creeks lrad away to the five points. This fact creates the belief that the treasure box from which these creeks have drawn their great riches is, or was, hidden in the Dome itself. It is hardly necessary to say that the Dome, lifted into the wintry clouds as it is, is staked. The trail leading from Dominion Creek into Bonanza runs over the very apex of this Dome and for twelve miles follows the crest of the mountains. Passing over it on the Ist of March last I planted my tripod on the sum- mit and took a series of photographs comprehending a panorama of the re- markable view to be had there of the snow-white land below, the jagged points of the Rocky Mountains mark- ing the line of the horizon upon one side and the valley of the great Yukon upon the other. In this vast region, that there lay under the eye, could be noted the in- dentations that marked the course of many creeks and gulches that have not k. | of the Yukon Valley at 1500 people. | of it is now necessary in every trans- | best. OF GOLD even been explored, much less pros- pected—this to answer the question so ! often ask “Has not everything been | taken up Nothing could express a | more absolute lack ¢f understanding of | the vastness of this region than that question. This Klondike River, with which everybody is so familiar now, is in fact itself an unknown quantity only a lit- | tle above Hunker Creek. A party of | prospectors took a year's provisions | and went up the river last fall und; have not since been heard from. They | will probably come down this summer, | whisper a few minutes to their friends, | caution them not to repeat what they | tell them and then another big stam- | pede will take place. That the way | most of the stampedes are started. | body gets a tip, pledges eternal | Somel cy, and in an hour the news has spread over the entire camp. A stam- pede is as interesting to watch as is a volunteer fire company getting into action. It generally takes place at night that it may be the more thrilling | and picturesque. Every man en ed in it is as mysterious as he v be while laboring under great excit He rushes into a restaurant, calls the cqok to one side and asks him to put up a lunch for him “Quick!!” While the lunch is being prepared he runs at speed into the where his next friend may hauls him out of bed by the le tells him that a stampede is cn, unless he is willing to miss the chance of his life to get up and come on. The friend hurries into his clothes and joins the scramble. Within a few minutes, illy dressed and ntily provided against the weather and against hun- ger, a hundred men will leave town all at top speed, going they scarcely know where, following somebody, who may lead them for days cver mountains and through w ses that are hardly marked by Once started they g0 on regardless of the weather and every other circumstance. These stam- pedes have brought prosperity to a large hos) and have transferred to many a doctor’s name numbers of gold claims. One of the odd things that one en- counters in the big country is the state of feeling existing between the old timer and the arco” or new comer. The old timer despises and sneers at | the techarco and the techarco laughs | or sneers at the old timer. Most of the big claims are held by compara- tive new comers and nearly all the prospecting this winter has been done | by them. This, to be sure, may be ac- counted for by the fact that they great- ly outnumber the old timers. Two | years ago the census of the two big commercial companies that supplied | the inhabitants with food, and so had the names on their books of almost | everybody from Fort Selkirk to St. Michael, placed the entire population In | those days outfits for that number | were brought in by the boats and the | company’s agents apportioned out the | supply. The whereabouts of every miner was known, and if he did not come in in the summer with the others | his outfit was set apart for him until | he did come. Old Jack McQuesten, for years agent for the A. C. Company at Circle City and other camps along the | river, is almost revered by the old | miners for the careful manner in which he used to look after them. In those days every man willing to work had credit for a year's outfit and the money in hand was not a condition at all. But the rush of techarcos has changed the old system and cash down and plenty action. It is not such a great wonder therefore that the old miner believes | himself to be very charitable in that he tolerates the new comer at all, and on the trail or in his own cabin extends to him that hospitality that is a fixed custom of the cheerless land—just as it is among the Indians. But what amuses the new comer with regard to the old timer is the persist- ent refusal of the latter to,believe thers is anything in any of the creeks, the names and location of which he has known so long. He has in years past pushed his solitary canoe against the rapid current of this and that stream, has had stirring adventures and per- haps almost lost his life here or there and, having dug a little under the moss, passed unfavorable judgment and retired. Here comes some inex- perienced youth, fresh from the orange groves of