THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES THE YUKOX TERRITORY o o o H c 'S -^ a o T H E J YUKON TERRITORY ITS HISTORY AND RESOURCES Issued by dirrcfion of The Eon. Fra>il- Olinr, Minister of the Interior. Ottaira OTTAWA GOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU 1907 F' 1^07 CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. HISTORICAL SKETCH. Page. The founder of Fort Selkirk— Destiuction of Fort Selkirk— First Gold Discovery — Discovery of Klondike Gold Fields 3 CHAPTER 2. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT. The First Officials— The Capital of the Yukon Territory— List of Commissioners and Acting Commissioners — List of Members of Yukon Council 15 CHAPTER 3. PHYSICAL FEATURES. General— Rivers and Lakes — Description of the Lewes, Felly, Stewart, Peel, White, Porcupine, Hootalinqua, Uig Salmon, Indian, Klondike, Sixty-Mile and Forty-Mile Rivers 22 CHAPTER 4. MINING. Placer — Quartz — Dredging— Hydraulicking— Copper— Coal 33 CHAPTER 5. COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS. Conditions in Dawson — Meat and Game — Fur — Hardware — Customs, Tariff '. 79 CHAPTER 6. TRANSPORTATION. General— Freight Tariff^Lower River Route— Winter Travel— Pas- senger Rates — Klondike Mines Railway — Road Construction and Freighting 89 CHAPTER 7. GENERAL INFORMATION. Climate— Sport and Scenery— Education— Agriculture— Horticulture —Timber 103 PEEFACE. Ill the preparation of this pamphlet subjects of general interest, including all the economic resources which have so far been discovered or profitably utilized in the Yukon Territory, have been classified for easy reference. Though the principal object in view is to present up to date informa- tion, yet an eftort has been made to trace clearly and concisely the opening up of what was known as the Yukon District, and the gradual development of the mining industry. Facts, derived from the best available sources, have been presented, and an attempt has been made to convey to the reader an accurate and comprehensive account of existing conditions in the Territory. To this has been added much useful information upon the different methods of minino- followed in the Territorv, and also a synopsis of the regulations in force governing the dis- posal of lands and minerals. Ottawa, September 1, 1907. CTTxVPTER 1. HISTORICAL SKETCH. In the extreme northwest of Canada and as far removed as possible from the early settlements on the Atlantic seaboard, is a vast triangular-shaj^ed tract of territory, Avliicli, niitil the early forties, bad not been jienetrated by the nnihiiiiited traders of the Hudson's Bay Couipnny. This, at that time unknown territory, is bounded on the south on the nortlioi-ii line of the province of British Columbia, (latitude CO), at a point on the extreme southwest by a ])art of the littoral bclono'ing- to the United States Territory of Alaska, on the west by the eastern line of the Territory of Alaska, on the nurili bv the Arrtic Ocean and on tlio east by the 136th meri(li;iii \\\v\ the northern ranges of the Ifocky ^Mountains. The "h'ukdii Tcrri- 4: YUKON TERKITORY toiy contains, approximately, an area of 100,976 sqnare miles, 649 sqnare miles of which is covered by water. ROBERT CAMPBELL, THE FOUNDER OF FORT SELKIRK, 1838-1848. In 1838 one Rol^ert Campbell, in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, had established a trading post at Dease Lake, about ninety miles south of the boundary line between the territory above defined and the province of British Columbia. Dease Lake post was abandoned in the following year, and Campbell Avas commissioned by Sir George Simpson, who was then the resident Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, to explore the north branch of the Liard to its source and to cross the height of land in search of any river flowing to the westward. Mr. Campbell writes : ' In pursuance of these instructions, I left Fort Halkett (on the low^er Liard) in May, with a canoe and seven men, among them my trusty Indians, Lapie and Kitza, and the interpreter Hoole. After ascending the stream some hundreds of miles, far into the mountains, we entered a beautiful lake, which I named Frances lake, in honour of Lady Simpson. Leaving the canoe and part of the crew near the southwest (sic) extremity of this (west) branch of the lake, I set out with three Indians and the interpreter. Shoulder- ing our blankets and guns, we ascended the valley of a river, which we traced to its source in a lake ten miles long, which, with the river, I named Finlaison's lake and river.' From this point Dr. G. M. Dawson says, ' Mr. Campbell struck across to the Pelly, which he then named in honour of Sir H. Pelly, a governor of the company.' While Campbell was cx]>loring this part of the Pelly, the members of his party, whom lie liad left at Frances lake, had built a hous(^ between the two arms of tlic lake and established a post which was iiaiiic(l Fort Frances. In 1812 a fort was construct(!(l at Pelly banks, and in June, 1843, Campbell, JlIS TOIMCAI. SKETCU 5 accompanied l)_v two Fi-cucli ( ';iu;nli;iii- ;iim1 ilircc Iinlians, descended the Pcllv to its coiitliiciu'c with a river which Camp- bell called the Lowes. At tliis point ther(! was a large camp of Wood Indians, who told Campbell alarmina' stories of the numerous savage tribes on the lower river. Cam])l)ell decided to return to Pelly banks until he could ol)tain more reliable information of the numbers and character of the ])eu])le north of the confluence of the Lewes and Pelly. From information obtained by hunting parties, who were sent down the Pelly to obtain provisions and trade with the Indians, Campbell was convinced that tlie danger was not so great as the Indians would have him l)elieve, and early in June, 1848, he again descended the Pellv, and established Port Selkirk at the con- fluence of the Pelly and Lewes rivers. In 1842 Mr. J. Bell, who some vears later was in charo-e of tlie Hudson's Bay post on Peel river, had descended the Porcupine for a considerable distance. In 1846 he again descended the Porcupine to its mouth, and saw the great river, which the Indians in the vicinity called the Yukon. In the following year Fort Yukon was established at the muiith <>f tlie Porcupine by Mr. \. 11. ^Murray, who was also in the service of the Lludson's Bay Company. In 1850, Campbell descended the river from Fort Selkirk to Fort Yukon, and thus proved beyond all doubt that the Pellv and Yukon rivers were identical from Fort Selkirk to the mouth of the Porcn])in(\ On this trip Campbell ascended the Porcupine and returned to Forr Simpson by way of the Mackenzie. Some seven or eight years before the establishment of Fort Selkirk it appears that the Eussians had been exploring inland from the mouth of the Yukon, as the following facts ascer- tained by Dr. Dawson will show: ' The estuary of the Yukon appears to have been first explored by the Russian, Glasunoff, in 1835 to 1838, and the r\\rv was then name(l by the Russians 6 " YUKON TERRITORY the Kwikhpak, which name according to ^Mr. W. H. Dall, is in reality that of one of the channels by ^vhich it issues to the sea. The lower part of the river, however, continued to be known nnder this name for a number of years, and it is so called on the (Russian) map of Lieut. Zagoskin, made from reconnaissance surveys which, in 1842-43, he carried up as far as i^owikakat.' DESTRUCTION OF FORT SELKIRK, 1S52. After Campbell had completed the great circuit of the Pelly-Yukon-Porcu]nne-]\IackeiLzie route, he returned to Fort Selkirk, which was rapidly becoming a most important trading post on account of its central location in the hunting grounds of the different tribes of Indians on the Lewes, Pelly and Yukon. The traders seem to have been on friendly terms with the Indians in the vicinity of Selkirk, but there is no record of Campbell or any of his party ever having, up to this time, ascended the Lewes river to anv a'reat distance or traded with the Indians in the regions nearer the coast. About this time an unfortunate disaster happened to Fort Selkirk, which mis- fortune seems to have closed Campbell's career in the A^ukon. Dr. Dawson presents the facts as follow^s: — ' The several ruined chinineys of Fort Selkirk still to be seen, with other traces on the ground, are in themselves evi- dence of the important dimensions and careful construction of this post. The establishment consisted, I believe, in 1852, of one senior and one junior clerk and eight men. The existence of tliis ])ost in the centre of the inland or " Wood- Indian" couiilry had, how^ever, very seriously interfered with a lucrative and usurious trade which the Chilcoot and Chilkat Indians of Lynn Canal, on the coast, liad long l)een accus- tomed to carry on witli these people; acting as intermediaries between them and the wdiite traders on the Pacific and holding the passes at the headwaters of the Lewes with all the spirit of robber barons of old. In 18.52 rumour Avas current that these people iiieilitatc(l ;i I'niil iipnn the |»ost, in consequence of "whicli tlie fi'iendlv local Indians staved bv it noarlv all 0) ID o P3 o HISTORICAL SKETCH I summer of their own accord. It so happenofl, however, that they absented themselves for a conple of days, and at that iinlncky moment the coast Indians arrived, Tlie ])Ost was nnguarded by a stockade, and yiehlinc; to sheer force of numbers the occupants were expelled ;iiid the place was pill- aged, on the 21st August. Two days afterwards Campbell, having found the local Indians, returned with them and surrounded the post, but the robbers had flown. Ik'ing now without means of support for the winter, Campbell set off down stream to meet Mr. Stewart and the men who were on the way back from Fort Yukon. He met them at the mouth of White river, and after turning them back with instructions to arrange for wintering at Fort Yukon, set out himself in a small canoe up the Pelly river, crossed to Frances lake, descended the Liard and arrived at Fort Simpson with the tidings of the disaster, amid drifting ice, on the 21st of October. ' Being anxious to obtain Sir George Simpson's permission to re-establish Fort Selkirk, Campbell waited only until the river froze, when he left Fort Simpson on snowshoes, and travelled overland to Crow Wing, in Minnesota, where he arrived on the 13th of March. On the 18th of April he reached London, but was unalde to obtain from the directors of the company the permission he desired. ' In the autumn of 1853 one of Campbell's hunters arrived at Fort Halkett, on the lower Liard, by way of the Felly and Frances. This is the last traverse of Campbell's ixDrtage of which I can find any record, though it may doubtless have been used by the Indians subsequently. From this man it was learnt that the buildings at Fort Selkirk had been all but demolished by the local Indians for the purpose of getting the ironwork and the nails, lie also stated that the Chilkats, being unable to carry away all their })lunder in the preceding year, had taken merely the guns, powder and tobacco. They had cached the heavier goods, which were afterwards found and appropriated by the local i>r Wood Indians.' This remarkable journey, which was made by Campbell from Fort Selkirk to London, a distance of about 9,700 miles, over three thousand of which he li'avelled on snowshoes in the dead of winter through a practically uninhabited wilderness, is a splendid testimony of the intrepid spirit and determined 8 Y U KO X TERRITORY character of those adventurous traders and explorers, whose unostentatious yet energetic services in the cause of com- merce have done so much to open up to civilization the vast natural resources of the great ^Northwest. To undertake such a journey at that season of the year would indicate the im- portance from a commercial standpoint which Campbell attached to the trading post at Selkirk, and it must have been a great disappointment to him when the directors of the company refused to re-establish the fort. Upon his return, he took charge of the Athabaska district, where he remained until 1863, when he was appointed to the company's post at Swan River. He left the service of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany in 1872, having been in its service forty years, and in 1880 removed to Strathclair, Manitoba, where he died in 1894. In 1869 the Hudson's Bay Company's officer was notified to leave Fort Yukon by the United States government officers, as it had been ascertained that this post was situated within United States territory. A post was then established at Rampart House, but in 1890 Mr. J. H. Turner, of the United States Coast Survey, found that this new post was also in United States territory, and in the following year the Hudson's Bay Company established a post twenty miles further up the Porcupine. FIRST GOLD DISCOVERY. In 1869 'minute specks of gold' had been found in the Yukon by some of the Hudson's Bay Company's men. In 1873 one Arthur Harper and a party left British Columbia to ])rospect on sevei'al ri\ors in the Yukon Territory, and the result of this |)rospecting was summed up by Harper in a conversation with Mr. Ogilvic as follows: ' ISTothina' on the Xclson, prospects on the l.iard, nothing on the Mackenzie, good prospects on the Peel, some ou tlie Porcii|iiii(\ and pros- pects c\ery where on the ^iikon." Har[)er and his [)arly HISTORICAL SKETCH 9 prospected for some distance ii]i the Wliitc river, l)ut not being successful they desccmlod flic idvcr to St. .MichacU, where some of them entered tlu- service of the Alaska ComniorrMnl Company, then trading in flic \ alley. ' The Alaska Commercial Company for many years subse- quent to the retirement of the Hudson's Bay Company had a practical monopoly of the trade of the Yukon, carrying into the country and delivering at various points along the river, without regard to the international boundary line or the customs laws and regulations of Canada, such articles of com- merce as were required for the prosecution of the fuT trade, and latterly of placer mining, these being the only two existing industries. With the discovery of gold, however, came the organization of a competing company known as the Xortli American Transportation and Trading Company, having its headquarters in Chicago and its chief trading and distributing post at Cudahy. This company has been engaged in this trade for over three years, and during the past season despatched two ocean steamers from Seattle to St. Michaels, at the mouth of the Yukon, the merchandise from which was at the last mentioned point transhipped into river steamers and carried to points inland, but chiefly to the company's distributing- centre within Canadian territory. Importations of consider- able value, consisting of the immediately requisite supplies of the miners, and their tools, also reach the Canadian ]iorfion of the Yukon district from Juneau, in the United States, l)y way of the Dyea inlet, the mountain passes and the chain of waterways leading therefrom to Cudahy. Upon none of these importations had any duty been collected, except a sum of $3,248.80 paid to Inspector Constantine in 1804 by the two companies mentioned above, and it is safe to conclude, espe- cially when it is remembered that the country produces none of tiie articles consumed within it except fresh meat, that a large revenue w^as being lost to the public exchequer uny the Yukon river. This expedition was placed in charge of Dr. G. ]\I. Dawson. To Mr. William Ogilvie was assigned the work of conducting instrumental measurements and astronomical observations in connection with the deter- mination of the position of the Lllst meridian which, by the Treaty of St. Petersburg, is designated as the boundary line from the vicinity of Mount St. Elias to the Arctic ocean. Dr. I )invsr)n entered the interior l)y the Stikine, Telegra]di creek and Dease lake, which is practically the same route covered by Campbell in 1810, nearly fifty years before. He ascended the Frances river and crossed Campbell's portage to the headwaters of the Pelly, which he descended to Fort Sel- kirk. He then ascended the Lewes, crossed tlie Cliilcoot pass HISTORICAL SKETCH 11 and reachcfl ilic coast at the liead of Lvnn caiuil. Dr. Dawson's repori of his cxplni'iiiidii in 18S7 tlirnws a tlood of lio-ht on tlie country tliroui>li wliidi lie traversed. lie gives an excellent descripl ion of tlic l^i'lly river and it>: ti-ilnitaries, and also a full description of the geological ami i^cnci'al tVatni'c< of I lie country. ^ In the same yeai- ^Ir. M. (i. McConnell commenced at the confluence of the Dease and Liard, and made an extensive survey of the Mackenzie vallcv to Fort ^IcPhersoii. ^IcConiicll then crossed to tlic Poi'('U|tinc, ihc course of which he followed to its conllucncc with the Yukon, which he ascended to the site of old Fort Selkirk. Dr. Dawson, writing of the geographical data obtained and the length of route travelled hv Messrs. Ogilvie, McCoundl and himself, savs: "Mi-. ()i:ilvi(^'s iustrumentallv measured line from the head of Lynn canal lo the iutersectiou of the Yukon or Telly hy the 141st meritlian, will form a sufliciently 12 YUKON TERKITOKY accurate base for further surveys. In addition to tliis, we now have an instrumental survey of the Stikine from its mouth to the head of navigation (Telegraph creek), Avhicli is connected with Dease lake by a carefully placed traverse. This is con- tinued by a detailed running or track survey following the lines of the Dease, Upper Liard and Pelly rivers, and connect- ino; with Mr. Offilvie's line at the mouth of the Lewes, the total distance from the mouth of the Stikine to this point, by the route travelled, being about 04-i miles. Adding to this the distance from the mouth of the Lewes back to the coast at the head of Lynn canal (377 miles) the entire distance travelled by us during the exploration amounts to 1,322 miles.' DISCOVERY OF THE KLONDIKE GOLD-FIELDS. In 1894 Robert Henderson and two other miners pros- pected the gravels at the mouth of the Pelly, where they rocked out $54.00 in fine gold. They came down to the mouth of Indian river, which Henderson ascended alone, and prospected on Quartz and Gold Bottom. Having found good prospects on Gold Bottom, Henderson and a party of five returned to this creek in the spring of 1895, staked claims and commenced to work. During the summer of 1896 Henderson prospected on Gold Bottom Creek, eventually made a trip to Ladue's trad- ing post at Ogilvie to obtain supplies, and returning to Gold Bottom by way of the Klondike river, he came upon a number of Indians fishing in the Yukon river at its confluence with the Klondike. Livino- with the Indians was one George W. Cariiinck, wliom Henderson invited to stake on Gold Bottom. A few days afterwards Carmack and two Indians