DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA’S GOLD DREDGING
The continued exploitation of new gold fields by the big gold
dredges in different parts of the world has given to this industry many
new points of economy which the companies are taking advantage of
The great districts where the gold dredges have been in most successful
operation are Australia, California and Alaska. In both of the former
places the wholesale dredging of the ground by the mammoth “gold
ships” has caused some trouble with the authorities, and the question
of restoring the dredged areas to something like their former condition
has been adjudicated in ti e courts.
In Australia the work of reclaiming the dredged ground has been
accomplished by advance stripping of the surface soil; so that this can
be separated from the coarse sand and silt from below, says George E
Walsh, in the Scientific American The soil surface is first stripped
and deposited in separate places before the gravel is touched; and then
after the dredging is completed, the surface of tfie soil is replaced, so
that the ground can he used for other purposes In California, where
the gold ships threatened to interfere with the rivers’ flow, the dredges
have been compelled by the authorities to restore the dredged land in
certain localities, so that the normal water flow will not be interrupted
No such trouble is found in Alaska, where gold dredging has been
carried on extensively in the past year or two Alaska is more suited
to this form of gold mining than any other country, and great stretches
of river sci! await the dredgers Wheu the first big gold dredge was
shipped to Alaska in sections and then assembled there, it was looked
upon as a very uncertain investment. Owing to the short open season
when the machines could be worked, and the great cost of getting the
dredges into the distant mining regions, it was not looked upon with
favor by capitalists.
Subsequent events and experience have changed this In the first
place, the enormous area of gold land suitable for bucket dredging
makes it possible for the ships to operate indefinitely without being
transported to new regions. The fieid is almost inexhaustible, conse
quently the investments cannot prove anything but profitable, even if
for the first season or two they could make little. But even with the
comparatively short open season when the ground is not frozen hard,
the gold ships have proved extremely profitable, and the fleet has stead
ily increased.
In California--whete the dredges can be operated the year around,
the ground yields on an average only 15 cents per cubic yard, and yet
with this low yield its work is profitable. On the other hand, the fields
of Nome yield from $1 to $20 per yard, which accounts for the fact that
the dredges make more money in their short season than the California
ships can do in the whole year. A five-foot bucket dredge can wash as
much gravel as 3,000 accomplish by hand, and consequently it can se
cure a profit on dirt so low in grade that hand washing is impossible.
There are more than a dozen dredges now operating in the Nome dis
trict, and every one of them is earning profits The Guggenheims
have been operating three dreiges for several years, and several new
ones are are now being constructed.
It costs about $120,000 to get one ot these dredges ready for opera
tions in Alaskan placer districts, but such a dredge will yield a net re
turn of nearly $600,000 per season. A dozen such dredges now oper
ating in Alaska yield annually several million dollars' worth ot gold—
and most of this is reclaimed from districts that hand-operators over
look. The craze for new districts that yield enonnou< returns con
tinues to attract the average miner, and he passes over unnoticed the
grounds that prove ricli harvests for the dredges. There is no inter
ference hy state officials in with dredging in Alaska, and no •hought or
consideration of restoring the surface after operations enters into the
calculations.
The character of most of the gravel in the Nome country makes it
ideal for either dredging or hydraulicking. It is almost entirely free of
large bowlders, clav substances, and roots which might obstruct the
workings of the dredge or sluicing apparatus. The placer lands lie for
he most part in valleys between sloping hills. This land is covered
with snow in the early fall, and thus prevents hard freezing. As a re
suit, dredging can begin as early as the first half of June and continue
for about 120 days This is a season’s work, and then the dredges
stop operations for the long winter. It seems like a very short season
for mining, but owing to the character ot the soil and the yield, it
proves very profitable.
Before an investment is made in a dredge of this character, the
placer ground is first carefully investigated and the probable output es
timated Thus, before the first dredge was shipped to Alaska, upwards
of 100 holes were sunk to depths ranging from 10 to 15 feet, and the
lowest yields were foui d to be $3.50 per cubic yaid, whi e in the river
beds the gold often ran as high a-- 15 cents per pan, or more than $20
per cubic yard.
A great many owners of ordinary placer claims are now renting
out their land to dredging companies, and others a e organizing for the
purpose of installing their own dredges. Taking the returns for a pe
riod of five or ten years, the profits of a dredging company are infinitely
higher than another which depend- entirely upon making rich finds and
then gathering the surface gold for quick returns. Dredging in Alaska
is thus an infant but lusty industry, and its growth in the next few
years will be phenomenal and steady
GRANT GREEK PEOPLE
SURPRISE MINING MEN
Grant Creek, March 10, 1910.