California, who stays a little longer, digs a little deeper and gets an ounce to the pan. The old timer is disgusted, tries to think it is some ac- cident, a mere chance pocket, and re- mains deaf and blind and stubborn just as long as he can in face of the per- sistent facts. But it is true that these newcomers also get discouraged, some of them too early. They put down a hole to bed rock, perhaps two or three, and, finding nothing, give up the search often, when the next comer, still having faith, put- ting down still another hole, finds rich | pay. This experience is repeated over and over in the history of even EI Dorado and Bonanza creeks. ‘Lhe min- ing and the wash up may be said to be done but slovenly and carelessly at its Only the richest dirt is taken out and dirt that a few years ago would be rated as very rich is now thrown aside. Especially is this true where the mine is worked on lays. The average lay agreement runs out July 1, and the laymen will not waste time on any but the richest dirt. It is safe to say that fortunes will be taken out of the ground upon a second working—af- ter the claims on most of these creeks have been given up as exhausted. In- deed, extensive plans are now being formed by practical, scientific miners for the working over on an extensive scale of the ground in El Dorado and Bonanza creeks. Following is a brief sketch of the creeks and mining divisions of the Yukon. . BONANZA CREEK is a tributary of Klondike River. The Klondike River is a small stream, and not navigable except for canoes but a little distance, The pay streak is wide and deep in Bonanza, but its direction changes, and it has given some of the claim-holders considerable trouble in finding it. When located, however, the reward has al- ways been rich. The greatest develop- ment has been made within the limits of 43 above and 65 below. The greater wealth has been taken out above dis- covery. There are long intervals be- low between the working claims that remain idle and a long stretch above algo, principally for the reason stated. There are isolated claims being worked on the creek below, as far down as 80, all paying well. The mines are being ALONOL PIAALY SN DISTANCES FROM DAWSON To BEARCREEK mevrw qmn Ha e Mouts 30 & 10+ 30~ Drawn by B. A. SEITZ — Dawson, N. W. T., 1898. prospected or opened up also as high | as 80 above. Claim-owners who had been ccmpelled to go down the river for provisions were returning to these claims and beginning again their in- terrupted work at the end of winter. On March 2, the day that I came over from Dominion and Bonanza creeks, the owner of the claim at McCormacks Fork had just arrived and was relight- ing the fires in his long-neglected shaft. The notion that the gcld in Bonanza comes from El Dorado is clearly an er- ror, as is own by the fact that Bo- nanza, above El Dorado, is richer than below. El Dorado comes into Bonanza at 6 above discovery, and it is nearly four miles further up that they keep a watchman on the dump to see that thieves do not carry away the dirt at night. Bonanza is thirty miles in length and the average depth of the bedrock | twenty feet. BOULDER CREEK {s the first trib- utary met with in the ascent of the | creck. Good prospects have been found there, pans having been washed | out as rich as $8 50, with pay dirt about four feet deep. The creek comes into Bonanza at 37 below. the mouth, is very rich. ADAMS CREEK comes next. It is four miles long and fully located. Two or three claims near the mouth are re- | 1f ported to be turning out well. No. will be worked this summer. This is the creek which is id to have attract- ed the initial party of old miners from El Dorado Creek. They had gone up Bonanza and were undecided whether to prospect here or in El Dorado. They decided by the toss of a penny. The fall of the coin turned them away from El Dorado to this creek. THE SKOOKUMS—Big and Little Skookum gulches are the wonder of the camp. The rounded knoll or hill | between these two gulches is covered with bench claims. They are near dis- covery on Bonanza. They can be worked during the summer, as they are above the creek bottom. Some of the lower claims have two pay streaks, that of El Dorado as well as that of | Bonanza. has proved the of any in the district, especially from 34 to the mouth. Benches (that is the hillsides) on both sides of this creek | have been found to pay wherever pros- pected. It has more sloping banks than Bomanza. Much of El Dorado may be worked in the summer, the bed rock not being at a great depth. CHIEF GULCH—Chief Gulch is properly a continuation of El Dorado Creek, but the original locators fol- lowed the smaller branch. Prospectors recently reported rich finds on this gulch and a stampede followed which | resulted in its being staked well up into the hills. GAY GULCH comes into El Dorado at No. 36. The claim at the mouth is being rked and proves very rich. FRENCH AND IRISH GULCHES— These are small tributaries of El Do- dorado. They are being prospected at the mouth, but had not shown any- thing more than good prospects as vet. BEAR CREEK empties into the Klondike a few miles above Bonanza. It is considered by the old miner to be the “worst