arrived at Gold Bottom, and staked claims near to where Henderson and liis ])iii-ty were working. Keturning across the divide by way of Bonanza, ("arniack and llie two Indians did some prospecting, and fountl rich prospects on what is now Discovery Claim on Bonanza creek. Carmack staked Dis- HISTORICAL SKETCH' 10 covery and jSTo. 1 below; 'Charlie/ an Imlinn. Xo. 2 below, and ' Tagish Jim/ the other Tiidian, Xo. 1 nlxivf. Before leaving Gold Bottom, Carmack tohl Henderson ilint ho would send an Indian to inform him if rich prospects were dis- covered. Carmack, however, did not fulfil his promise, and he and the Indians at once proceeded to Fortymile, which was the recording office at the time, and filed their applica- tions with Inspector Constantine. Up to this time the majority of the miners in the territory had been working on Fort^anile, but as soon as the discovery on Bonanza became known all the miners in the Fortymile district stampeded to the new strike, and in a short time Bonanza creek was staked from end to end. Meantime Henderson and his party were working on Gold Bottom, and did not hoar of the new discovery until the whole creek had been staked. Extensive prospecting at once com- menced on Bonanza and its tributaries, and in a short time many of the stakej's began to realize the marvellous wealth which their claims contained. As soon as the news of the rich strike reached the outside world, thousands of gold seekers immediately started for the Klondike. Probably never before in the history of gold min- ing camps has there been such a rush of people from almost every vocation in life, as was seen in that irresistible stream of fortune-seekers, who climbed the Chilkoot pass and pressed on to Lake Lindeman, Avhere the most rude boats and other flimsy craft were constructed for the journey of 500 miles down the Yukon river to Dawson. One of the saddest events in the history of this great stampede occurred one morning on the trail betw^een the summit of the Chilkoot pass and Sheep Camp. For some distance between these two points the trail leads along the bottom of a steep ni(.unf;iin, and a long line of gold hunters were laboriously toiling along this stretch of the journey, some bearing their heavy burden of supplies in packs and some on sleds, when suddenly a huge mass of snow 1-i YUKON TERRITORY came sliding down the mountain side, striking the line of travellers and burying between 50 and 60 men. Those w^ho had escaped the catastrophe at once commenced to dig for their comrades, very few of whom were rescued, and some of the bodies were not found until the snow melted in the spring. Such is an instance of the dangers which confronted in the early days the thousands who had contracted the gold fever, and wdio were unaware of the innumerable hardships to be encountered on the journey to the new diggings. In the spring of 1899 nearly all the creeks in the Klondike district had been staked ; and in a few years this remarkably rich district produced millions of dollars. Though rich gravels were discovered on Gold Run, Hunker, Dominion and Sul- phur, and much gold has been and is being taken from those creeks, yet no creek has been discovered that can be compared in richness with Bonanza and its tributaries. Creek claim Xo. 16 Eldorado (a tributary of Bonanza), containing an area of four acres, alone produced $1,500,000. Creek claim ISTo. 17 Eldorado, containing an area of 6 •■i acres, produced $1,300,000. The richest gravels so far discovered in the dis- trict, however, are gradually being worked out, and several large companies are acquiring, under the placer mining law, large numbers of claims on the different creeks, for the purpose of operating on a large scale by dredges and the hydraulic process. A Yukon Garden. CHAPTEE 2. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT. In 1894 a detachment of the N'orthwest Mounted Police had been sent to the Yukon under the command of Inspector Constantino, who was authorized to represent all the different departments of government in the district. In the following year the mining industry had grown to such i)roportions that Inspector Constantino was no longer able to handle all the business he was called upon to transact, and an officer was appointed to take charge of the customs. In the following year a gold commissioner was appointed, and the recording office was removed from Tortymile to the site of the present city of Dawson. In 1898 the Yukon was created a Territory by an 2i 15 10 YUKON TERlilTORY Act of Parliament, and provision was made for local govern- ment by a legislative council composed of tlie commissioner and six persons to be appointed by the Governor in Council. In July, 1898, Mr. William Ogilvie was appointed commissioner, and assumed the administration of affairs, the other members of the council being the registrar, the superintendent of the N^orthwest Mounted Police, the judge of the Territorial Court and the legal adviser to the conunissioner. In the following year the gold commissioner was also appointed a member of the council. The council, at that time, met several times each month for the transaction of business, which included not only the enactment of necessary legislation for the peace, order and good government of the Territory, but also the expenditure of much money for hospital and charitable ])urposes and for the construction of roads and trails to the different creeks, as well as the disposal of a multitude of minor affairs of a purely municipal nature. In 1899 the Yukon Territory Act was amended, and provi- sion was made for the election of two members to the Yukon Council. In 1902 the Act was further amended, providing for the election of five members. By Chapter 37, 2 Edward VII., provision was made for the election of a member to represent the Yukon Territory in the House of Commons of Canada, and on the 2nd December, 1902, the Honourable James H. Ross, who had resigned the commissionership, was elected the first member of parliament. The Yukon Territory Act (Chapter 6, 61 Victoria) 1898, provided for the appointment of a commissioner to administer the government of the Territory under instructions from the Governor General and Minister of the Interior, and the appoint iiiciit of not exceeding six persons to be a council, to aid the conunissioner. This Act as amended in 1899 (Chapter 11, 02-fi3 Victoria, Part) provided for two elected members of council, and as further amemlcd in 11)02 (Chapter ^^4, 2 COI^STITUTION AND GOVi:i;.\ M KXT 17 Edward VII.), for live elected luciiihcrs. The elected members hold office for two years, and ai-e paid an indemnity for attendance. The Suj)reme Tonrt of Ifocovd i^; the Torritoi'ial Conrt, which is presided o\-er \)y a senior judge and two other judges. It has appellate, civil and criminal jurisdiction. The Terri- torial Court en liaiic has appellate jurisdiction in appeals from the judgment of a police magistrate given under section 785 of the Criminal Code, 1892. In relation to mining dis- putes an appeal lies from the decision of the Territorial Court en banc to the Supreme Court of Canada. For the purposes of Part LIL, Criminal Code, and amendments, an appeal lies from the judgment of the Territorial Court to the Supreme Court of Canada, unless the judges of the Territorial Court are unanimous, when there shall be no appeal. Under Chapter 6 of lUUG, the commissioner may refer to the Territorial Court for an opinion upon constitutional or other territorial questions. The decision of the court, although advisory only, shall, for purposes of appeal, be treated as a final judgment of the court between parties. The commissioner, members of council and judges of the Territorial Court, and every commissioned officer of the Eoyal Northwest Mounted Police, can exercise in the Yukon Terri- tory all the powers of one or two justices of the peace, under any laws or ordinances, civil or criminal, in the Territory. All persons possessing the powers of two justices of the peace can act as coroners. The commissioner can establish unincorporated towns, and arrange for the election of an overseer. Overseers shall hold office for the calendar year ensuing after the day on which the election is to be held, but may be removed by the commissioner. 18 YUKON TERRITORY DAWSON, CAPITAL OP THE YUKON TERRITORY. Situated at tlie continence of the Klondike and Ynkon rivers, and at a point accessible to navigation, is the townsite of Dawson, which qnicklv became the centre of business and the distributing point to the different creeks. The townsite was laid out in blocks, cabins were rapidly built, streets were graded and improved, stores, hotels, hospitals and churches were built, a water system, electric light plant and telephones were installed, business men started in opposition to the com- panies which had been trading in the district, and by 1900 Dawson had become a typical up-to-date western town. The city of Dawson was incorporated in 1902, and governed by a mayor and municipal council until the fall of 1901, when Vy petition and upon the verdict of a plebiscite, the charter was rescinded, and the affairs of the city are now administered by the commissioner. By 1900 the acconiiiiO(hition afforded by the different government oiSces was found to be absolutely inadequate for the proper transaction of the increasing volume of business. During the summer of this year the post office building was erected at a cost of about $51,000, providing accommodation for a post office, customs, registrar's office and telegraph office. In the same year a court house was erected at a cost of about $50,000, and an administration building at a cost complete in the neighbourhood of $100,000. The administration building provides accommodation for the transaction of business con- nected with the different branches of the Department of the Interior and territorial government, and a council chamber, in which the sessions of the legislative council are held. In 1902 school buildings were erected at a cost of about $40,000. In 1903-04 the Carnegie Library was built at a cost of over $25,000, which amount was donated by Mr. Andrew Carnegie. There is also a large skating and curling rink, with club rooms and gymnasium, which were built at a cost of about $40,000. o a o 'A Q a 00 'S < CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT 19 Duriiic: tlio Slimmer of 1000 Lord ]\Iinto, who was at that time Govonior (IciicimI of ('aiinihi. nml Lady ^linto, visited Dawson, and were accorded an enthusiastic welcome hv the citizens, miners, and all classes of the commnnity. In September, 1904, the Hononrable J. IF. Koss, M.P., for ^'nhon, was appointed to the Senate, and in December of the same year Dr. Alfred Thompson was elected as an indepen- dent member, defeating Mr. F. T. Congdon, K.C., who had resigned from the commissionership to contest the seat. During the summer of 1905 the Honourable Frank Oliver, Minister of the Interior, visited Dawson. Mr. Oliver was the first minister of the Crown who had visited the Territory, and he was accorded a very cordial reception. A large banquet was given in his honour by the citizens of Dawson, mining operators and miners. Mr. Oliver visited some of the rich producing creeks in the Klondike district, and no doubt gained much valuable information, Avhich could not fail to be of assistance to the government in the consideration and disposi- tion of important mining questions affecting the general development of the Territory. COMMISSIONERS OF THE YUKON TEKRITORY. Name. Appointed. Major J. M. Walsh William Ogilvie James Hamilton Ross Frederick Tennyson Congdon .. . . William Wallace Burns Mclnnes Alexander Henderson Aug. 17, 1897. Sept. 1, 1898. March 11, 1901 . „ 1, 1903. May 27, 1905. June 18, 1907. Resigned. Oct. 29, 1904. Doc. 31. i;tO(i. 20 YUKON TERRITORY ACTING COMMISSIONESS. Name. Appointed. H. W. Newlands Feb. 8,1902. Z. T. Wood, 1st time Aug. 15, 1902. Z. T. Wood. 2nd time Dec. 20,1904. J: T. Lithgow, Lst time iFeb. 2,1906. J. T. Lithgow, 2nd time Nov. 14, 190G. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, 1898 TO 1900. Name. Office. J. E. Girouard .... Colonel Steele . . . T. H. McGuire. . . . F. C. Wade C. A. Dugas W. H. P. Clement. Major A. B. Perry. E. C. Senkler . i Registrar .jSupt. N.W.M.P Judge , ! Legal Adviser . . . . i.Tudge . . I Legal Adviser . . . Supt. N.W.M.P , I Gold Commissioner Ap]3ointed. July 7, 1898. n 7, 1898. M 7, 1898. ■, 7, 1898. Oct. 7, 1898. „ 17, 1898. Sept. 5, 1899. ., 5, 1899. Expired. Sept. o, 1899. Oct. 7, 1898. n 17, 1898. LEGISL.VTIVE COUNCIL, 1900 TO 1903. Name. Office. Appointed. Expired. J. E. Girouard C. A. Dvigas Major A. 13. Perrv.. Registrar. Judge. . . , • Supt. N.W.M.P. < iold Commissioner Sunt N W M P July 7, 1898. . . Oct. 7,1898... Sept. T), 1899... 5, 1899. .. July 31, 1900. .. Oct. 17. 1S9,S .. Mar. 13, 1901 . .. Sept. 14, 1901 . . . July 31, 1900. E. C. Senkler. . .' '...'.'..[ Z. T. Wood W. H. P. Clement F. T. rJongdon Legal Adviser. . . . M .... n .... Elected .Mar. 13, 1901. Sept. 14, 1901. H. W. Newlands A. Wilson A. J. Prudhomme n >....'. coxstitl:tiox axd government 21 LKGLSLATUE COUN'lL, 1903 TO 1905. Name. Office. Ainxiinted. Expired. J E Girouard July 7 1898. C. A. Duga-s E. C. Senkler ' Z. T. Wood H. W. Newlands J. T. Lithgow J. A. Clarke A. Thouip.son, M.D Rev. ,Tohn Pringle Judge ( JoldConunissicmer Supt. N.W.M.P.. [.legal .\dviser . . . Cnini)troller • Oct. 7, 18!)8.. Sept. .5, 1S!)9.. July 31, 1900.. Sept. 14, 1!)()1 . Jan. 8, 1904.. Ehrtid. Jah. 13, l!lo;i.. „ 13, 1903.. 13,1903.. 13, l!t03.. 13,1903.. 1903. .Ian. 1.3, 19u5. Resigned, 1904. Jan. 13, li)05. M. Landreville 13, 190.^. R. Lowe t 13, 1905. l.EGISLATIVK COUNCIL, 1905 TO 1907. Name. Office. Apjointed. Expired. J. E. Girouard C. A. Dugas E. C. Senkler Z. T. Wood J. T. Lithgow Registrar July 7, 1898. . Judge .•■:•■•■ Oct. 7, 1898.. GoldConunissioner Sept. 5, 189!).. Supt. K.N. W.M.P July 31, 1900.. Comptroller Jan. 8, 1904. . District. Elected. North Dawson ... April 12, 1905. . South Dawson ... „ 12, 1!»05. . Klondike ., 12, 1!105.. Bonanza m 12, 1905.. Wliitehor.se „ 12, 1!)05. . H. C. Macanlay T. W. O'Brien April 12, 1907. 12, 1!)07. George Black R. Gdl&spie R. Lowe 12. 1!XI7. 12, i:»07. 12, 1!>07. LEGISIi.\TI\K COUNCIL, 1907 TO 1909. Appointed members same as 1905 to 1907. R. Lowe, Whitehorse. George Black, Klondike. J. O. Lachappelle, North Dawson. *Elcctcd. John Grant, South Dawson. T. J. Kearney, Bonanza. ♦Election held April 16, l!t07. ^^1*«;r^ ^c Lake Kliiane, Y.T. CHAPTEE 3. PHYSICAL FEATURES. Much of tlie Yukon region consists of numerous plateaux intersected along the watersheds and in the southwest of the territory by high and diversified mountain ranges. The greater part of the territory lies within the drainage-basin of the Yukon river, which has a watershed of 330,912 square miles, of which. 150,768 square miles are in the Yukon Terri- tory. On the southwest is the Coast range of mountains, com- prising part of the St. Elias and the Nutzotin mountains, in the vicinity of which is Kluane lake and the Kluane mining district. The highest summits of the St. Elias range are Mount Logan, 16,539 feet, and Mount Hubbard, 16,400. On the southeast is the Cassiar range, with northwest and southeast trend, and a transverse width of nearly fifty miles. This range runs parallel io Teslin lake on the west and the 22 PHYSICAL FEATURES • 23 upper Liard on the east, and forms the southern portion of the divide between the great Mackenzie and Yukon basins. Xorth- east of the Cassiar mountains and in the watershed of the Mackenzie are the Simpson and the Canipholl mnnntains on the west of the Fiidaison river, which drains along its course Finlaison and Frances lakes. Finlaison lake has an elevation of 3,105 feet above sea level, and is situated on the snmmit of the watershed or height of land, which at this point divides the npper Pelly from the Finlaison river, a tributary of the upper Liard. Southeast of the Pellj, between the height of land and the confluence of the Pelly and Macmillan are the Glenlyon and Pelly mountains, the latter range being described as ' a series of square outlined pyramidal peaks.' Between the headwaters of the Pelly and Stewart is the Selwyn Range, which for over a hundred miles divides the watershed of the Yukon and Mackenzie. From the northern extremity of the Selwyn Range and extending in a north- westerly direction is the Ogilvie range of mountains, which form the continuation of the divide between the two great watersheds. The principal sunnnits of the Ogilvie range are : Mount Williams, 6,500 feet, on the eastern extremity; Mount Campbell, 8,200 feet, northeast of Dawson, and Mount Harper, 7,000 feet, northwest of Dawson. From a point about ninety miles north and slightly east of Dawson this divide or height of land runs in a northeasterly direction towards the delta of the Mackenzie and almost parallel for over a hundred miles with the Peel river in the Mackenzie basin and the head- waters of the Porcupine on the Yukon watershed, Northeast of Fort McPherson this height of land aoain curves to the northwest, and for some distance before reaching the boundary line is knowm as the Davidson mountains, dividing the waters wdiich flow^ into the Arctic from the Yukon basin. Between the eastern portion of the Ogilvie range and the upper Stewart is the Duncan mining district, interspersed with 24 YUKO:s' TEREITOKY miinerous lakes and high peaks, some of which attain an eleva- tion of 7,000 feet. On the east of the Duncan district is the Flat Creek plain, ^ a depression ten to fifteen miles in width, which extends from Stewart northward to the Klondike and contihues on past Twelvemile river. The Flat Creek plain separates the Klon- dike hills from the Ogilvie range. The elevation of the plain at the summit between the Klondike and Stewart rivers is about 2,500 feet, and at the summit between Klondike and Twelvemile river, the first parallel stream at the north, is about 2,500 feet.' (McConnelL) In the Geological Report, Vol. XIV., Part B., the general features of the Klondike gold-fields are described as follows : — *' The Klondike region is a typical example of the thor- oughly dissected upland. It forms part of the Yukon plateau, and subsequently deeply trenched by a number of small streams tributary to the main river courses. In comparatively recent times, a second elevatory movement has taken place, resulting in a further deepening of the valleys of from 500 feet to TOO feet. Portions of the old valley bottoms, still covered with heavy accumulations of gravel, occur at many points, forming terraces of varying width, bordering the newer valleys. Viewed from a distance the Klondike district has a hilly, even mountainous aspect, but in reality consists of a series of long branching ridges, the summits of which have been curved irregularly into hill and hollow by unequal denudation. Most of the ridges originate at or near the Dome, the topo- graphic centre of the district, and the highest eminence in it. 