of his friends. So a man may lull his
■conscience into a fatal slumber and
think he is just having a good time
unless with all his manhood he fights
the insiduous foe or is awakened to
life by the efforts of friends who see
liis peril. There is a craven fear that
leads on to deny and forget his own
convictions rather than stand off his
principles against criticism and ridi
cule, but there is a noble fear which
bows only before the alpiiglity, and ra
bows only before the almighty, 4
and rather than incur his dis
God. So long as people are afraid of
having too much religion they are in
great danger of having none. Religion
is cultivated best by fellowship and the
one institution that stands for it is the
church. Its business is not to darken
and limit a man’s life but to brighten
and encourage it. A man who loves
to hear the wmrk of God will find that
he can hear it in Alaska as clearly as
anywhere and to live by it is to be safe
in the deadliest peril.
No man can afford to throw away his
life to get gold. No man can afford
to lose his character to please his as
sociates. No man can keep his soul
alive by feeding on husks in a far
country. From every land there is a
way back to the fathers house.
THE STORY OF THE CHICAGOFF
Almost every big mine has a pretty
story of some accident, strange cir
cumstance, or chain of circumstances,
which led to its discovery. Wounded
>'?' game has often been credited with
having led pursuing hunters to quartz
j ledges of fabulous wealth; birds have
indicated the location of gold, and fre
quently we have heard of purposes hav
ing been abandoned when excavations
have accidentally developed the yellow
The biggest little mine in Alaska is
on ChicagofE Island. Officially it is
known as the Young Claims, but more
generally known as the deGroff Mine.
It is owned by the Chicagoff Gold Min
ing Company of Sitka. This is the
mine of which it has been said, “We
have taken some gold from a ledge
which runs as low as twenty-five per
cent rock. ’ ’
(By Daniel Roberts)
/ metal.
The story of the mine reads some
thing like the Arabian Nights; but its
development is requiring something
more than wishes and the rubbing of
an old lamp. It is taking brains and
energy which, working with integrity,
are bringing the yellow metal out in
loads.
The story is interesting in that fact
in its conection is stranger than fic
tion, and some very good Indian charac
ter is developed in the telling.
Working in the store of Judge de
Groff in Sitka there was a young Indian
whose name is Ralph Young. He was a
faithful young fellow and was always
to be found at his post. Yet, true to
the proverbial custom of his people, it
is necessary that every summer he take
a vacation. The vacation, however, is
not one such we define its application;
it is simply a change of vocation for
the time being to a more remunerative
one. It is when the salmon come that
the freighter leaves his route on the
rivers; that the logger leaves the
woods; that the miner leaves the camp;
in fact, Indian labor is almost impossi
ble to obtain during this great vacation
season when the Indians congregate
at the fishing grounds.
It was in 1905 that Rdlph Young and
his uncle, John Newell, left Sitka aid
joined forces with two friends at the
fishing grounds of the Dundas cannery
at Icy Straits. The season proceeded
favorably for the fishermen, and one
day—it was July 7, 1905—they, with
their canoe, were off Gape Edwards. It
was an exceedingly warm day and the
fishermen put in to a little stream of
water. Ralph and his uncle remained
on the beach to keep the canoe from
drifting with the receding tide while
their two companions went for a drink.
Returning, they in turn guarded the
boat while Ralph and his uncle went to
the stream for wmter. As they knelt
to drink, they saw something shining
in the bottom of the stream, and on in
vestigation they found quartz float
which showed stringers of gold visi
ble on the face of the rock. They se
lected a large piece of rock and con
cealed it in the brush, not caring to
disclose their strike to the other In
dians. Returning that night they wrap
ped the float in and old sack and threw
it into the bottom of their canoe, where
it remained for a long time with other
ballast unnotived. A subsequent as
say of this float showed values of
$1200.
Ralph and his uncle, however, were
not in the possession of a secret in
their strike, for each of the other In
diaus, as they drank from the stream
found pieces of float. Each thinking
himself to be the only discoverer, put
pieces of the rock in his pocket.
So it was that four persons simulta
neously discovered the indications which
ultimately led to the discovery of this
wonderful ledge.
One of these men went immediatly
with his specimen to Superintendent
Bell, of the canenry, who, of course,
immediately recognized the value of
the prospect, and knew that the float
must have come from a fabulously pro
ductive ledge. Bell had a prospector
by the name of Campbell somewhere
in the mountains, working on a grub
stake. But where, he did not know.
Trusting to the ingenuity of the Indi
an, he sent the man in search of Camp
bell, with instructions to take him 1o
the spot where the float was found.
With the Indian in the mountains, en
deavoring to locate Campbell, we will
take up another thread of the sto'y.
The other Indian took his find to
Sitka, where he showed it to a mer
chant, whose knowledge of values in
rock was Somewhat limited. He con
sidered the float of no value, and the
Indian relying on his judgment, aacepfc
liis decision and pursued the matter no
further.
Without hurrying his movements in
the least, Ralph returned to Sitka with
his precious bundle, and resumed work
in deGroff’s store. His uncle had gone
to Icy Straits to settle with the can
nery for the season’s fishing, and he
awaited his return.
Ralph kept the story of his find to
himself and carefully kept the precious
float concealed.
After the fishiner was settled for.
Newell returned to Sitka; and in con
sultation with his nephew, it was de
cided to tell deGroff of their find and
have him locate and stake the ledge.
Again the Indian ethics stood in the
way of speedy action in that Young’s
delicacy in the matter prevented him
from aproaching his employer, so, as
a go-between, he told his story to John
E. Gamble, a teacher at the mission,
asking him to see the judge. In no
way betraying the young man’s cofl
dence, one evening, just as the judge
was preparing to board the steamer
with his family for a trip to the States,
Mr. Gamble showed him the rock and
told him what the Indians proposed to
do. There was little time to act, as
the steamer was about ready to sail,
but arangemonts were presented and
made as follows:
Young and his uncle desired the
judge to locate and file on the claims
and take a half-interest in what was
found. Not long since similar float
had been found in about the same
place, the ledge discovered and opened
up; but it pinched out, showing valua
tions of short duration. DeGroff look
ed upon this as a similar proposition;
but finally decided to furnish Gamble
a boat, provisions and other necessar
ies for a prospecting expedition to the
vicinity of the find, agreeing that if
the prospect matrialized, each would
take a quarter interest in the property,
the Indians, retaining the other half.
They went to the creek where the
float was found; and following the
stream, soon located the ledge. To
briefly state it, they staked every
thing in sight.
The claim had just been staked and
notice of location posted when the In
dian who had gone in search of Camp
bell reached the scene with the pros
pector, but too late.
DeGroff was advised by cable of the
location and prospects of the ledge;
and before leaving Seattle for home he
was met by Superintendent Bell, who
told him the story of the valuable
property which he had won by a nose.
Now to rub the magic lamp and op
en the treasure cave—a partnership
was formed and DeGroff was made
president and manager of the company.
For Our
Saturday Specials
Hydrogen Peroxide is noted for its
bleaching, antiseptic and healing pro
perties. Chapin’s Peroxide Cream ac
tually contains and holds a percentage
of Peroxide, which acts as a mild skin
bleach, tending to make the skin
smooth and clear, white and healthy.
Chapin’s Peroxide is reccommended for
sallowness and roughness of skin, pim
ples, etc.
DIRECTIONS
Wash skin with castile soap and
warm water, dry thoroughly, and ap
ply cream with gentle massage until
well absorbed.
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Alaska DrugCo.
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Douglas Island
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