looking” creek that has so far been prospected, but it produces the finest quality of gold. It is all coarse and it runs in value as high as $20 to the pan. It is quite deep to bed rock, in places forty-five feet, owing to slides. Every claim prospected so far has proven rich. It is only about five miles long and has been fully staked of course. The sides of the creek are precipitous and there {s therefore little chance for the bench claimant, The creek is not worked much above discovery, which is two miles from the mouth. QUIGLEY CREEK—It {s a small stream that has recently been located, but so far remains unprospected. It empties into the Klondike below Bear Creek. HUNKER CREEK—This is a very considerable stream and is the next in importance in this year's schedule of gold producers to Bonanza and El Do- rado. It has given considerable trou- ble in locating its pay streak also. It is in an advanced stage of develop- ment and has proven very rich. It is very wide at the mouth and five miles of its length from its confluence with the Klondike is staked by the pugilist, Frank Slavin, and others for mining by hydraulic process. Slavin is at Ottawa—or came out to go there—for the purpose of securing governmental sanction to his scheme. Discovery is thirteen miles from the mouth. De- velopment dwindles from discovery up- ward and extends downward with some intervals of interruption to 74. There are some quite rich bench claims along the creek. There are a number of small streams emptying into Hunker Creek that have not been prospected or located. GOLD BOTTOM_ CREEK is the main tributary of Hunker. It comes in at No. 28, below discovery. Develop- ment work is backward. The creek is very crooked and no doubt many claims will miss the pay streak. Some claims near the mouth are very rich. LAST CHANCE CREEK—This is the next tributary of importance to Hun- ker Creek. This is the first season it has been worked. Several claims have developed good prospects. LEOTA CREEK—This is a small stream recently located from which some good prospects have been report- ed, but probably cannot be demon- strated this year. TOO MUCH GOLD CREEK-—This empties into the Klondike above Hun- ker Creek. There has been little work done, but the prospectors report uni- formly good returns. The original name of the creek by whites was Slate Creek, but Too Much Gold is said | Dawson. It is a small stream, was | creek was staked. Claim No. 1, at | DORADO CREEK—This creek | most uniformly rich | to be the English interpretation of the | Indian name. It is located from the mouth to 51 at the forks and to 15 on the left and 8 on_the right fork. ALL GOLD CREEK flows into Flat | Creek or left branch of the Klondike. Above the confluence with Lucky Creek 2 soapstone bed rock is found which seems to have failed to hold the gold that is discovered here and there in| KY CREEK is the principal trib- utary of All Gold, and prospectors re- | port rich finds. The owner of No. 1 on this creek refused an offer of $16,000 a shoit time ago. INDIAN (CREEK RIVER MINING dian Creek or river flows the Yukon from the ame side and same direction a does the Klondike and its principal tribu- | taries head up in the same hills as do | Bonanza, El Dorado and the other | creeks named in the Klondike division, | The principal creeks are these: DOMINION CREEK—This is the larger branch of Sulphur Creek and should properly have been the parent | stream, but in making up the record it was set down as flowing in ulphur | Creek. It heads on the other side of | the divide opposite the source of Hun- ker Creek. The first work on Do- minion was done t There are | | two locations of di , about four | | and a haif miles apart and between | these the greates specting or de- | velopment work has been done and rich | prospects discovered. There are for six claims recorded between the two and for lack of space they overlap and confusion and contests have resulted. The rights of the claimants will be de- termined upon the right or priority of the discoverer. On claims that have been prospected as much as two ounces | to the pan have been washed and the | creck is expected to divide honors with | xt vear. The creek is lo- above upper discovery below lower, which means even miles. From 20 above up- very to 30 below the value of nges from $2000 to $50,000, the d being between the two OR DIVISION into 8 ® = RIBOU CREEK is a _tribu-| tary of Dominion Creek, and takes | its “source on the Sulphur divide. | The eye prospector calls it “exception- | ally fine-looking.” It is lccated from | its mouth to No. 41. The principal de- | velopment work has been done on No. | 21, where-1% ounces were panned out of three pans on February 22. Caribou | can be worked both summer and win- ter. | LYON CREEK is the left fork of Caribou, and joins it at No. 16. There | have been twenty locations on it but | | little development. ARKANSAW CREEK joins Domin- ion at 14 below discovery, and has only recently been located. 171 CREEK—This is a ‘long creek, which gets its name, for lack of a bet- | ter, from the fact that it comes into | Dominion at claim N¢. 