'The Dome is situated nineteen miles southeast of Dawson, about midway between Indian river and the Klondike. It has a height of about 4,250 feet above the sea, 3,050 feet above the Yukon at Dawson ami al)out 500 feet al)0vc the ridges at the base.' (McCoiiiicn.) That portion of the Yukon to the west of I)a\vs((u and ex- tending south to tlie Xutzotin mountains and east to Fort Selkirk on the Yukon river, may be described as a part of the Viikftn plateau, with roinidcil In'lls and irregular I'ldgcs but witlioiit any well definoil nuMiiilain ranges. a, o u Q s C o > o o P5 o d PHYSICAI. FEATURES Zii ALmff the course i\{ the Lewes river are the Dawson ranee, south of Fort Sdkii'k, the Semenof hills at the confluence of the Teslin and Lewes, mid tlic ^Fillers' range along the south- west of Lake Laherge. ' The ciiuuli'v l)(ird(^riiig the northeastern slope of llie Coast ranii'e, iiielinliiii;- ilie \\'iiid\- Ai'in nniiiui:' ' 320 feet, with a eurrent slightly exceeding 2^ miles an hour and middle depth of 7 feet. The volume of water at the same point was computed to he 4,898 cubic feet per second. At Hoole caiion the river rushes through between rocky Ijanks and cliffs for about three-quarters of a mile, and the water is rough and dangerous, the estimated fall being 20 feet. On either side there are steep rocky banks, and in some places perpendicular cliffs about a hundred feet ill lieight. Twenty-three miles below Hoole canon the Ross river, which rises in some of the spurs of the Selwyn range, flows in from the north. The vallev of the Ross is narrow, and 4,-' ^ bordered, by high steep hills at its mouth. Between the canon and Ross river the current of the Felly is swift, with numerous small rapids, and on the south bank there is a wide extent of low wooded country extending to the Pelly mountains. From Ross river to Glenlyon, a tributary on the right bank of the Felly rising in the mountains of the same name, is a distance of 64 miles. This stretch of the river is bordered on the north by ridges and hills which, before Glenlyon is reached, become mountains of between 4,000 feet and 5,000 feet high, situated about six miles from the river. The river is swift, and much divided by gravel bars. There are two rapids in this stretch, one about tw^o miles east of Glenlyon and the other below the mouth of that stream. From Glenlyon to the Macmillan, measured by the course of the river, the distance is 61^ miles. On the north bank there are low irregular hills, showing exten- sive grassy slopes on their southern exposures. The Mac- mi Ihin and Felly valleys coalesce at an acute angle at the western point of the range of hills which alone has separated tlicm for some distance, antl the two streams must run ])aralh'l foi' many miles above their junction. The Macmillan is bounded tn ilic ikm'iIi hy ;i well dciincil range of low nmuu- tains which cnni iiuu-.s to the wot wn in I foi' al)i)iit ten miles as tc •fl 5J > O o rUVSICAL I-KA'ITUKS 29 the b(»r(l('i'ino- range ol" the iiiiifed streams. The distance from the Macinilhiii to its cniilliiciicc with the Lewes measured along the course of the stream is 74 miles. For some distance below the iiiDuth of the Macmillan the Pelly flows through a troiiuli- like valley, and thou lliroiigli Granite cailon, abont foni- miles in Icniith, ' with steep, rocky scarped banks and clitfs ' 200 to 250 feet in lu'ight. Below the canon there is a wide belt of open country on both sides of the river, until within a few miles of Selkirk, when the river is bordered with low hills and ridges. The total length of the Pelly from Campbcirs portage to its conflnenco witli the Lewes is 320 miles. Stewart River. The Stewart river rises in the northern extremity of the Selwyn range, and flows in a westerly direction until it reaches a point about 20 miles in a direct line northwest of ]\Iayo lake, when it again flows east and makes a wide detour around Mayo lake, then northwesterly over Fraser falls and in a general westerly direction from Mayo to the Yukon river, into which it flows about 80 miles south of Dawson. The principal tribu- taries of the Stewart are Lansing, Lless river or South branch of Stewart, and JNicQuesten river, a tributary on the right bank rising in a spur of the Ogilvie range north of Mayo lake. The volume of water flowing in the Stewart was measured by Mr. A. J. Beaudette, government mining engineer, at a point near Gordon's Landing, and computed to be 1,010,166 miner's inches, or 1,515,250 cubic feet per minute. There are no tributaries of any importance between Fraser falls and Gordon's Landing, so that this measurement is approximately the volume of water flowing over the falls. The Stewart river is navigable from its mouth to the falls, and during the summer small stern-wheel steamers ply between Dawson and Mayo Landing. 30 YUKOX TEEEITORY Peel River. The Peel river rises in the northern extremity of the Ogilvie range, and flows in a general westerly direction to its confluence with Snake river, where it takes a wide curve and flows northward towards Fort McPherson. ' Below Fort McPherson the Peel river flows in a straight line northward for twelve miles ; it then divides the eastern channel, which is a travelled route and has been surveyed by Messrs. McConnell and Ogilvie, joining the Mackenzie river by two mouths another twelve miles beyond. A careful estimate of the dis- charge of the Peel river was made at Fort McPherson on the 31st of Julv, when the level of the water was about medium stage. Though the watermark of the spring freshet is thirty feet above the level in July, the Peel river keeps at a fairly uniform level all summer, and scarcely falls more than three or four feet l)elow the level when the discharge was taken. The figures obtained for the discharge were 49,206 cubic feet per second. The average velocity is about two miles an hour, and the greatest depth fifteen feet.' (Camsell.) White River. The White river is a tributary of the Yukon, into which it flow^s about ten miles north of Stewart. It rises in the JSTutzotin mountains, aii<1 (lows north and east. The current of the White river is estimated at about eight miles an hour, Tlie iiiniitli of the rivei- is about 200 yards wide, but the main body of water is confined to a channel not more tlmn 100 yards in width, iiiid the water is so muddy that two miles Ijclow tlic point wlicrc it enters the Yukon the latter river is completely discoloni'cd. Porcupine River. The Porcupine rises uortli of the northern extremity of the Ogilvie range, and tlows north ;ind slightly east for about PHYSICAL FKATURES '51 150 miles, when it takes a wide ciii-ve about 50 miles west of Fori .\Ii-iMi(i~(iii ;iiii! flow- ill a westerly (liri-ction, juining the ^'ukdii oil its riii'lit hniik at Fort Yukon in the Territory of Alaska. Besides the principal rivers already mentioned there are smaller ri\i'rs, which are well known thronghout the territory on account of their proximity to the dili'erent mining districts. These rivers may briefly be described as follows : — Teslin or Hootaliuqiui and Big Salmon, Tributaries on the right bank of the Lewes, the former flowing in an almost direct northwest line from Teslin lake and entering the Lewes- about thirty miles below Lake Laberge, and the Big Salmon flowing in a similar direction, slightly north and almost par- allel to the Scmenof hills. Indian river, a tributary on the right bank of the Yukon aliour thirty miles south of Dawdon. Quartz, Dominion and Australia creeks flow into Indian river, which may be described as the southern boundary of the Klondike gold-fields. Klondike river, a tributary on the right bank of the Yukon at Dawson. This river rises in the Oailvie range and flows in a south and westerly direction, constituting the northern boundary of the Klondike gold-fields proper. Bonanza, the richest creek so far discovered in the Klondike, as well as Bear, Hunker and Flat creeks, empty into the Klondike river on its left or south bank. Sixty mile, a tril)urarv on the left bank of the Yukon at Oeilvie. This river rises near the boundary line almost w'est* of Dawson, flows easterly and northeast, almost parallel with the Yukon for upwards of thirty miles, but flowing southeast while the Yukon flows northwest. Fortymile, a triluitarv of the Yukon at Fortymile. This river rises in Alaska, anth hclow contain gold. The format ioii fi'om this ])ay gravel to tli(> surface varies to a certain extent on the dift'erent creeks, hut as a general rule is a composition of organic matter eallc(l ' muck.' A miner, after sinking his shaft to hed-i'ock then drifts h\ the same means along the bed- rock from the l)ottom of the shaft, and hoists out the gravel and bed-rock containing the gold. For the first two years of the camp the shaft-sinking and drifting was done during the winter, the gravel being taken out and put in a heap by itself. Then in the spring when the water starts to run these dumps are shovelled into sluice-boxes erected for the purpose, and thus the gold is separated from the gravel. Though tlie frozen ground creates much difficulty in the sinking of shafts, yet at the same time it has this advantage: when the miner drifts from the bottom of a shaft, it is not as a general rule necessary for him to timber the drift, as the frozen 'muck" hohls up with perfect safety even where very extensive drifting is done. The miner is thus sa\-ed the very considerable expense of timbering his drifts. The values in the bench gravels were not discovered until the autumn of 1897, and were first found on the left limit, close to the junction of Eldorado and Bonanza. These licuches have proved to ])o liy far the richest and most extensive in the territory. Th(> ])ay extends in an unbroken line from French hill (on the left limit of Eldorado creek, about one and one- half miles from its mouth) to Xo. GO below Discovery on Bonanza creek, a distance of about seven miles. The claims located on this ]iay-streak were worked in a large number of cases by tunnelling from the side of the hill until the bed-rock is reached ou the level of the pay gravel. In a large numl)er -O G Y L' K O X T E K K 1 1' O J ; \' of cases, however, llic origiu'il system of sinking shafts was adopted. The bench pay appears to have crossed Bonanza at I^o. 60 below Discovery, and to have continued down stream on its right limit until reaching Lovett gulch, when it appears to have swerved off eastward from Bonanza creek, and crossed over a small divide to the Klondike river. A considerable number of good claims have been found on this pay-streak, but as a general rule have not proven to be anything as good as the claims on the benches above 'No. 60 on the left limit. Although a verv considerable amount of pay gravel has been found on the benches on TTnukor on both limits, iu different localities, there are no very long regular pay-streaks. On Last Chance creek, however, a triluitary of TTunkor creek, an excellent pay- streak was found on the l)enches on its left limit, running almost the whole length of the creek. On the Indian river side the bench pay has not been so good, although on Dominion creek there seems to have been considerable bench pay on the left limit between the Dis- coveries, and ftu* some distance below lower Discovery. The mining of bench pay has been considerably handicapped owing to the ditficulty in (il)taining sufficient quantities of wa- ter by gravity. In order to obtain water by gravity at the ])rn])cr elevation, it had to be taken almost from the source of all the small creeks in the vicinity of the mines upon which the sup})ly was to be used. As these creeks are small, the result is that a sufficient (|ii;inlity of water can only be available in the spring of the year for a very short period, the rains of the summer being of very Utile value in this regard. In 1901 ii nnndier of miners tried the experiment of pump- ing water from the creeks to the benches, but operating expenses, chiefly the cost of fuel, was found to be so great that in nearly every .case the experiment w;is a failure. It was •oveutnally fonml tbat the clieapesl iiiel]i(Ml of working the benches was l>y livdvanlicking, even where the quantity of water was limited. The great rush to the Klondike started in the spring of 1897. The larger portion of this rush, however, did not arrive in Dawson until the spring of 1898. It was estimated that at one time during the summer of 1898, 25,000 people lived in and al)(»ut the r-itj of Dawson. A large portion of this number, however, stayed in the territory for a very short period. The following winter was noted for the large number of stampedes that took place. As the people who arrived in the territory in the spring of the previous year had no mining property, thej- took every opportunity available to stake claims. The result was that when the slightest rumour got abroad that a discovery of gold had been made on a new creek, these people would immediately start out for the scene of the new strike, or where the discovery was supposed to have been made, in order to stake. Every stampede was a race, the first arriv- ing at the creek having the best opportunity to obtain valuable property. Almost every creek within 100 miles of Dawson, either on the Yukon river or on the Klondike river, was staked from end to end during that winter. These stampedes, however, did not result in any find of great importance. All these creeks were prospected more or less, and although on nearly every creek ' colours '* were found, there was not sufficient value discovered in any case to warrant working the properties by the methods in use at that time. Improved Methods of Thawing. Owing to the many improvements made in the methods of mining, the whole system has totally changed from what it was in the years 1897 and 1898. In the winter of 1S98-1S99 * Minute specks of gold. 4 38 YUKON TEKKITORY it was discovered that by using steam the frozen gravel could be thawed at a rate of from eight to ten feet a day — a great improvement on the old system whereby the thaw was only from two to three feet a day. The steam is forced into the frozen ground by what are known as steam points. A steam point is an iron pipe of about 5^ feet in length, connected to a cross-head bv means of a small rubber steam hose; the cross- head is connected to the main pipe, which is connected to a boiler supplying the steam. As a general rule the miner drives the steam pipe into the ground, where it is left for a short time until a hole is thawed. The pipes are then replaced by ordinary gas pipes, as it is found that the gas pipes allow more steam to be forced into the ground. These pipes are called locally ' sweaters.' In very dry gravels the holes are made with a mixture of hot water and steam, taken from the blow-off of the boilers ; in loose gravels the steam alone is used. Another economical method used for thawing gravels in drifting opera- tions is what is called the hot water method. This is especially used where the gravels are hard. A description of the method is as follows : — A sump-hole is made at the bottom of the shaft, and a small duplex pump is set up, to which is attached a small fire- hose with a two-inch discharge, and as the water is pumped against the face of the drift it is returned to the sump-hole, leaving the gravels thawed on the drift. This water is pumped over and over again on the face of the drift. 'to' Open-cut Method. On all claims M'hcre the depth of bed-rock is less than fifteen feet it lias boon found that the ground can be operated more economically by what is known as the open-cut method. This method has been used very largely on Bonanza and Eldorado creeks. At first the surface of llic ground is removed by what is lonncd ' ground-sluicing,' the water from the stream in s o S O CD > O o 01 P5 ?5 41^ MINING 39 is diverted into small ditches, and incii wiili picks and shovels remove the material into running water, which is carried away. By this means all the muck or surface material is gradually carried away until nothing is left but the gravel containing the gold. The sluice-boxes are then set up, and the gold-bear- ing gravel is shovelled in. The mining methods to which reference has been made are the chief methods whereby placer mining is carried on in the territory under the term of ordinary placer mining. GRAVELS OF THE KLONDIKE GOLD-FIELDS. ' A section across the valley of any of the gold-bearing streams entering the Klondike shows a comparatively narrow trough-like depression below, from 150 to 300 feet deep, bordered on one or both sides by wide benches beyond which the surface rises in easy, fairly regular slopes up to the crests of the intervening ridges. The benches represent fragments of older valley-bottoms partially destroyed by the excavation of the present valleys. Narrow, rock-cut terraces occur at intervals between the level of the old valley-bottoms and the present level. ' Auriferous gravels occur on the present valley-bottoms on the portions of the old valley-bottoms still remaining, and on the rock terraces cut into the slopes connecting them. They may be classified as follows, beginning with the youngest: — ■ ' Low-level gravels — ' Gulch gravels, creek gravels, river gravels. ' Gravels at intermediate intervals — ' Terrace gravels. ' High-level gravels — ' River gravels. 