Messrs. Shaw Brothers & Adams,
who are operating on this creek, were
favored with a genuine surprise party
this afternoon, consisting of twelve
members, some of whom carried mu
GLEAN AND REFRESHING
BATHS
All Hours Wednesdays and Saturdays
—AT—
Williams' New Barber Shop
Front St., Tanana.
sical instruments. It appears that
Messrs. Shaw Brothers contemplated a
little dinner to a number of lady vis
itors and others; but, the news becom
ing- public, the party was augmented
by the entire remainder of the popula
tion. While the boys are admitted to
be admirable hosts, we fear they did
uot fully appreciate being honored by
so large a force. [Fairbanks papers,
please copy.] x x x
Baths — luxurious —Wednesdays and
Saturdays—Williams’ new barber shop
ST. JAMES’ CHAPEL
First Sunday in each month, Holy
Communion 11 a. ra. Other Sundays,
Evening Prayer. 7:30 p. m. Friday
evenings, during Lent, Evening Prayer
and Litany at 7:30.
Winthrop Peabody,
Priest in Charge.
The Sad Death of
an Alaskan Pioneer
A TRUE STORY
(Contributed)
Philip Eiffler and his faithful dog
Spot were among the first to take the
trail to the Klondike, and after various
ups and downs—(mostly downs are the
common experience of a prospector)—
Phil finally landed on the paystreak on
Nolan creek in the Koyukuk in the
spriug of 1908. Believing that he and
his best friend were entitled to a
change of climate, they started for
home; but the faithful animal that had
been his companion during the lonely
years among the hills and vales of the
frozen North became blind soon aftei
arriving in Seattle. Mr. Eifller then
had a cage trade about four feet square,
put the animal into it, put a big catd
on the cage which read:
V
1
I am a poor blind old man
returning home from Alaska;
please feed and water me;
then paid the express company $30 to
take the poor dog to his home in Phil
adelphia, where it was tenderly cared
for until it died. It now rests in a
box four feet underground, instead of
enjoying the fortune it helped his
master to find.
Some readers may pass this as a
hoax; but every Alaskan pioneer loves
the dog that often saves his life by
keeping the trail during and after a
snowstorm. When it is impossible for a
man to find his way something tells a
dog in Alaska when he is nearing a
cabin, which are often 50 and 100
miles apart; and a good dog will take
you to it when you little dream you
are near one. Mr. Kiffller naturally
believed his dog was the best leader in
Alaska; but the writer has seen hun
dreds of the best leaders. A traveler
in Alaska puts the most intelligent
animal in front of his dug team and
calls it a leader.
See us for Cloth Posters.
NOTICE
All persons having claims against
the Tanana School Board will present
same in duplicate to the clerk of board
for approval on or before the end of
each month. All approved claims will
be paid on 2nd day of each month by
the treasurer.
A. J. CAMPBELL, Clerk.
Harry Durett Dead
Skagway Alaskan: Harry Du
rett, well known in Skagway
where he was stage manager for
the Grand and Clancy’s theatres
in the early days, died recently
at Seattle. Mr. Durett was stage
carpenter at the Grand theatre
in Seattle when he died. He left
Skagway about six years ago.
It 'takes half again as long for
freight to go,from our Atlantic sea
boasd to the west coast of South
\uieii ja, by way of the*Isthmus of
Panama—50 to 60 da;, s—as for it to
go from Europe, by way of the
Straits of Magellan--30 or 4- davs.
Stoddard
Kav
THE
NORTHERN.
BEST WINES
LIQUORS AND
CIGARS.
Pool Tables In Connection.
Stoddard Kay
BILLIARDS
AND POOL
Elegant New Tables
Gibbon Bar
BEST Of WET GOODS
Try Williams' new barber shop for
an easy shave or a stylish haircut.
H. L. HEDRICK,
GENERAL
BLACKSMITH
AND MACHINE SHOP
Horseshoeing Repairing
Near Cor. Campbell ave. and 2nd St.
Rear of Yukon Saloon.
Neatly-Printed Stationery
ADDS MORE DIGNITY AND GIVES GREATER SATISFACTION IN YOUR
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE THAN ANY OTHER ITEM OF OFFICE
EQUIPMENT.
The Leader• Furnishes That KindI
AND SOLICITS A TRIAL ORDER. OUR PAPER STOCK IS THE BEST
OBTAINABLE. TELEPHONE US YOUR WANTS IN THE STATIONERY
LINE,mOR FOR JOB PRINTING OF ANY KIND. SEE OUR LINE OF
LETTER HEADS, BILL HEADS, ENVELOPES, ETC., ETC.
High-Class Book Binding
Mr. Ernest Llndholm, the most artistic book binder in Alaska, will
“hang out” at The Leader office during the next few weeks where he
Is prepared to bind your new books or re-bind your valued old ones