171. Rich pros- pects were said to have been struck | there. There was a constant succ | sion of stampedes into Dominion Creek on its tributaries in February and March because of the rich returns re- ported from that creek. | SULPHUR CREEK is staked and recorded from 80 above and to its confluence with Dominicn, about 170 below discovery. Pay dirt has been located from 38 above to 60 below. Some claims are preparing for summer ground sluicing. From 40 above to 50 below values run from $6000 to $20,000, and a few about discovery rise above the higher figure. GREEN GULCH and FRIDAY GULCH are small tributaries of Sul- phur, located but not developed. QUARTZ CREEK is the next import- ant tributary of Indian going toward the Yukon. It is a very crcoked stream. No big returns have been made from it. The pay is discovered to lie under the hill. OPHIR CREEK is the next tribu- tary of Indian. No definite returns. DIXON CREEK, about five miles above Dawson, has been staked its full length, but little is known of it. NINE-MILE CREEK is one of the newly located that comes under the 100- foot law. Locations on the creeks that were recorded before the passage of the new mining regulations, or any of | the tributaries of the same, are still allowed the 500 feet that there ob- | tained. Newly recorded creeks only ad- mit of 100 feet. Nine-mile takes its source just opposite El Dorado. Pay has been located at claim No. 40 above discovery. From $1 38 to $3 50 to the pan has been found. ; BRYANT CREEK flows into the Yu- kon ten miles above Dawson. It is as yet an unknown quantity. The claims are 500 feet wide, having been recorded before the 100-foot regulation went into effect. MONTANA CREEK has its source about opposite the rise of BigSkookum, and flows into the Yukon about fifteen miles above Dawson. It was the first of the small, independent streams flowing into the Yukon east of Daw- son to be staked. Claims are 500 feet wide. It is staked for twelve miles, its entire length. EUREKA CREEK comes in from op- posite Sulphur and Dominion creeks, and between the two. A number of men are working on both forks, and fa- vorable reports are heard. Claims are valued at from $500 to $5000. BAKER CREEK joins the Yukon about twenty miles above Daw- son. It takes its source across the di- vide about opposite Dawson. There is some work going on, and a rich strike is_reported at 102 above Discovery. EUSTERY CREEK enters the Yu- kon about eight miles below Indian River, and twenty-five miles above | | the stampeded early in the winter, but lit- tle work has been done. REINDEER CREEK empties into the Yukon about forty miles above Dawson and ten above Indian River. Gold was found there shortly after the 100-foot regulation went into effect. Good prospects are reported and the creek is fully staked. SIXTY-MILE RIVER empties into Yukon about fifty miles above Dawson. About thirty men have been working there for some two years, sending out each season for provisions. Little is known as to what they are finding, but there is considerable spec- ulation about it. HENDERSON CREEK empties into the Yukon from the north, about fifty miles above Dawson. It has been lo- cated from the mouth to the left fork (Moose Horn Creek), to 140, and up the right fork to 70. The locating was principally done by the men who were frozen in by the closing of the river, | while they were on their way to Daw- son. A large colony was stopped on the Stewart River, Little is known about Henderson Creek, as it has not been much prospected. Its principal tributaries are Golden Gate Creek, Sixty Creek and North Fork. The best pay has been developed at the mouth of Sixty Creek. Henderson is seventy-five miles long. ROSEBUD CREEK flows into the Yukon about sixty miles above Daw- son. It has been staked for its entire length, and excellent prospects have been reported from it. STEWART RIVER—The Stewart River country has been long spoken of as rich in gold, but further than the fact that the bars at its mouth have vielded good wages to a few prospect- ors for years, little is known of it to this d. It empties into the Yukon seventy-five miles above Dawson. Much interest is felt in the results of the prospecting now being done and | which will continue during this sum- mer. A townsite is located at the mouth, and the Canadian Government will establish a post there. McQUESTEN CREEK enters the Yukon from the same side about 100 miles above Dawson, ang has its rise near the source of the Stewart. Plat- inum has been found in this river. WHITE RIVER—The White River empties into the Yukon from the west, eighty-five miles above Dawson. A party of fourteen men, headed by Latham, Pond and Fairbanks, of San Francisco, have been prospecting there and report that they are well satisfied with their finds. A big stampede took place into this region in March. The White River is a large stream and can be navigated by small steamers. BIG AND LITTLE SALMON AND WALSH CREEKS—Quite a colony of people were frozen in at both the Big and Little Salmon rivers, thirty-seven miles apart and 300 miles above Daw- son and 290 from Dyea. Among them were Major Walsh, Commissioner (Governor) of the Northwest Territory, | and the newly appointed officials of | the Territory. Some prospecting aud