'White channel gravels: ' ^Vliite gravels, yellow gravels. ' Low-level Gravels. ' The low-level creek gravels are the most important gravels in the district. These gravels floor the bottoms of all the valleys to a depth of from four to ten feet. They rest on bed- rock usually consisting of decomposed and broken schists, and are overlaid by a sheet of black frozen muck ranging in thick- ness from two to thirty feet or more. Thej- are local in 40 YUKON t7<:kritory origin, and consist entirely of the schists and other rocks out- cropping along the valleys. The schists pebbles are usually flat, round-edged discs measuring one to two inches in thick- ness and two to six inches in length. They constitute the greater part of the deposit, but are associated with a varying l)roportion of rounded and subangular quartz pebbles and boulders, and, less frequently, with pebbles derived from the later eruptive rocks of the region. The pebbles are loosely stratified, are usually embedded in a matrix of coarse reddish sand, and alternate in rdaces with thin beds of sand and muck. ' The creek gravels frequently inclose leaves, roots and other vegetable remains, and also the bones of various extinct and still existing northern animals, such as the mammoth, the buffalo, the bear, the musk-ox and the mountain sheep and goat. ' The gulch gravels occup}^ the upper portions of the main creek valleys and small tributary valleys. They differ from the creek gravels in being coarser and more angular. A considerable proportion of their material consists of almost unworn fragments of schist washed dowm from the adjacent slopes. They contain the same vegetable and animal remains as the creek valleys. ' The only river gravels of the district proven, so far, to contain gold in paying quantities occur in the wide flats bordering the lower portion of the Klondike river below" the mouth of Hunker valley. The river gravels consist of quart- zite, slate, chert, granite and diabase pebbles largely derived from the western slopes of the Ogilvie range. They are harder and better rounded than the creek gravels — a neces- sary result of the greater distance travelled.' Terrace Gravels, ' Rock terraces occur at various points cut into the deep slopes of the present valleys. They were produced during the deepening of the valleys, and are simply remnants of former valley-bottoms. They are small, seldom exceeding a few yards in width and a few hundred yards in length, irregular in dis- tribution, and occur at all elevations up to the bottoms of the old valleys. The terraces support beds of gravel, usually from six to fifteen feet in thickness, very similar to that in the creek bottoms, but slidwiiig sdiiiowhat more wear. Tlie terrace gravels, like the creek gravels, arc overlaid, as a rule, with 50 -Jl Q s 3 > o >< '/f/^fr-^A/;-^ ^11 XING 41 muck, and at one point on Hunker creek were found buried beneath 100 foot of this materiaL ' nigh-level Gravels. ' High-level gravels are extensively distributed along Bonanza and Hunker creeks and some of their tributaries, and also occur on Eldorado, Bear, Quartz, Nine Mile and All Gold creeks. They consist principally of ancient creek deposits, overlaid near the mouths of some of the valleys by gravels laid down by the Klondike river, wdien it ran at a much higher level than at present and occupied a somewhat wider valley. ' These gravels occur at various points along the Klondike river. In the Klondike district they are found covering the small plateaux in which the ridges separating Bonanza and Hunker creeks from the Klondike river terminate. They rest in both places on high-level creek gravels at an elevation of about 450 feet above the present valley-bottoms. They have a thickness of from 150 to 1Y5 feet, and consist principally of well-rolled pebbles, of quartzite, slate, chert, granite, diabase and conglomerate embedded in a matrix of gray sand, and derived, like those in the present stream, from the western part of the Ogilvie range. The high-level river gravels are reported to contain gold in paying quantities at Acklen's farm, a name given to a portion of the bench on the right limit of the Klondike, two miles above its mouth, but are generally of little economic importance.' High-level Creeh Gravels. (White Channel.) ' The high-level creek gravels consist principally of the important deposit known as the quartz drift white wash of wdiite channel gravels. The latter name is now generally used by the miners, and is adopted in this report. ' The white channel gravels are ancient creek (le[)osits laid down in the wide, flat-bottomed valleys which characterized the region previous to the last general upraise. After their deposition, the country was elevated 600 to 700 feet, and the increased grades acquired by the streams enabled them to cut down throu2;h their old travel beds into the bed-rock beneath, and to excavate the steep-sided trough-like valleys in which tliey now run. The old gravels now occur on wide benches bordering the present valleys at elevations of from 150 to 300 42 YUKOX TEBEITOKY feet above them, the elevation generally increasing down stream. Their distribution along the valleys is irregular, as a large portion of the deposit was destroyed during the deepen- ing of the main valleys and the tributary valleys and gulches. ' The general character of the white channel gravels is remarkably similar in the various Klondike creeks, but differs considerably from the ordinary type of stream deposits in other regions. They consist of a compact matrix of small, clear, little-worn and often sharply angular grains of quartz and scales of sericite thickly packed with rounded quartz pebbles and rounded and subangular and wedge-shaped quartz boulders often two to three feet in diameter. Flat and subangular pebbles of sericite schist, the principal rock of the district, are also present, but in much smaller numbers than the quartz constituents. The schist pebbles are usually decomposed and crumble rapidly when thawed out. The deposit is always stratified, but, except in rare instances, there has been no sort- ing of the various constituents into separate beds, and the composition is very uniform throughout. The colour is char- acteristically white or light gray, due to the preponderance of the quartz constituents and the leaching out of the greater part of the iron. The colour is darker and the sands are noticeably coarser towards the limit of the deposit on the upper part of the creeks. ' The white channel gravels vary in thickness from a few feet to 150 feet, and in width from 100 feet to half a mile or more. The deposit increases in volume descending the stream, and attains its greatest development near their mouths. ' The white compact gravel deposit described above is over- laid in places by loosely stratified gravels known as the yellow gravels. The latter are of a rusty colour, are more distinctly stratified than the white gravels, and consist mainly of flat schist pebbles lying loosely in a coarse sandy matrix. Quartz pebbles and boulders are also present, but are much less abundant than in the white gravels. ' These upper gravels are not so widely distributed as the wliite gravels, but are present on several of the Bonanza hills and at points along Hunker creek. At Gold hill, on Bonanza creek, the white gravels occur as a buried ridge bordering the ])rcsent valley, and the depression between them and the southern slope of the old valley is filled with yellow gravels to a depth of 115 feet. The same relationship between the two deposits obtains at Adams liill, and |)i-(iltnl»ly at other places, XI u Q 2 "o MINING 43 but is only determinable Avbere sliafts bave been sunk to bed- rock across the whole width of the old valley. ' Unlike the creek gravels, the white channel fjravels are destitute, or nearly so, of vegetable or animal remains. Xone were found by the writer, and the few reported discoveries of fragments of wood and bone by miners are all open to ques- tion. ' On Dominion creek and its tributaries, Sulphur and Gold Itun creeks, white gravels, almost identical in character with the high-level white channel gravels of Bonanza and Hunker creeks, occur in the bottoms of the valleys underlying the present stream gravels. Their low position is due to the fact that the present valley of Dominion creek corresponds, not to the present valley of Bonanza and Hunker creeks, but to the old valleys cut through by them.' (McConnell.) During the summer of 1906 it was reported that gold was contained in the pebbles and boulders of the white channel, which by process of crushing and amalgamation it was con- sidered would yield a profit. The Territorial Government promptly arranged to have a test made by the cyanide process. Eighteen and one-half tons of quartz boulders, which had been washed from the white channel by the hydraulic process, and nine and one-half tons of virgin ground from different parts of the white channel on Bonanza and Last Chance creeks, were tested under the superintendence of the government mining engineer in Dawson. The virgin gravels were an average sample of the deposit from top to bottom, and the values given include the placer gold, which can be recovered by washing, the gold which is lost by washing and recovered by amalgama- tion and the gold in the quartz which cannot be recovered other than by amalgamation. The proportion of quartz boulders to fine material in a cubic yard of virgin gravel, was one of boulders to three of fine material. The value of gold recovered by stamp battery amalgamation was as follows: — Average value of quartz per ton 32c. Average value of virgin ground per cubic yard 54:C. The tailings in the test did not exceed 20 cents per ton in 44 YUKON TERRITORY gold. The cyanide test was, therefore, omitted, as the samples did not contain sniilcient valnes to warrant further treatment by that process. The basis upon which a cubic yard of gravel was calculated was 3,000 pounds. The volume of the white channel deposit, which is situated on narrow benches and at an elevation eminently suitable for hydraulic mining, has been estimated by McConnell at about 250,000,000 cubic yards on Bonanza and its tributaries, 200,000,000 cubic yards on Hunker and its tril)utaries, 15,000,000 cubic yards on a low bench on Quartz and a smaller quantity on Bear creek. All the old creeks to which reference has been made, viz. : Bonanza, Eldorado, Hunker, Bear, Dominion, Gold Eun and Sulphur, have been fairly thoroughly worked out, as far as ordinary placer mining methods are concerned. Some of the richer claims on Eldorado have been worked over three times ; and it is the general opinion that the only method of again working these creeks at a profit is by means of dredging. Placer mining has now reached a stage where work must be carried on npon a large scale to make it profitable. Mining by the ordinary placer mining methods is about over, and in the near future all creeks will be worked bv dredges where the conditions are at all favourable to that syr^tem of mining. As to the benches, it will be necessary to obtain a greater and more constant supply of water than has heretofore been available. A large nuniljcr of creek and bench claims on Bonanza and Eldorado creeks have been purchased by the Yukon Consoli- dated Gold Fields Company. This company, together with the iN'orthwest Hydraulic Mining Company, are making- gigantic propavalioii-^ to mine on a large scale by the dredging and hydraulic process the creek and bench claims on Bonanza and Eldoratli). a; so a; St a MINING 45 Duncan District. IS'ext to the Klondike district in importance as a gold- bearing district is the Stewart river. The tributaries of this stream, near its mouth, were all staked in 1898, but none of them proved to be what is termed ' paying propositions.' In 1900 a stampede took place to Clear creek, ;i tributary of the Stewart about 90 miles frnm its mouth. On this stream several claims were found to be of considerable value, and mining has been carried on upon several claims on this creek up to the present time. Duncan creek was staked in 1901-1902. This creek is a tributary of the ]\rayo river, which enters the Stew- art river at about 175 miles from its mouth. Claims of greater value were found on this stream than r.u the Stew- are river, but the min(>rs on Duncan have had consider- able difhr-ulty in working certain portions of the creek where the bed-rock is very deep (over 100 feet) owing to their shafts being flooded by w^ater when they have sunk to a depth of about TO feet. This difficulty has, so far, prevented all the owners from getting to bed-rock. From prospects, how^ever, tliat they have found on the rims of some of these claims there is a general opinion that once they succeed in controlling the water by pumps of sufficient capacity they will obtain good results when they reach bed-rock. Ilighet creek, a tributary of Mayo, was staked in 190;], and has been worked u]) to the present time. This creek, although small, has been a very good producer. V^liiteliorse District. Tn the season of 1898, durini:' the great rush to the Klon- dike, a large number of the streams flowing into Te>]in lake and the upper tributaries of the Yukon river were staked by the people who were on their way to the Klondike. The only case, however, where any of these streams amounted to any- thing for mining purposes was the tributaries of what is known as the Bio- Salmon river. The names of th(.^ tributaries 46 YUKOX TEBRITOKr of tins creek that were staked are Livingstone, Cotton Eva, Salmon and Lake creeks. These creeks have been Avorked con- tinuously since 1899, and they have produced altogether about $75,000 a year. They will probably continue to produce this amount for some time. One feature of these creeks is the difficulty the miners have owing to the large boulders they find on bed-rock. Kluane District. In 1903 a discovery of gold Avas made in what is known as the Kluane district. This district lies about 150 miles in a westerly direction from the town of "Whitehorse. It is a very large district and a great number of creeks were staked. The principal creeks, however, upon which gold in sufficient quan- tity to work profitably has been found, are Fourth of July, Burwash, Reid, Bullion and Arch. On nearly all the creeks in this district there is practically no soil on the surface, which is simply waste gravel from rim to rim, with an occasional patch of clay or sand. Since 1903 mining has been carried on upon these creeks continually, but not to a very great extent, as the creeks have not proven to be of much more value than what is termed a ' wage proposition.' The output so far has been about $25,000 a year. QUARTZ. Quartz claims of value were first found within what is known as the AVindy Arm district in 1904. The development of the Windy Arm properties shows a sufficient quantity of ore of working value to assure a permanent camp in this dis- trict. The showing of these properties has stimulated pros- pecting in the southern portion of the territory, and reports of new finds recently made are numerous. There is a very large expanse of country that has never been prospected, and there is every indication of discoveries being made that will make camps similar to that of the Windy Arm district. MINING 47 The following is an outline of the development work whicli has been done on some of the principal (jiiarlz properties in the Windy Ann district: — Montana. An adit from the surface has been extended on the vein for a distance of 625 feet. From this work three winzes have been sunk 30 feet each. Two upraises have been made to the sur- face, also on vein: one 130 feet and the other 80 feet. A fourth winze has been sunk, which is really an extension of the 130-foot raise. This has been sunk 2 GO feet below the tunnel level, and at the 200-foot point drifts were turned north and south. The approximate value of work done on this claim is about $24,000. Eighty-five tons of ore were shipped to the smelter at Tacoma, Washington, and the return shows an average value of $100 per ton. An aerial Riblett tram has been built from the company's dock to the Montana group, a distance of about four miles, at a cost of $90,000. On this group there are also a gasoline hoist, 50 horse-power engine for air compressor, 50 horse- power air compressor and three Sullivan air drills. Mountain Hero. This claim is also on the Montana vein. Cross-cuts have been made, of 90 feet and 285 feet, and an upraise of 90 feet and 265 feet of drifting. The total development work on this claim amounts to about $11,000. Uranus No. 1. A cross-cut has been run 265 feet. On the vein there are five tunnels of from 15 to 220 feet, and one shaft on vein 53 feet. A great deal of open-cutting and stripping has been done, leaving the vein exposed for nearly 600 feet. The approxi- mate value of develnpuiciit work so far is about $10,000. 5i 4:8 YUKOX TEKKITORY Joe Petty. A shaft has been sunk 53 feet, from the bottom of whicli a drift has been run on the vein 50 feet east and 75 feet west. Three hundred feet east of this point a cross-cut is run 40 feet, cutting- the vein, and a drift extended east on the vein 40 feet and north 110 feet. Five or six open-cuts have been dug ex- posing the vein for about 150 feet. Three tons of ore were shipped last year to the smelter at Tacoma, Washington, and the return showed an average of $208 per ton. M. & N. A tunnel has been driven on the vein for at least 60 feet, from which an upraise was driven to surface, 55 feet. Two tons of ore were shipped last year to the smelter at Tacoma, and returns showed an average of $124 per ton. Venus No. 1. A shaft has been sunk 50 feet, and from the bottom of this a drift has been run 30 feet to the north and another the same distance to the south. Yenus No. 2. A cross-cut, cutting the vein, has been run 120 feet, from which a drift was run north 95 feet and another south 130 feet; 168 feet lower down the mountain side a second cross- cut was driven 500 feet, at which point the vein was cut. The cross-cut has been extended 98 feet past the vein; a drift north on the vein 246 feet and south for 240 feet. There is an up- raise to connect with first cross-cut, now 180 feet. There is already a (hiiii[) of about 50 tons of ore, and from assays it is expcpted to average $70 not per ton. The approxi- mate vahio of llic work will lie about $30,000. JITXIXG V.) Vault. One tunnel has boon driven on the vein 205 feet and crnss- ent at a point 120 feet. Another tunnel i> now heiiit:- di-iven oil ihe vein and is now 142 feet long. One hundred and eighty-two tons of ore have been shipped from 'Venus' ISTo. 2, the ore averaging $53 a ton; and 34: ton.