stampeding took place in the neigh- | borhood by the colonists, and Walsh | Creek was named, staked and pros- | pected somewhat. It was the one| | Josef Hofmann Is Still a Great Pian- ist. but He Has Other Ideas Now. HE task that conf-onts young Josef Hofmann, the pianist, is by no means an easy one. Ten years ago he was a musical prodigy, the admiration and envy of little girls in short pet- ticoats, and the darling of plump, good- natured mammas. Now he has no in- fantile glamour to wrap himself up in. It is true that he is young still and very small, but he wears long trousers and speaks in a bass voice. He is a man, and as a man he must stand or fall. His late performance at the Mctropoli- tan Opera House, New York, was pro- nounced a brilliant success and the critics think that he will win all the fame as a man that his infancy gave such promise of. As a lad he was the pet of the women, but as a young man he has not the personal attractions of Paderewski. It is not that he is ill looking; quite the contrary, but he is somewhat unstrik- ing; he has no glorious and wonderful head of hair, no commanding figure, not even that wild and fantastic man- ner that goes straight to the heart of the young miss. Hofmann is short, standing about 5 feet 4 inch and weighing but 118 pounds. He has short | BOY PRODIGY AS A YOUNG MAKN. 1 judged that this was rather an early beginning, so after a few concerts they took him out of the blaze of publicity, and for two years he remained a vate individual. At the age of 7 boy again appeared in the same this time to the accompaniment the full orchestra. This second proved him a wonder, and he w onc lled by the well-known sario Wolff to Berlin. His performance at the German cap tracted the notice of the whole musical world, and the boy ceived flattering off from many lands. For the n few years.he tra: eled from country to country and city to city, gathering big audiences wher- ever he went. In London in particular his success was conspicuous, though there were many who prophesied that the boy would go the way of all other prodigies —to the grave, a madhouse or oblivion. Th dismal prophecies, fortunately, have been unfulfilled, and it only needs a few moments’ conversation with the young man to convince one that the prospect of their fulfillment is remote, for Hofmann is as healthy and sane a youth as ever was. At the age of 11 Josef Hofmann made his first voyage across the Atlantic. In — == X =g JOSEF HOFMANN AS - b JoSEF TEN YEARS A \r == e —— HE APPEARS TO-DAY. From a Recent Photograph. hair, an unassuming manner, and when in repose a plain, almost dull face. Hofmann, however, is not always sol- | emn and silent. | guages and on many topi | |is always deeply interested in what he | Far from it. He is a bright and fluent talker in many lan- s, and as he is talking about, it follows that those who know him are surprised to hear | people criticizing the dullness of his creek talked about this side of Salmon | {&C€ River. I was told that $2 10 had been | taken out of three pans in the gra\'el,l MOOSEHIDE—Going down the Yu- | kon from Dawson the first creek in’ the mining lists is Moosehide. It is a small | stream, coming into the big river just below the town. It was fully staked early in the winter, but no finds worth talking about are reported. DEADWOOD CREEK is a little fur- ther down, about four miles from the town. Two or three of the most re- markable stampedes of the early and | late winter took place there, and the creek is staked all the way up on both branches. Some big prospects were re- | ported from the creek bottom and gravel in the fall. Prospecting was being carried on during the winter, a | shaft being sunk on discovery claim just below the forks. FORTY-MILE RIVER is about fifty miles below or west of Dawson. It is one of the oldest stations on the river, and has a number of tributaries that were formerly considered rich diggings, | especially Miller Creek, at one time the richest diggings in the country. It is! largely deserted now, but attention is being redirected to them as with cther diggings on the American side. BOUNDARY CREEK—A long stride down stream is made from this point to Boundary Creek, at the line between British and American territory. Dis- covery was recorded in February, and | a stampede followed that took up the | whole creek. The discoverers claim to have found 3 to 9 cents on the rim rock and 15 cents to $1 30 in the gravel. Prospectors declare this creek will| prove among the richest of the late | discoveries. | It is situated about eighty-five to| ninety miles below Dawson. The boun- | dary line crosses the creek about a quarter of a mile above its mouth, this quarter-mile being in Canadian terri- tory. The balance of the creek is in Alaska. AMERICAN and MISSION CREEKS —Mission Creek is twenty miles fur- ther down stream, and American Creek, its largest tributary, has attracted one of the greatest stampedes of the win- ter. A hundred men at least traveled down there from Dawson to stake. American Creek is not a new field. Many claims were being worked at a good profit, according to_ pre-Bonanza estimates, but they were deserted when the big finds were made on the Klon- dike. Some of these claims lapsed through neglect, and it was to recover them that the stampede was started from Dawson. Others following took up the new ground until the whole | per man. ce. In telling about his education the other day he talked freely and fluently of his life and ideas; he discussed ath- letics and automobilism; he advanced some sound opinions on mu: jects and also incidentally crit New York system of street transit. did not mention the weather or say how glad he was to get back in Ameri- | ca, which is creditable, as showing him to be a man of some originality. Josef Hofmann ismow 22 years of age, though he looks considerably less. He was born-in Cracow, In Poland, and it was there he received his early musical education. Among his teachers was Moszkowskl, with whom he studied for two years. His first appearance in public was at the age of 5% years, when he played at Warsaw. His parents, however, New York his success was immediate and striking. He played eighteen times |in New York and twelve in Brooklyn, and always to crowded and enthusias- | S He also played in Boston | hington. tour. Hofmann's 2 infant predigy came to The first warning note was by the Gerry Society, who an sounded declared that it was against the law of the land for a boy of his age to perform in public. The matter, how- ever, was squared up somehow, and he continued to perform in spite of the ety’s remonstrance. However, it was not for long, for his parents were here on time and heeded the advice of doctors, who warned them that if they continued to allow their son to play in public he would never be any use in after life. Hofmann then was temporarily retired and so ended the career of the infant prodigy. It was seven years before Hofmann again emerged from obscurity. In the meantime he studied hard, not only electricity and au- music, but phys t tomobilism. Automobolism, in Pflr(l(‘\l— lar, is hobby, and he is having con~ structed for him in Berlin an automo- bile car, in which he intends to make | nis journeys in the future. CHARLEY RIVER AND COAL CREEK are a day's journey farther down the Yukon and several stam- pedes took place there during the lat- ter part of the winter from Circle City and Dawson, and reports of rich finds were received. Coal Creek has recent- ly been stampeded. It is ninety miles above Circle City. The original pros- pectors claim to have found 15 cents to the pan in gravel three feet from the surface. A townsite was staked on the Yukon at the mouth of the creek. THE BIRCH CREEK DIGGINGS, which made Circle City the metropo- 1is of the Yukon previous to the birth of Dawson, are big producers. They comprise Mastodon, Independence, Mammoth, Eagle, Porcupine, Miller, Harrison, Crooked and other creeks. The mines pay from $10 to $50 a day This whole region is a vast gold fleld. Many claims were deserted a year ago in the excitement following the discoveries in the Northwest Terri- tory, but all the mines have been fully worked the past winter and a. large output may be expected. MINOOK CREEK—The 500 people who wintered below Fort Yu- kon concentrated at Rampart City, at the mouth of Minook Creek, and con- siderable prospecting was carried on. Minook Creek is thirty miles long. is not entirely new, but has been pros- pected for .four years. The work of this past winter, which will be shown | in the wash up, will demonstrate just | All kinds | what there is at Minook. of big prospects are reported there. from THE TANANA RIVER s the dream | of the prospector. It is a large stream entering the Yukon from the south 400 miles below Fort Yukon. It is navi- It | | gable for quite a distance and will be invaded and explored by miners and commercial men this summer. THE KUYOTUK RIVER enters the Yukon from the north below Fort Yu- kon and is another field that is at- tract mine now that the many small steamers coming into the big river bring the prospect of provisions that have heretofore been impossible in the i and inaccessible re- gions. arties are heading for | the Kuyotuk, and even beyond. e What does an exodus of 100,000 to the Klondike mean to the business of the country? I have figured it out on the basis of cost and proportion as ascer- tained, and it is this: That each man of them would average first and last an expenditure of $600, making a grand to- tal of $60,000,000. The United States railroads - would get $5,000,000 of this; Seattle merchants and hotel keepers, for outfits and transient guests, $25,000,- 000; the prospector's home town and towns en route to Seattle and other Pa- cific Coast points, $5,000,000; ship com- panies, for transportation to Alaska, $10,000,000, and for the transportation of freight over passes and in Alaska, $15,000,000. This would represent only the actual needs of the number of prospectors and would cause a large increase in other businesses directly connected with it. Tt means that in 1898 $60,000,000 will be spent in the search for gold in the yel- | low creeks, and in the same year not more than one-fourth of that amount will be produced. But the output is | likely to come nearer the expense as | each year goes by, and in a few years ! to exceed it.—Review of Reviews.,