-, from the ' Vault/ which averaged $55 per ton. At the ' Vault ' mine there is an auxiliary tram about 2,000 feet long, with one G horse-power gasoline engine for operat- ing. There is also an aerial Riblett tram now under con- struction, 4,800 feet long, which will cost complete, $12,000; also gasoline engine with fan, &c., for ventilating. At the ' Venus ' there is an aerial tw^o-bucket Riblett tram, about 1,800 feet long. There are also one 50 horse-power gasoline engine for compressor, one 50 horse-power Leyner air compressor and five Sullivan air drills with full equipment. Also 1,500 feet of hydraulic pipe and Pelton wheel to operate air compressor; and gasoline ventilator engine, with fan, pipe, (See. ; the equipment at this mine costing in the neighbourhood of $20,000. Humper No. 1, Ilumper No. 2, and Bed Deer. On these mines a shaft has been sunk 20 feet deep, and a drift run about 200 feet on the vein, and about 100 feet of stripping. Twenty-five tons of ore were shipped from these mines to the smelter at Tacoma, and it is reported that exceptionally high values were obtained. Venus Exlension. There is one shaft about 40 feet deep, and a drift of about 70 feet. Another shaft of 30 feet and drift of about 20 feet. There is a cross-cut of 25 feet and 40 feet of a drift on the vein. In this there is a winze of about 25 feet. A cross-cut 50 YUKOX TEEEITORY is now being driven to tap a vein 50 feet below bottom of winze, now 25 feet. Between 8 and 10 tons of ore were shipped from Venus Extension, and exceptionally high values were reported. Caribou. On this claim there is a tunnel of about 90 feet on the vein, and from this a winze of about 80 feet, and a drift of 110 feet on the vein. This claim forms part of what is known as the ' Big Thing Group.' There have been considerable open- cutting and stripping as well as tunnelling on the other claims of the group. Fifty tons of ore were shipped to Tacoma, and the return showed an average of $47 per ton. Little Johnnie. One open-cut 25 feet and about 75 feet of stripping. Also one open-cut of 60 feet exposing Montana vein. Thistle Group. Thistle. — One shaft about 53 feet deep. Aurora. — One tunnel about 60 feet long. Columbian. — One tunnel about 40 feet long. There are about five tons of ore on a dump, which will average about $90 per ton. Conrad ]\foii)itai)) Group. One tunnel 127 feet long. One tunnel 30 feet long. One tunnel 12 feet long. One tiiniiol 10 feet long. About 50 or 60 feet of stripping. So far there have been no shipments of ore from this group. A group of claims have :ils(( l)een staked on the east shore o 3 > O O cq MINING 51 of Lake Marsh. Some of tlie ore on this group is reported to be worth $100 per ton. A group of quartz chums have also been staked on the right limit of Lake Laberge. A group of claims have also been staked 12 miles south- east of Whitehorse. On this group is a shaft 80 feet deep, with 25 feet cross-cut. The ore assays $4 to $20 per ton. Up to the present time there have been 1,600 quartz claims located in the Whitehorse and Windy Arm districts. Though upwards of five hundred quartz claims have been recorded in the northern end of the territory, particularly in the Klondike district, and large sums have been expended in development work on the different groups of quartz properties by companies and private individuals, as well as aid given by the Territorial Government, yet the results have been some- what disappointing, and quartz mining has not been carried on with so much enthusiasm during the past year. Practical quartz miners, however, have much faith in the future of the Klondike district, and believe that further development work will reveal abundance of the hidden treasure. Prominent among the quartz properties in the northern part of the territory, are the Violet Ledge group and the Lepinc group, upon which considerable development work has been done. On the h^ft limit of the Yukon river opposite Dawson the Korth American Transportation and Trading Company have done considerable -work on their quartz ]u'oper- ties, a tunnel having been driven from the edge of the river into the rock for a distance of 50 feet. There are indications of a good body of ore, luit values so far obtained are not such as would warrant treatment in Dawson. AYere this ore within reasonable distance of a smelter, the mines would be valuable at the present time. Considerable ore has been taken out and shipped by the company, the cost of sending rock from Dawson to Seattle being not less than $40 per ton plus smelter charges. 52 YUKON TEKKITORY The comjianj propose to develop the mines on a mucli larger scale in tlie near futnre. The Yukon Milling and Dredging Company, with a capital- ization of $350,000, will erect in Dawson this year a stamp- mill, which has a capacity of 200 tons a day. This company will employ between 30 and 40 men, and expect that the mill will be continually employed crushing ore from the properties surrounding Dawson. In order to aid and encourage the development of quartz, the mill, which will be erected within the city limits, has been exempted from taxation for a period of five years. DREDGING. Mining by means of a dredge is considered as mining on a large scale, and outside the pale of ordinary placer mining. Quite a large number of leases have been issued for the dredg- ing of submerged beds and bars of rivers in the Yukon, but very few dredges have been operated in the rivers. In 1000 a dredge was brought into the Yukon Territory, and used during that summer and the following summer on what is known as Cassiar bar, a bar on the Yukon river some distance above Selkirk. This dredge was not a success on Cassiar bar, and the following year it was taken to pieces and brought to Bonanza creek, where it was operated on Discovery and the adjoining claims both up and down stream. Though this was not considered a modern dredge, yet its operation on Bonanza was successful, and demonstrated the possibility of low-grade ground being worked at a profit that could not otherwise be worked. In the siiiiiuier of 1905 the Canadian Klondike Mining Company, Bimilcil, iiist;illc(| n htrge di'cdgo on the Boyle llvili'iiiilic Concession, at the iiionlli of Hear creek. The ap- proxiniiilc cost of this dredge, including the power plant, wns $300,000. ' The dredge is second in size only to the mammolh be o o pa o 6 IS -a O a a o O c o S Q s C O MINING 55 liocii issued for tlio tlrcdging- of the submerged l>eds and bars of rivers, did not ])ri)vide for actual representation work, but for llic installation of a dredge Avitliin a certain period and the payment of an ;iiiiiiki1 rcntnl. Ground, however, which has been staked as ])la('er claims and upon which dredges are operating must be worked under the terms of the Yukon Placer Mining Act, and conditions as to representation and renewal of all such claims are similar to the conditions under which the individual miner operates. The Yukon Consolidated Gold Fields Company have just completed the construction of three dredges near the mouth of Bonanza creek, for the purpose of working the creek claims the company have acquired in this vicinity. The cimipauy have also acquired water rights from the Twelvemile river, a small stream entering the Yukon about 18 miles below Dawson, and upon a tributary of this stream they have installed an electric plant for the purpose of supplying power to their dredges. The water to supply the power plant is taken from the Little Twelvemile river at a point about 4^ miles from its mouth. The water conduits consist of 1^ miles of ditch and the re- mainder of flume, having a capacity of 2,300 inches. The water Avill have a direct pressure of 674 feet on the wheels, which will generate 1,650 horse-power. The pipe conducting the water from the penstock to the wheels is 30 inches in diameter, and imbedded in a trench on the hillside. The transmission line from the station to a point on Bonanza creek at 70 b(dow Discovery is 30 miles in length and carries a tension of 33,000 volts. It is estimated that elec- tricity will be delivered on Bonanza creek Avith ninety percent efficiency. At Y9 below Discovery on Bonanza is situated a substation, controlling the electrical energy to be used on Bonanza creek. The cost of the power plant is reported to be in the neighbourhood of $200,000. In the Forty mile district the Yukon Gold Dredging Com- 6J 56 YUKON TERKITOEY pany of Alaska have one dredge in operation, and contemplate bnilding another dredge this summer. The ITorth American Transportation and Trading Com- pany also propose to build a dredge to work the creek claims within their concession on Miller creek. Writing of the possibilities for dredging in the Yukon Territory, Mr. J. Moore Elmer, a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, says : — • ' As a result of six years' experience, operating a three- foot Risdon dredge in the Klondike district, and by careful observation during that period of the auriferous deposits of the country, and the climatic and other conditions peculiar to it, I am convinced that the vast Yukon basin from the Rocky mountains to the Behrino- sea contains immense areas in which this form of mining can be profitably carried on . . . . ' There are countless thousands of acres in the Yukon basin that are suitable for dredging, and that would pay hand- some returns on the investment if judiciously made. The country is capable of thorough investigation, and it is the thor- ough and intelligent investigator that the country needs. When the true conditions become generally known, by reason of such investigation, I believe I am not too optimistic in predicting that the number of dredges in operation in the Yukon will be limited, for a number of years, only by the capacity of the manufacturers to fill orders. ' In order to succeed with a dredge in the ^'ukon the first desideratum is careful selection of the ground as to its suit- ability for the purpose ; then, given a dredge properly constructed to meet the conditions under which it is to be operated, and intelligently managed, the Yukon presents an almost limitless field for the profitable investment of capital in mining gold by the dredge process.' HYDRAULICKING. \']vvv since llic discovci'v of the Klondike gold-licKLs tliere has been, dui'iiig a eorlaiii pci'iod of \]\c summer season, a scarcity of watcu-, whicli li;i> afVccdMl the mining industry to a much greater extent as tlie richer creek claims of the district were worked rnit nnd miner-. Ini'iiei! llieir attenlion jo ihe liiuli- iX) MINING 57 level gravels. Ou Xos. G ami 7 hdow Discovery on Bonanza creek an expensive ])niii])iiiu plant Avas erected at a cost of $120,000. Tliis |ilaiii lifi(Ml ilic water from r,.manza creek and delivered il iimlcr tlic liiizh ]tressnre required for liydraulic niiriiiig' on the face df llic auriferous gravels on Clieecliaco TTill. The expenditure iucui'red bj such a task was very great. After several operators had trie(l aud failed in the experiment of pumping water frum the creeks to the benches, on account of th(^ heavy operating expenses, it was eventually found that the only practical method of working the bench gravels was by a system of gravity water. About this time several large min- ing operators on IJonanza began to realize that an immense quantity of water flowing into the gulches and mountain streams in the vicinity of the mines during the spring thaw might be profitably utilized for hydraulic purposes, if large reservoirs were constructed to retain and conserve the water, whieh could be used during the dry season for mining opera- tions. In 1905 the Dominion Government sent an engineer to investigate and report on the feasibility of a water scheme from the headwaters of the Klondike. The construction of im]ionnding dams, however, at dift'erent points on Bonanza creek, the CTantina.' ot' water rights from iiulehes and other mountain streams to corporations which are making gigantic preparations to mine the high-level gravels in the district on an extensive scale, and the acquisition by these corporations of large numbers of claims on Bonanza and ITunker creeks and their tributaries, have obviated the necessity of subsidizing or undertaking as a puhlie utility the construction of a large water scheme for the Klondike district. On Bonanza creek there have been constructed three im- pounding dams, one of which will he, completed this summer on Xo. 57 above Discovery, and has a capacity for 354,000,000 gallons of water. This dam was constructed by the Yukon Consolidated Gold Fields Company. The source of snpply is 58 YUKO]^^ TERRITORY the seepage water of Bonanza creek above the point of con- struction, and embraces an accninnhiting area of 35 square miles. The water will be taken from the dam and conducted by means of two ditches, each ditch having a capacity of 1,000 inches, to the hills and benches below Gold hill, to Gold liill and the hills and benches above Grand Eorks. The water is under a sufficient pressure for hydraulic purposes on all the hills and benches. As Gold hill is on the opposite side of the stream along which the water is to be conducted, the valley is crossed by means of an inverted syphon. This syphon has a capacity of 1,000 inches. It is 20, 22 and 24 inches in dia- meter, and the water delivered on the rim of Gold hill has a pressure of 150 feet. Two monitors, 3 and 4 inch, are directly connected with the syphon. The cost of the construction of this dam was between $250,000 and $300,000. The next impounding dam of importance is situated on Adams creek, about three and a half miles above its mouth. This dam was built by the lessees of the Matson and Doyle Concession, and has a capacity of fifty-eight million gallons. The area within which this water is accumulated is between six and eight square miles. The water from the dam is con- ducted along the left limit of Adams creek, and used under a pressure of 175 feet on the hills and benches on the left limit of Bonanza between the mouth of Adams and Boulder creek, ;i distance of thi'eo miles. The water is conducted entirely by flume, which is 24 by 36 inches, having a capacity of 600 inches of water. On Adams hill three monitors of 2^, 3 and 4 iiK'li nozzle diameter arc usetl. This dam cost approximately $75,000. Ill lUOC) the Vuk<:>ii ( 'niisdlidated Gold Fi(dds ( 'umpany commenced the construction of an immense ditch from a point on the main Twelvemile river to Grand Forks, which is situated at the junction of Bonanza and T^ldorado creeks. The Wilier to l>e conveved bv tins dilcli, which is hctween 60 and 70 0) 3 o be c 'So ■^3 c B O 32 MIM.XC 59 miles ill Iciiiitli, is iiilciidcil to mine l>v llie livdiMii lie iinieoss the hill and heuch gravels of Bonanza, Ehlorado ami Hunker creeks and their tributaries. The width of the ditch at the bottom is I::! foot and at the top 20 feet; the greatest depth r»f excavation being- 12 feet, and an average depth of 4 feet. There will be 25 miles of flume and pipe, the cost of flume will be $20,000 per mile, and about 40 miles of diteli. Mhich is excavated at a cost of $8,000 per mile. Steam shovels are used for excavating, and the cost is 15 cents per cubic yard. The quantity of timber in tlie tlnme is 1,000 feet 15. .M. in everv 10 feet of flume. The flume is 7 by <; and has a capacity of 10,000 miner's inches. The piping consists of heavy steel pipes where long and deep depressions have to be crossed, and redwood stave pipes where the pressure of the water does not exceed 125 feet. The inverted syphon to be installed across the Klon- dike river will be 49 inches in diameter and 15,000 feet in length. The greatest pressure on this pipe at the bottom of the valley will be a little over 800 feet. The redwood stave pipe is 48 inches in diameter, and will be 2^ miles in length. In 1900 the Yukon Consolidated Gold Fields Company also burlt a reservoir on a bench on the right limit of the Klon- dike river, opposite the mouth of Bonanza creek. The water is conveyed from Moosehide creek along its left limit, then along the right limit of the Yukon river and across the face of the mountain behind Dawson by ditch and flume — accumu- lating along the route the seepage water from the hills — to the reservoir, which is situated 200 feet above the gravels. On the bench gravels between the reservoir and the Klondike river the water is being applied at the pi-(^sent time by two monitors. On the Miller Creek Hydraulic Concession the ]^orth American Transportation and Trading Company constructed nine miles of water conduits, having a capacity of 1,200 inches to hydraulic the creek l)ed of ]\Iiller creek. Operations have been carried on in the creek bottom b^■ ilie use of an GO YUKON TERKITOliY livdi-aulic elevator, which system has been found unsatisfactory on account of the insufficient water supply. As has already been pointed out, this company contemplate the construction of a dredge on Miller ci-eek, and do not propose to resume hydraulic work until such time as the dredge has worked the creek bottom to the desired point of operation, when the benches will be worked by hydraulicking, and the tailings can be dumped on ground which has been worked out. To carry on hydraulic operations it will be necessary to construct a ditch of about 25 miles, and from 400 to 500 inches of water will be available from Miller, Bedrock and Pat Murphy creeks, from which the company have obtained water rights appur- tenant to their property. Besides the hydraulic operations which have already been described, there is considerable hydraulicking on a smaller scale on Bonanza and Hunker creeks. In nearly every case, however, the supply of water is limited, and hydraulic mining can only be carried on during the early and latter part of the summer, at which times the spring and fall rains furnish a supply of water for this class of mining. COPPER. Within a short distance of the town of Whitehorse is a large number of copper claims, which have been developed to a very considerable extent. In 1905 the American Institute of Minine: Encrineers made an excursion into British Colum- bia, Alaska and the Yukon Territory, and the following extract concerning the copper properties at Whitehorse is taken from a report of the excursion by R. W. Raymond, Secretary of the Institute : — ' The auriferous copper-belt of Whitehorse, as far as now known, about 10 miles in a curve around the town, presents a considerable number of promising " prospects " of high grade ore, some of which will doubtless be successfully developed in the near future, especially if (as seems to be beyond doubt) MINING Gl the present pi-ooTessive world demand for copper sliall con- • tinue. The i-eporled offer of a rate of $5 per ton for ore in sacks, or $6 in bulk, from Wliitchorse to the Tyee Company's smelter at Ladysmith, on Vancouver island (a distance of 112 miles by rail and 900 miles by water), leaves some margin of profit on the minino- and shipment of rich copper ores; and this operation may be expected to promote the development oi minino- on a larger scale, and the realization of economies in all the departments (including- transportation) which will make ores of lower grade profitable. ' Up to the present time, about 500 locations have been made in the belt, and about 200 kept valid by annual work. The greatest depth of workings is about 189 feet, and the total shipments of ore have been about 1,000 tons, ranging in value (for 100-ton lots) from $16 per ton for ore not sorted to 46 -.Gl per cent of copper and 11 ounces silver and $2.58 gold per ton. One lot is reported to have yielded a net profit, over cost of freight and treatment, of $32 per ton. ' The prevailing mineral in these ores, so far, is bornite, carrying gold and silver. Since this mineral is generally recognized as a secondary product, not likely to continue to great depth, the nature and value of the deeper parts of the deposits can only be determined by development, for which, fortunately, the rich bdruite of the upper levels may furnish the means.' During the past year twenty-five men have been employed on the principal copper properties adjacent to Whitehorse. The following is a brief description of the development work up to date : — ' Pueblo.' — Open-cut 40 feet wide. ' Copper King.' — 400 feet shafts and tunnels. ' Arctic Chief.'— 150 feet tunnelled, 52 foot shaft, stope 30 by 20. > ' Carlisle.'— 90 foot shaft. ' Grafter.' — 125 foot shaft and cross-cut. ' Keew'enaw.' — 50 foot shaft. ' Valerie.'— 50 foot shaft. Last year 200 tons of ore were taken from the ' Carlisle ' and 2,000 tons from the ' Pueblo.' This ore was shipped to the smelter on Vancouver island. 62 YUKOX TEKKITOKV Several copper claims have been located near the head of White river, from which prospectors have brought large pieces of fine specimens of placer copper. These claims, however, are near to the boundary line, and miners usually apply for record in l)oth the Yukon Territory and Alaska. COAL. Tantalus Mine. This mine is situated on tlie left bank of the Yukon river, about 201 miles south of Dawson. During the past winter preparatory wiork has been going on at the mine, such as driv- ing tunnels and making rooms for working; 120,000 feet of prop lumber has been prepared, and a much larger wharf will be built this spring. The mine is situated so close to the river that it is diiiicult to find space for the construction of bunkers nnd wharfs. Analyses of this coal show: — Fixed carbon 65 to TO per cent. Ash 10 to 15 " Water 1 to Volatile 21 to 12 a The mine has been leased to H. H. Phillips and associates for a ])eriod (:»f ten years, and it is expected that about forty miners would Ix' employed during the coming summer. The coal has been used on the steamers of the White Pass Com- pany, laying between Wliitehorse and Daw^son, for the last two years, ami the out])ut so far is estiinnted as follows: — 190;]. . .» 41 tons. 1904 640 '' 1905. . . . : 8,000 " 1906 5,000 " It is expected tlinl tlic output tor tlic present year will amount to 12,000 t<»ns, or possibly more; 5,000 tons of this amount being consumed by ilic steamers of the White Pass Company. MIXJXG G3 Tantalus; Butte Mine. This mine is also situnliMl dn the Yukon river, about two miles east of the Tantalus mine. There has been no coal taken out, but three seams of 5^, 7 and 7^ feet respectively are being opened up. There is a gravel bank on ilie face of this mine, through which a tunnel of 230 feet will have to be driven before coal can l)e reached. The proprietor of this mine states that the coal-measures can be traocd almost to Whitehorse. The following is an approximate analysis of samples of coal taken from the Tantalus Butte mine, namely : — Fixed carbon (on surface) . . . . 55 per cent. Ash 6 Water 10 Volatile 29 Twelvemile. Lignite coal mines have been staked in the Twelvemile district, the coal containing about 8 per cent ash and 50 per cent fixed carl)on. These locations are about seven miles from the mouth of the Twelvemile. Five Fijigers. This mine yields coking (' report on the Peel river, 1000, reports deposits of lignite coal, twelve miles below !Mount Deception, where a section of tertiary rocks is exposed. ' This shows six feet of lignite, associatdl with beds of clay and sandstone, overlaid by glacial drift. ' The lignite is still in a primary stage of development, and shows the twigs and leaves of which it is composed, and even some blebs of resin. This seam of lignite is again exposed 64: YUKON TERRITORY two miles below, overlaid by six feet of riistj gravels, and rest- ing on a bed of clay. At the base of all is a soft and very fine grained sandstone, which is also very porous. The lignite, when dry, burns fairly readily, giving off the odour of burn- ing resin and leaving a great deal of ash.' Sourdough Coal Mine. About six miles below Fortymile and fourteen miles from the Yukon river on its right bank, is the Sourdough coal mine, which is being worked by the Sourdough Coal Company. The mine was purchased last fall by this company, who took out over 2,000 tons of coal, which was shipped to Dawson before the close of navigation and sold during the winter at from $15 to $20 per ton. Fifteen men have been employed all winter, and extensive preparations have been made for a large output during the coming summer. Thirty men are at present work- ing in the mine, and a larger number will be employed during the summer. There are three seams of 8, 12 and 20 feet respectively. There is an incline shaft of 240 feet, which has been run at an angle of forty-five degrees. A railroad has been constructed from the mines to the Yukon river, a distance of fourteen miles, at a cost of $400,000, several large bridges having to be erected along the route. From this point the coal is brought to Daw^son by the company's steamers. If arrangements can be made with the different companies operating and contemplating the installation and operation of dredges in tlie Klondike and Fortymile districts, the Sour- dough Coal Company propose to instal a large power plant at the coal miiios to furnish power to dredges, as well as light to Dawson and Fortymile. Electricity is being furnished in Dawson at the present time by a plant belonging to the company, who have already contracted to furnish power to dredges in the Tvlondike district, and as soon as the demand for power oxceeds the capacity of the present plant, a large 3i O s a o a, o a "3 s c o J3 o bo 0) MINING 65 plant Avill be constructed at tlie coal mines on Coal creek. A preliminary survey has already been made with the view of constructing a trunk line from the mines to Dawson. Besides the power and liglit which this company will be prepared to furnish, they also contemplate the introduction of a system of heating by electricity as a substitute for fuel. So far the principal fuel in Dawson has been wood, and during iho past few years a considerable quantity of coal has been used. Though no definite arrangements have been iniidc, yet the company are of the opinion that if such a system can be introduced it will be possible to furnish the electricity for this purpose at a cheaper rate than either coal or wood can be obtained. It is estimated that coal can be mined for 50 cents per ton, and as the company propose to instal a plant at the mine, a saving of from $8 to $10 per ton on transportation will be saved. The expenditure for fuel to generate the power will, therefore, be reduced to a minimum, and the company will be able to supply electricity at a much reduced rate. Steamers operating on the lower river can obtain coal from the bunkers at the terminus of the company's railroad at $6 per ton. MINING DISTRICTS. The Territory is divided into the following mining dis- tricts : — Dawson Mining District. All that portion of the Yukon Territory not included in any other district, as hereinafter described, and which may be more particularly described as follows : — Commencing at the most northerly limit of the 141st meri- dian, thence southerly along said meridian ; thence along the northerly, easterly and southerly limits of the Sixtymile mining districts ; thence along the lilst meridian ; thence along the northerly limit of the Kluane mining district ; thence 71 Q6 YUKON TERRITOKY along the northerly and easterly limits of the Whitehorse mining district; thence along the GOth parallel of latitude; thence along the easterly limit of the Yukon Territory ; thence along the southerly, westerly and northerly limits of the Duncan mining district; thence along the easterly and north- erly limits of the Yukon Territory to the point of beginning. Duncan Mining District. All that portion of the Yukon Territory lying within the watershed of the Stewart river and its tributaries above the mouth of and including the McQuesten river. Sixtymile Mining District. All that portion of the Yukon Territory lying within the watershed of the Sixtymile river above the mouth of and including Boucher creek. Conrad Mining District. All that portion of the Yukon Territory tributary to Lake Bennett, Lake ]Srares, Lake Tagisli and Lake Atlin. Wliitehorse Mining District. All that portion of the Yukon Territory tributary to the Lewes river on its right limit above a point one mile above the mouth of Little Salmon river, and on its left limit above a point one mile below the mouth of the ^N'ordenskiold river, excepting, however, from within its boundaries, the district described as the Conmd mining district. Kluane Mining District. All that portion of the Yukon Territory tributary to the White river, above and including the J^Tcsling river, and all that portion of the said Territory tributary to the Xorth Pacific ocean lying to the south of that portion of the Terri- tory tributary to the White river, above and including the Nesling river. bo MINING 67 Values of Gold Dust. The following is an account of tlie value of gold dust from some of the most important creeks in tlie Yukon : — Per oz. Bonanza creek, from Discovery to 7 below, from.. $15.93 to $16. u; Bonanza creek, from 7 to 47 below 10.14 to 16.45 Bonanza creek, from 57 to 105 below, from 16.00 to 16.45 Bonanza creek, from Discovery to 7 above 15.79 to 16.80 Bonanza creek, from 8 to 43 above, from 17.01 to 17.09 Eldorado creek, from mouth to 36, from 14.97 to 16.10 Hunker creek, from Discovery to 32 above, from.. 16.95 to 17.28 Hunker creek, from Discovery to 28 below, from.. 17.39 to 17.65 Hunker creek, from 50 to 75 below, from 16.20 to 17.17 Last Chance creek, from mouth to 15 above, from. 14.32 to 15.40 Dominion creek, from Upper Discovery and above. 16.62 to 17.10 Dominion creek, from Upper Discovery to Lower Discovery 16.75 to 16.95 Dominion creek, 243 below to 256, from 17.32 to 17.92 Gold Run Creek, from mouth to 12, from 17.64 to 17.70 Gold Run creek, from 46 to 70, from 17.84 to 18.00 Steep creek 19.55 SYNOPSIS OF REGULATIONS. Placer Mining Act. Any person eighteen years of age or over is eligible to stake out and obtain entry for a placer mining claim in the Yukon Territory. A placer claim on a creek, which means any natural watercourse whether usually containing water or not, shall not exceed in size five hundred feet alons; the base line by one thousand feet on each side of such line. Claims situated elsewhere than on a creek shall not exceed five hundred feet in length by one thousand feet. A person locating the first claim on any creek, hill, bench, bar or plain shall be entitled to a claim one thousand five hundred feet in length, and to a party of two discoverers two claims, each of one thousand feet in length. A claim is marked by two legal posts on the base line at each end of the claim, each of which posts shall give informa- tion as to the name of the claim, its length, the date of staking and the name of the locator. 68 YUKON TEKKITOEY Application for a claim shall be made to the Mining Re- corder for the district within ten days after location, if it is within ten miles of the Recorder's office. One extra day is allowed for every additional ten miles or fraction thereof. A person having received a grant for a claim is entitled to hold it for the period of the grant with the absolute right of renewal, provided work is done on the claim each year to the value of at least $200, and evidence of such expenditure furnished within fourteen days from the expiration of the period covered by the grant. Claims, however, may be grouped, and upon the owners thereof filing a deed of partnership permission may be granted to perform on any one or more of such claims all the work required to entitle such owners to renewal grants for each claim. Claims grouped may be made renewable by the Min- ing Recorder on the same day. 'No person shall receive a grant of more than one placer claim on each separate creek, hill, bench, bar or plain, except by purchase or by recording an abandonment of the claim held. Disputes between owners of claims as to distribution of water, boundaries and dumping may be heard and determined by a board of arbitrators appointed by the owners of the pro- perty. The owner of a claim may, upon complying with certain conditions, deposit tailings upon an adjoining claim. Royalty at the rate of two and one-half per cent on the value of the gold shipped from the Yukon Territory shall be paid to the Comptroller. Gold to be valued at $15 an ounce. Fees for a grant of a claim foi- one year. $10 For five years 70 For a renewal 15 For abandonment 2 Diversion of ^¥alc^ for Mining Purposes. Every person owning a claim is entitled to the seepage water on his claim ;md to the use of so much of the water MINING 69 » naturally flowino- through or past his claim, and not already lawfully appropriated, as may be necessary for the due work- ing of the claim. An applicant for a water grant must, for a period of twenty days previous to making application, post notice there- of, giving full information, at the point of diversion, on the land to be operated, on each person's land crossed, and in the office of the Mining Recorder, and a copy of this notice should be forwarded to the Gold Commissioner. The price charged by the holder of a water grant with the privilege of selling shall be subject to the control of the Com- missioner of the Territory. The Commissioner may also grant permission to impound for mining purposes the surplus waters of any creek or gulch, and for that purpose he may withdraw from mining entry any worthless ground required for a reservoir site. The fees charged for a grant of water are : — For 50 inches or less $10.00 From 50 to 200 inches 25.00 From 200 to 1,000 inches 50.00 For each additional 1,000 or fraction 50.00 Dredging Regulations. An applicant may obtain a lease to dredge for gold, silver and platinum throughout a continuous extent of ten miles of the bed of a river in the Yukon Territory, but not more than one lease can be issued in favour of an applicant. ' Eiver ' means a stream of water the bed of which is of an average width of 150 feet throughout the portion sought to be leased, of wliich fact the Gold Commissioner shall be the judge, and ' river bed ' means the bed and bars of the river to the foot of the natural banks. The lease shall be for a term of fifteen vears, renewable from time to time provided the leasehold has been efficiently operated, but has not been fully mined out, and provided the regulations have been complied with. 70 YUKON TEKRITOKY The lease shall be subject to the rights of all persons who received entries for claims prior to the issue of such lease. Within three years from the date of the lease the lessee shall have a dredge of sufficient capacity on his leasehold and shall operate the same during forty days of ten hours each in everv vear after the third vear, and furnish satisfactorv proof of such operation. A rental of $100 per mile of river leased is charged for the first year, and $10 a mile for each subsequent year. The lessee may obtain permission to cut, free of dues, such timber as may be necessary for the purposes of his mining operations. The lessee is not allowed to interfere with the free naviga- tion of the river, or with the construction of roads, ways, bridges, drains or other public works. The royalty on gold produced from dredging operations is the same as that on gold produced from placer mining claims. Quartz Mining Regulations. Any person eighteen years of age or over, who has dis- covered mineral in place, may locate a claim not exceeding fifteen hundred feet in length by fifteen hundred feet in width, by marking it with two legal posts, one at each end of the line of the lode or vein, and marking out the line between such posts. Upon each post should be marked the name of the claim, the name of the person locating and the date, also the imni]»er of feet lying to the right and to the left of the location line. The claim -liall be recorded with the Mining Kecorder for tlio district in which it is situated within fifteen days after the location thereof, if located witliin ten miles of the Recorder's office; one additional day will be allowed for siu-h record for every additional ten miles or fraction thereof. In the event of a claim beinc; more than one hundred miles from a re- MIXING 71 corder's office, and situated where other elaims are beiiif located, the locators, not less than five in number, may appoint a recorder, but if the latter fails within three months to notify the nearest Government "Mining Recorder of his aiipoiutiiiciit the claims which he may have recorded will be cancelled. The fee for recording a claim is $5. An expenditure of not less than $100 in mining operations must be made on the claim each year, or a like amount paid to the IMining Recorder in lieu thereof. The survey of the claim, under proper instructions, will be accepted as expenditure during the year in which the survey is made. When $500 has been expended or paid in connection with a location the locator may, upon having a survey made, and upon complying with certain other requirements, purchase the land at the rate of $1 an acre. The Minister of the Interior may grant a location for the mining of iron and mica, not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres in area, provided that should any person obtain a location which is subsequently found to contain a valuable mineral deposit other than iron or mica, his right to such deposit shall be restricted to the area prescribed for other minerals, and the remainder of the location shall revert to the Crown. The Minister may also grant locations for the mining of copper in the Yukon Territory, each location to consist of an area not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres in a square block. The boundaries of each location shall be due north and sontli and due east and west lines, and not more than one area shall be granted to any one person within a district of ten miles. The grant of such location for the mining of cop]-»er sludl not give to the grantee any right to any other minerals excepting minerals that are combined or mixed with copper or copper ore, but in no case shall it include free milling gold or silver. The annual expenditure in mining operations on iron. 72 YU-KON TERRITORY mica and copper claims of excessive size shall be $200, and the fee for entry and renewal of such copper locations shall be $20. The patent for a mineral claim in the Yukon Territory shall reserve to the Crown for ever the same royalty upon the products of the location as is provided or which may hereafter be provided in the case of placer mining claims in that Terri- tory. The collection of royalty, however, may be abolished on the gold produced from any quartz mining claim or group of such claims in respect of which a sufficient expenditure has been incurred within a given time in installing and putting into operation a suitable plant for milling or otherwise treat- ing the ore, and provided such plant is capable of milling or otherwise treating not less than five tons of ore per day for every claim in respect of which such plant is installed. The output of copper from any mining location or group of locations will also be exempt from the payment of royalty, provided a sufficient expenditure has been incurred within a certain time in the erection of a smelter or other plant for the reduction of the copper or other metals in connection with such location or group of locations. All the rights and privileges which were accorded a free miner under the quartz mining regulations may be exercised and enjoyed by any person of eighteen years of age or over without taking out a free miner's certificate. Petroleum and Natural Gas. The Minister of the Interior may reserve for an applicant, Avho has machinery on the land, to be prospected an area of 1,920 acres for such period as may be decided upon. Should the prospector discover oil or gas in paying quantities, and satisfactorily establish such discovery, an area not exceeding 640 acres, including the oil or gas well will be sold to him at MINIXG 73 the rate of $1 an acre, and the remaining 1.280 acres reserved will he sold at the rate of $3 an acre. The Minister mav also make a preliminary reservation of a like area of land for a period of fonr months, for the purpose of allow! iii;' :iti appli- cant sufficient time to instal on the land the required machinery. A fee of $100 shall bo charged for such reserva- tion. A royalty at such rate as may be specified by order in council will be levied and collected on the sales of the ]ictro- leum. Disposal of Water for Power Purposes. The Minister may grant for a term not exceeding twenty years the right to use the water from any stream or lake in the Yukon Territory for the purpose of generating power, and the right to transmit, sell or use the power so generated. Prior to making application notice shall be posted for a period of sixty days at the point of diversion, at the place where the power plant is to be constructed, and in the office of the Mining Recorder. This notice should contain the name of the applicant, the name of the stream or lake, the point Avhere water is to be returned to the stream or lake, the difference in altitude between the point of diversion and point of return, means by which powder is to be generated, number of inches applied for, purpose for which power is required, locality where water is to be sold, and date of posting. Upon satisfactory proof being furnished as to the posting of notice, of the correctness of the statements made therein, and of the ability of the applicant to utilize the power expedi- tiously ; and upon a report from the Govermnent Mining Engineer as to the volume of the unrecorded w^ater available for diversion, a lease may be issued for such quantity as may be decided upon. The fees charged are in proportion to the quantity diverted. ^4 YUKON TERRITORY Coal Lands. Coal mining rights, which are the property of tlie Crown, may be leased for a term of twenty-one years at an annual rental of $1 an acre. 'Not more than 2,560 acres shall he leased to one applicant. Application for a lease shall be made to the agent of the district in which the rights applied for are situated, and the tract applied for shall be staked out by one or other of the following methods : — (a) By planting at one angle of the tract applied for a post four inches square and standing not less than four feet above the ground, upon which shall be inscribed the angle represented, the name of the applicant, the date of the applica- tion, and the length and direction of the boundaries. The tract must be rectangular in form, and the boundaries must be due north and south and east and west lines. A description by metes and bounds of the tract applied for to be furnished with the application. {h) If, however, the applicant desires to follow a coal seam the tract shall be marked by tw^o posts of the above dimensions, bearing notices, placed one at each end on the line of the seam, and the location shall not exceed 21,120 feet in length. The line between the posts must be clearly marked. The length of the tract staked shall not exceed four times the breadth. ISTotice of application shall be conspicuously posted on the tract applied for, and application shall be filed wnth the agent within thirty days after staking, accompanied by an affidavit showing that the requirements of the regula- tions have been complied M-itli. Eacli application shall be accompanied by a fee of $5, and a plan showing tlio position of the tract, and a royalty shall l)e paid ]>roval of the Coniniissioncr of the Terri- 8 76 YUKOX TERRITORY tory, to cut timber within certain specified districts, upon payment of an oifice fee of $5 and dues on the timber cut at the rate $4 per thousand feet B.M., and of ten per cent ad valorem on the products of the berth not enumerated. In such districts as the Commissioner may designate permits may also be issued to cut, free of dues, logs for the erection of roadhouses and for firewood to be used therein. Any person who is bona fide settled upon land which he is using for agricultural or grazing purposes may be granted a permit, free of dues, to cut such timber as he may require for use on his own land. , Grazing and Hay. Leases of grazing lands may be issued for a term of ten years, at an annual rental of $100 per square mile. In unsur- veyed territory the applicant shall mark one corner of the ground applied for by a legal post, and lay off the tract from such corner. Leases of hay lands sliall be for a term of ten years, at a rental of fifty cents an acre per annum. Permits to cut hay may also be obtained from the Crown Timber and Land Agent, upon payment of a fee of $2., 50 and dues at the rate of $3 a ton. Water Fronts. Leases of water fronts on rivers in the Yukon Territory may also be obtained upon application to the Commissioner. The term of tho lease is fifteen years, and the rental varies from $1 to $5 per foot frontage according to the position of the tract sought to be leased. SCHEDULE OF REPRESENTATION WORK UNDER SECTION 27 OF THE YUKON PLACER MINING ACT TO TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1, 1907. Shaft Sinlxiiig. For first ten feet in depth, $2 per running foot of dirt removed. For second ten feet in depth, $4 per running foot of dirt removed. For tliird ten feet in depth, $6 per running foot of dirt removed. For fourth ten feet in depth, $8 per running foot of dirt removed. Below forty feet in depth, $10 per running foot of dirt removed. Tunnelling. (a) In unfrozen ground, for first (25) twenty-five feet, $2 per running foot. Beyond 25 feet, $3 per running foot. (h) In frozen ground, for first (25) twenty-five feet, $3 per running foot. Beyond 25 feet, $4 per running foot. Drifting from Shaft. (a) In unfrozen ground, $2 per running foot. (h) In frozen ground, $3 per running foot. There shall be allowed in addition, $1 per running foot for every ten feet in depth of the shaft from which the drift is run. Timbering. In shaft, $3 per running foot. In drift or tunnel, $2 per running foot. Open-cutting, (a) Ground sluicing, 25 cents per cubic yard of dirt re- moved. Si 78 YUKON TEEEITORY (h) Stripping (by scraper) 50 cents per cubic yard of dirt removed. (c) Hand shoA'elling, $1.75 per cubic yard of dirt re- moved. Drilling. Two dollars per foot in depth in unfrozen ground. Four dollars per foot in depth in frozen ground. Hydraulicking, Dredging and Steam Shovelling. Fifty cents per cubic yard. Unprovided Cases. Other miner-like work for which special provision is not made shall be allowed for at the rate of $6.50 per day per man employed. ^^- Second Ave., Dawson. Taken midnight July 10, li»04. CHAPTEE 5. COMMERCIAL COXDITIOXS. Probably there is no other city on the continent of America where the commercial conditions are so pecnliar as they are in Dawson. The limited period of transportation, the difficulty of accurately calculating on the importation of not more than a sufficient quantity of the different lines of goods, llic risk to perishables, the delay occasioned by the congestion of traffic during the latter part of the summer, and high freight rates; all these considerations create an unusual velocity in the mind of the wholesale merchant. Many of the necessities of life are canned goods which, together with staples and other merchandise, have to be im- ported between the iniest fur is obtained on the headwaters of the Pellv, where a few years ago marten were plentiful. During the winter of 1902-1903 two trappers caught 44<'> marten, and also a large number of otter, beaver and mink, which they sold at the trading post at Fort Selkirk. The marten averaged $7 per skin. Unfortunately, however, marten, mink and otter are getting very scarce in this locality, while lynx, wolves and wolverine are numerous. In the Pelly country there is a trading post at the ni(»uth of Ross river, where fur can be sold by trappers and supplies can be obtained for prospecting. Unless a trapper has a large number of skins, it will not pay to make the trip either to Fort Selkirk or Dawson, as the extra price that could be obtained would not repay the expenses and time occupied by the trip. The steamer Quich makes an annual trip to Ross river, taking up supplies and returning with fur. A much higher price can be obtained for wolves and wolverine in Dawson than can l)e obtained in the markets out- side of the Territory. This class of fur is shipped from Dawson to St. Michaels and other points on the lower Yukon, where it is much in demand by Indians for trimming pur- poses. For one wolf or wolverine the Indians will give in exchange three white foxes or three marten. The value of wolves and wolverine is, therefore, determined in the Dawson market according to the demand by the Indians along the lower river. The following prices are being paid for fur in Dawson this year (1907) ; and the prices at Fort Selkirk and Ross river are for the preceding year: — 86 YUKON TERRITORY Dawson. Fort Selkirk. Ross River. Lynx Wolverine Wolves Beaver Marten Fox, red Fox, cross Fox, silver grey $4.50 to $5 00 6.00 to 7.fO 6.00 to 10.00 *3.50 to 4.00 7.50 to 40.00 3.00 to 4.00 4.00 to 20.00 75.00 to 500.00 100.00 to 750.00 5.50 (prime) 0.35 to 0.75 $4.75 6.00 to $8.00 5.00 6.00 10.00 to 13.00 5.00 8.00 125.00 to 150.00 250.00 to 350.00 $3.00 to $4.00 2.00 to 5.00 3.00 to 4.00 4.00 3.50 to 6.00 4.00 5.00 to 6.00 60.00 to 75 00 Fox, black Mink Ermine *In Dawson $3.50 to $4 per pound. HARDWARE. During tlie first few years of tbe camp a very large busi- ness was transacted by hardware merchants. Shelf hardware was much in demand, as were also the different ntensils re- quired for placer mining purposes. With the gradual decrease in population and the introduction of dredges and other large mining plants, the demand for hardware merchandise has decreased. The companies, who have acqnired large areas of mining property and who are operating dredges and other large plants, import their mining machinery, fittings and other ntensils. The following are extracts of tariff items from Schedule A, Import Duties of Customs, as amended np to the 12th Febru- ary, 1907, as affecting certain mining machinery which may be imported into the Yukon Territory: — Tariff Item. No. 460. — Snndry articles of metal as follows, when for nse exclusively in mining or metallurgical operations, viz.: Diamond drills, not including the motive power; coal cutting machines, except percussion coal cutters; coal heading machines, coal angurs, rotary coal drills, core drills, miners' safety lamps and parts thereof, also accessories for cleaning, filling and testing such Innijis; electric m- magnetic mnchines COMMEKCIAL CONDITIONS 87 for separating or concentratino- iron ores; blast furnaces for the smelting of copper and nickel; converting apparatus for metallurgical processes in metals; copper plates, plated or not; machinery for extraction of i)recious metals by the chlorina- tion or cvanide processes; amalgam safes; automatic ore samplers; automatic feeders; retorts; mercury pumps; pyro- meters ; bullion furnaces ; amalgam cleaners ; blast furnace blowing engines; wrought-iron tubing butt or lap M'elded, threaded or coupled or not, over four inches in diameter; and integral parts of all machinery mentioned in this item. British preferential tnviff Free. Intermediate tariff Free. General tariff Free. ITo. 461. — Machinery and appliances of iron or steel of a class or kind not made in Canada, and elevators and machinery of floating dredges, Avlien for use exclusively in alluvial gold mining. British preferential tariff Free. Intermediate tariff Free. General tariff Free. 461a. — Iron or steel pipe, not butt or la]) welded, and wire- bound wooden pipe, not less than thirty inches internal dia- meter, when for use exclusively in alluvial gold mining. British preferential tariff 5 per cent. Intermediate tariff 7-i " General tariff 10 " 453. Telephone and telegrai)h instruments, electric and galvanic batteries, electric motors, dynamos, generators, sockets, insulators of all kinds; electric apparatus, n.o.p. ; boilers, n.o.p. ; and all machinery composed wholly or in part of steel, n.o.p. ; and iron and steel castings, and iron or steel integral parts of all machinery specified in this item. British preferential taritl' 15 per cent. Intermediate tariff 25 " General tariff 271- " 88 YUKON TEERITORY 454. Manufactures, articles or wares of iron or steel or of which iron and steel (or either) are the component materials of chief value n.o.p. British preferential tariff 20 per cent. Intermediate tariff 27-| " General tariff 30 " '^^'^^^^ A Whitehorse- Dawson winter stage. CHAPTER 6. TRANSPORTATION. The Yukon river is ]i;ivi<:al)lc from Eehrine; sea to "White- horse, a distance of over 2,000 miles; and durinji; the summer this river is the great channel of transportation from the coast to the interior. On the south side steamers plv along- the Pacific coast between Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle and Skag- waj, connecting at the latter point with the White Pass Eail- road, wdiich extends from Skagway to Whitehorse. Between the middle of June and the latter part of October a fleet of steamers belonging to the British Yukon ISTavigation Company ply between Whitehorse and Dawson. The trip between Whitehorse and Dnwsdn is made in less than two days, and 89 90 YUKOI^ TEREITORY between Dawson and Whiteliorse in about three and a half days. In past years large quantities of merchandise? were shipped on scows from Whiteliorse to Dawson and sold on the water front to merchants and citizens. The city council of Dawson, however, in 1903, imposed a license of $500, which was subsequently reduced to $300, on all transient traders. "With the imposition of this tax, and a special through rate offered by the White Pass and Yukon Route and the British Yukon I^avigation Company, to merchants shipping goods, the transient business practically ceased, and the transportation business between Wliitehorse and Dawson is now almost entirely handled by the British Yukon ^N^avigation Company. There is also one steamer belonging to an independent com- pany, operating on this stretch of the river. The ice on the Yukon breaks up about the middle of May, and shortly after that time the river is navigable north of Lake Laberge, the ice in the lake remaining solid until about the middle of June. During this period lines of goods which may be in urgent demand are carried around the lake and shipped to Dawson on scows and whatever boats may be avail- able. The following are the oificial figures as to the opening and closing of the Yukon since any records have been kept : — Freeze-up. Year. Break-up. Nov. 4 . . Oct. 23 Nov. 2, 5.00 a.m II 12, 11.40 a.m 11 5, 1.15 a.m II 10, 1.45 a.m 8, 8.50 a.m II 10, 12.50 p.m 11 7, 5.15 a.m 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 May 19, 2. .35 p.m. 17, 4.30 p.m. 8, 8.15 a.m. 17, 4.10 ],.ni. 8, 6.00 a.m. I, 14, 4.13 p.m. 11, 8.45 p.m. II 13, 11.38 a.m. 7. 9.44 a.m. 1, 10, .5.21 p.m. II 11, 7.45 a.m. II 5, 5.52 p.m. TRAXSPORTATIOX 91 In 1904 there was issued hj the White Pass and Yukon Ronto, in connection with the ocean lines between Pueet Sound and British Columbia ports and Dawson, a pamphlet known as ' Xorthern Freight Classification Xo. 4/ showing in alpha- betical order a list of articles with the name of the class in which the rate is quoted on the annual tariff issued by the company. Occasionally as the annual tariff is issued, supple- ments have also been issued amending the classification list. In this classification list are also special rules and conditions governing the transportation of the different articles. The following is an extract from the tariff for 1907, issued by the White Pass and Yukon Route : — Governed by Xorthern Freight Classification Xo. 4, amend- ments thereto, or subsequent issues thereof. Rates in dollars and cents per ton of 2,000 pounds. Between British Columbia and Puget Sound Ports and Dawson. Class Rates (See Rule No. 20.) o g NOTE.-C.L. means carload of ^hite Pass and Yukon 20,000 pounds or over, unless a ^^^^^ romts. lower minimum is provided. L.C.L. means less than carload. Minimum Charge. 1 Class A . . . . 2 ., B 3' „ C Quantity . | L.C.L. C.L. L.C.L. C.L. L.C.L. C.L. Dawson, Y.T. .?3 75 S65 00 60 00 80 00 70 00 95 00 85 00 Special 'Gro up) COMMOUIT 1- Rates. 4 5 f) 7 Group 1— See Rule No. 14 M 2 „ 14 II O If 1 ,. 4 M 15 C.L. 11 M II S55 00 C2 50 55 00 52 00 Effective July Ist to Aug. 15th inclusive. See Clauses numbered 9, 10, 11 and V2 for (!roup Article.^. 9 92 YUKOK TEEEITORY Special (Straight Carload) Commodity Rates. 8|Hay (compressed to at least 22 lbs. per cubic foot), Min. C.L. 14,000 pounds 9 Oats and feed— Straight or mixed carloads C.L. $55 00 50 00 / Effective .Tune 16th to .Tuly 31st inclu- ive. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Blacksmith's coal Candles Nails, horse shoes, bolts, nuts and spikes (straight or mixed car- loads) . Flour Sugar . Canned cream or milk, hermeti- cally sealed (straight or mixed).. Coal oil Beer Beer kegs, empty returned (any quantity), south bound only. . . . C.L. $45 00 52 00 50 00 50 00 50 GO 50 00 55 00 65 00 15 00 Effective June 16th \- to Aug. 15th inclu- J 19 Oats and feed (straight or mixed carloads , C.L. $55 00 Effective April 16th to June 14th inclusive ; and from August 1st to Sept. 15th, after which dates the rates will be increased 10 per cent. Special Lumber Rates, Effective same as Class Rates (See Rule No. 20). 20 *Lumber, rough or dressed one side only 21 Lumber, dressed or T. & G. secu- rely fastened in bundles 22jLath and shingles Note. — Through rates on lumber named herein apply to Dawson onlj\ Mixed carloads of lumber may be taken at the carload rate for each kind. * Penalties. — When timbers or single pieces of lumber are — Over .30 feet and not more than 40 feet long increase the rate 20 per cent. Over 40 feet and not more than (iO feet long increase the rate 50 per cent. Over 60 feet and not more than 80 feet long increase the rate 100 per cent. Rates in Dollars and Cents per Ton of 2,000 Lbs. Rates named in tliis tariflF do not include custom house charges or dues. SnhjcM't to change without ii*»tieo. In view of the harge number of dredges and hydraulic plants being imported into the Yukon Territory, the following extracts from the supplement (1907) to the !N'orthern Freight Classification will be of interest to those contemplal ing the importation of such machinery. TKAA«l'01iTAT10N 93 When not otherwise specified in the Xorthern Freight Classification, an additional charge is made for handling heavy packages, including boilers and mining machinery, as follows: Over 4,000 lbs. and not more than 6,000 lbs., add 10% to rate. Over 6,000 lbs. and not, more than 8,000 lbs., add 15',; to rate. Over 8,000 lbs. and not more than 10,000 lbs., add 20% to rate. Over 10,000 lbs. and not more than 12,000 lbs., add 25% to rate. Over 12,000 lbs. and not more than 14,000 lbs., add 30% to rate. Over 14,000 lbs. and not more than 16,000 lbs., add 35% to rate. Over 16,000 lbs. and not more than 18,000 lbs., add 40% to rate. Over 18,000 lbs. and not more than 20,000 lbs., add 45% to rate. Over 20,000 lbs., special contract. HYDR.A.ULIC PIPE. Steel, wood or iron, when nested so that measurement will not exceed bO cubic feet per ton of 2,000 pounds Class A When measurement exceeds 60 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 pounds, an additional charge will be assessed for such excess measure- ment as follows, cubic measurement to be determined by- multiplying the square of the outside diameter by the length : EXCESS MEASUREMENT. Over 60 to 70 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 2^%. Over 70 to 80 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 5%. Over 80 to 90 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 10%. Over 90 to 100 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 15%. Over 100 to 115 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 20%. Over 115 to 130 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 25%. Over 130 to 145 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 30%. Over 145 to 160 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 35%. Over 160 to 175 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 40%. Over 175 to 200 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 50%. Over 200 to 225 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 60%. Over 225 to 260 cubic feet per ton of 2,000 lbs., add to rate 70%. San Francisco Bates. The rates to and from San Francisco will be made by add- ing 1o the rates to uiid from Seattle, the following arbitraries applying only via Alaska Pacific Steamship Company in con- nection with the Alaska Steamship Company. Minimum charge, 50 cents for any single shipment. Class A— $3.50 per ton of 2,000 lbs. Class B— 4.50 Class C— 5.50 9i YUKOX TEIJEITORY Hydraulic jiipe and smoke stacks (exceptions to ckassifica- tion), $6 per ton of 2,000 jDounds, but not less than $2 per 40 cubic feet. On pieces or packages weighing over 4,000 pounds each, the following charge will be made in addition to the rates shown above : — 4,000 to 6,000 lbs., $2.00 per ton of 2.000 lbs. 6,000 to 8,000 lbs., 3.00 8,000 to 10,000 lbs., 4.00 10.000 to 12,00-0 lbs., .5.00 12,000 to 14,000 lbs., 6.00 14,000 to 16,000 lbs., 7.00 16,000 to 18,000 lbs., 8.00 18,000 to 20,000 lbs., 9.00 Joint freight tariff, naming' through class rates between Vancouver, Victoria, British Columbia ; Seattle, Tacoma, Port Townsend, Washington; and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, via the Alaska Steamship Company, Pacific Coast Steamship Company, Canadian Pacific Railway Company (British Columbia Coast Service), and MacKenzie Brothers, Limited, Steamship Company — the White Pass and Yukon Route: — Note. — C. L. means carload of 20,000 pounds or over, unless a lower niinimnni is provided. L.C.L. means less than carload. Whitehorse. Minimum Charge. ($2 75) Class A L.C.L. $«0 00 (58 00 85 00 C.L. $55 00 „ B w 61 50 „ C 74 00 ST. MICHAELS TO DAWSON. The stretch of river between Dawson and St. Michaels (a distance of 1,601 miles) is generally known as the Lower river; and on this route the steamers of the Northern Com- mercial Company and the North American Transportation and TKANSPORTATIOX 05 Trading Company opcvalc, connecting ^vitll ocean steamers at St. Michaels from Seattle and San Francisco. ISTearlv all the merchandise imported by these tAvo companies is brought into the interior Ity this ronte. and delivered at their different trading posts along the river. Owing to the distance and the shortness of the season of navigation, the lower river steamers cannot make more than three trips during the summer, and each trip they not only carry a full cargo, but also push one or two heavily laden barges. The larger boats carry upwards of 600 tons, and each barge from 200 to 400 tons. The trip between the mouth of the Yukon and Dawson in the early part of the season occupies about sixteen days on account of the strength of the current created by the volume of water in the river. In September, however, when the current is not so strong, the journey can be made in aKnm i'nwv- teen days. The trip from Dawson to St. Michaels is made in slightly less than six days. On what is known as the Yukon fiats the river opens out and attains a breadth of about sixty miles. There are numerous channels on this stretch of the river, Avhich is tortuous and difficult to navigate, and tlie Northern Commercial Company employ the services of a pilut, who takes charge of all the company's boats when crossing the flats. The passenger rate between Dawson and Seattle or San Francisco via St. Michaels is $125 first-class. On the same route the steerage rate is $105, being first-class on the river and steerage on tha ocean. Dnring tlic sunmier the companies operating steamers on the lower river transact a considerable amount of passenger business, and a largo nund>er of miners, merchants and others travelling to and from the different points in Alaska usually travel by way of Whitehorse and Dawson. Tickets can be obtained at most of the companies' offices in Alaska direct from those points to ports in British 96 YUKON TERRITORY Columbia and Puget Sound, and baggage can be checked and forwarded in bond. WINTER. In the early days tlie only route to and from Dawson dur- ino- the winter season was the frozen surface of the Yukon river. For about one month while the ice was forming on the river, and for a similar period in the spring while the ice was breaking up, there was no communication between Dawson and the outside. It was dangerous and almost impossible to travel any distance on the shore ice. 'No mail could be carried either way for about two months each year. In the summer of 1902 the Government built a winter trail between Dawson and "WTiitehorse, a distance of 333 miles, at a cost of $129,000, and since that time about $50,000 have been expended in maintaining and repairing this road. Dur- ina: the winter season and since the construction of the new trail, the White Pass and Yukon Eoute run a tri-weekly stage service between Whitehorse and Daw^son. From the close of navigation until sufficient snow has fallen to make good sleigh- ing the company uses Concord coaches, which can carry twelve passengers each. Until the crossings are frozen over, passen- gers and baggage are taken across the rivers in canoes, which are handled by expert boatmen. As soon as there is sufficient snow for sleighing, sleighs are substituted for coaches. Each sleigh is drawn by four horses, and has accommodation for from nine to fourteen passengers, 1,000 pounds of passenger baggage and 1,000 pounds of mail and express. No team travels more than an average of twenty miles, and fresh horses are in readiness at each station along the route. From about the first of March the passenger traffic to the interior becomes very heavy, and from that date until about the seventh of April there is an almost daily service of stages. T3 a o TEANSPORTATIOX 9 The following is an extract of the passenger rates charged by the "White Pass and Ynkon Route, as published in Bulletin X<). 19 issued by the compiiny dui'liig the winter of 1906-07: — 2COETII BOUXD. Whitehorse to Dawson. From the close of navigation to December 1 $100 From December 1 to March 15, inclusive 80 From March 16 to April 15, inclusive 100 From April 16 to end of season 125 SOUTH BOUXD. Dawson to Whitehorse. From the close of navigation to December 1 100 From December 1 to March 31, inclusive 75 From April 1 to April 15, inclusive 100 From April 16 to end of season 125 Skagway to Whitehorse. While Pass Railroad $ 20 The above rates do not include meals and lodging at the different roadhouses along the trail. The regular roadhouse charges are: Meals, $1.50 each; beds, $1, and small rooms from $2 up. Freight, express and baggage can be bonded through to Dawson during the M'inter on any of the stages operated by the White Pass and Yukon Route. Baggage exceeding 25 pounds in weight is charged for, north of Whitehorse, at the rate of 25 cents per pound by passenger stage, and 20 cents per pound by freight stage. The White Pass and Yukon Route also carry freight over the Avinter trail on sleds specially constructed for this purpose, and the journey is made in about eight days. The rates between AMiitehorse and Dawson are from 20 to 30 cents per pound according to the class of goods as defined in the com- pany's jSTorthern Freight Classification iSTo. 4 and amendments. KLONDIKE MIXES .RAILWAY. The Klondike Mines Railway has been in operation since the summer of 1906. Thi-J road oxtends from Dawson along 98 YUKON TEEKITORY the Klondike valley and np Bonanza creek to Grand Forks, at the junction of Eldorado, and then to the Dome, a distance of thirty-two miles. From the Dome passengers and freight are conveyed to the different mining creeks, which branch from this point, by stages and freight teams. Prior to the construc- tion of the railroad a line of stages carrying freight and passengers operated between Dawson and Grand Forks, a dis- tance of twelve miles. When the railroad opened, however, these stages ceased running, and the transportation business along this route is now being handled by the railway company. The following are extracts from the standard freight and passenger tariffs of the Klondike Mines Railway Company: — Passenger Tariff, effective December lY, 1906. Distances. Rates. Not over .5 miles 20 cents per mile ; minimum cliarge 50 cents. Over 5 and not over 10 miles 117^ Over 10 and not over 20 miles U] Over 20 and not over 30 miles ;15 Freight Mileage Tariff, governed by Canadian Freight Classification. Mileage. Not exceeding .5 miles Over it mil(;s and not exceeding 10.. Over 10 miles and not exceeding 15.. Over 15 miles and not o ■Jl o o '5 'S 3 o o 3} o _0 23 IM d -«* -^- ^^ TRAXSPOIJTATIOX 90 ROAD CONSTRUCTION' AND FREIGHTING. Probably one of the most important features in the open- ing up of the Klondike district and other gold mining areas within the Yukon Territory is the system of road construction, M'hich has done so much to stimulate and develop the mineral resources of the Territory, and thereby contributed in no small degree to the gold production of the world. The construction of a system of roads in the Yukon Terri- tory was a colossal undertakinc,-. When it is remembered that in 1899 and 1900 miners were receiving as high as $1 an hour, it is possible to form some idea of the expenditure to be en- countered. In 1899 workmen on the road were paid at the rate of 85 cents per hour; in 1900 they received 80 cents, and since 1901 they have been paid at the rate of 75 cents an hour. It 1899 a team could not be hired for less than $25 a day. In the following year this was reduced to $20, which is the rate paid at the present day. The first road in the territory was built in 1899, along the top of the ridge between Bonanza and Hunker creek, this road being subsequently extended to Gold Run. The same year branches were constructed from this road to Bonanza, Gold Bottom and Caribou. In 1900 the present road from Dawson to Grand Forks was constructed, and in the following year this road was continued up Bonanza, connecting with the summit road which had been built the previous year. In 1901 the present wagon road was also built from the Ogilvie bridge along the Klondike valley and Hunker creek to Caribou, a dis- tance of thirty-three miles. In 1901 a pack trail was built from Dawson to Glacier creek, and in the following year this trail was improved and made a passable wagon road. The mining industry in the Miller and Glacier district continued with increased activity, and in 1904 warranted the expenditure of a sufficient amount 100 YUIvO:^^ TERRITORY to construct a good wagon road. This road commences on the opposite side of the Yukon from Dawson, but a cable ferry and scow, which were purchased by the local government, con- veys horses, machinery and supplies, &c., across the river. In summer all the freight and passenger traffic from Dawson to Miller and Glacier creek is carried over this road, a distanoe of 73 miles. The winter trail from Dawson to Miller is by way of the Yukon river to Fortymile, up Fortymile to Brown creek, up Brown creek to its h^ad, then over the summit to Big Gold and Glacier, a distance of 110 miles. In winter the trail from Duncan to Dawson is by way of Hunker, Dominion, Jensen, Gravel lake. Barlow, and across country in a straight line to Mayo, a distance of 150 miles. (Sqc trail marked on map.) In summer there is steamboat communication between Dawson and Mayo, the Stewart river being navigable to Eraser falls. The following statement shows the number of mil^es of sled and wagon roads constructed since 1899, namely: — WAGON ROADS. 1899. 1900. .32 00 1901. 63 36 1902. 1903. 26 00 1904. 1905. 37 00 Total. 45 00 85-81 141 00 430 17 SLEIGH ROADS. 160-00 1000 80-25 37200 400 2900 1300 668115 The cost of the construction of wagon roads rnns from $1,500 to $3,300 per mile, and ?]od or winter trnili^ from $250 to $350 per niilo. The following comparative statement of freight rates between Daw>:on nnd Iho pvinr-ipal mining districts during the TKANSPORTATIOX 101 suiiiniei- months will show the cnoriiious advantage derived by the miners from the construction of the system of roads throughout the Territory: — • Destination. Grand Forks Gold Bottom Catibiiu Suli>liur (Discovery) Gold Run Glacier Duncan — Present rate from Dawson to Mayo by steamer, $2 per 100 pounds ; from Mayo to Duncan by trail, $0 per 100 pounds. Rate per 100 Pounds. 1899. 1903. S cts. 7 no 8 00 12 50 12 50 18 00 20 00 ii cts. 00 50 00 00 00 00 In order to illustrate the saving to the mining operator hy the system of roads which have been constructed in the Klon- dike district alone, the following is a statement of the total tonnage of freight, including supplies and mining machinery, delivered by freighters on the principal creeks in the district during the year 1903, as compared with what the cost would have been in 1899, namely: — ■ District. Tons. 189!). 1903. Net gain to Operator. Rate. Amount. Rate. $ 20 30 40 60 40 Amount. Bonanza.. 4,500 3,750 3,000 2,250 1,500 $ 140 160 250 360 250 $ 630,000 600,000 750,000 810.000 375,000 $ 90,000 112,500 120,000 1.35,000 60,000 540,000 Hunker Dominion Gold Run Sulphur 487,500 6:w,ooo 675,000 315,000 « 15,000 3,165,000 517,500 2,647,500 102 YUKON TERRITORY Tlie abov-e tcable sliows the freio'ht delivered onlv to the principal producing creeks. It is estimated that the freight delivered on the smaller producing creeks would amount to 5,000 tons, which would thus increase the aggregate to at least 20,000 tons. The above statistics respecting the construction of roads, &c., were compiled by the Inspector of Works and Buildings for the Yukon Territorv. Yukon Hunters and their Game (Caribovi). CHAPTER 7. GENERAL INFORAIATION. CLIMATE. It is very donl)tfnl wlietbcr people wlio have never lived in the Ynkon can appreciate to any accurate extent the cli- matic conditions Avhich exist in this Territory durinii' the winter and summer seasons. Some are under llic iuipression that the winter is extremely rigorous, and that the few hours of light during- the day render this season of the year anything hut delightful. It is (piite true that at times ithe cold is in- tense, but at the same time an exceedingly low temperature does not couliiuu:" for a kmg period at a time. The weather 10 104 YUKON TEEEITOEY may be extremely cold for a week or occasionally two weeks, and then tliere is usually a milder period, when the thermo- meter registers not more than 20 or 25 below zero. A temjDerature of from 15 to 25 below zero, with a few hours of sunlight, may be characterized as ideal Yukon winter weather. The snow is fine and powdery, the air is dry and crisp and the sky is clear. What may be termed the most depressing period of the year is between the middle of December and end of the first week in January. During this period the sun occasionally shines on the surrounding hills, unless there is severe cold, in which case the sun may not be seen for several weeks. By the middle of February, however, there are usually a few hours of sunlight. The trails leading from Dawson to the different creeks are comparatively level, and by the middle of January are in splendid condition for sleighing. Wrapped in costly furs and seated behind spanking teams, many of the citizens of Dawson avail themselves of this exhilarating form of enjoy- ment. It has been well said that the climate of a country is the sum and average of the weather. If this be so, then a glance at the accompanying chart will convince the most sceptical that a Yukon winter has its periods of moderation as well as its periods of extreme cold, and that there may not be such an unfavourable comparison with the climate experienced on the western plains. (See opposite page 137). A very low temperature is usually accompanied by a thick fog, wliich hangs over the Yukon valley to a depth of four or five hundred feet. While Dawson is enveloped in this grey shroud the atmosphere surrounding the tops of the mountains is quite clear, and at an elevation of 800 or 1,000 feet the temperature is from 8 to 12 degrees warmer than in the valley. Dawson is •well protected from winds by the surrounding mountain'^:, but as there is a marked absence of winds through- out the district, this condition may be due to the fact that this GENERAL IXEORMATIOX Kt.J part of tlie Territory is sitiiateil «iii the extreme nortli of the Temperate Zone, and therefore outside the range of the anti- cyclonic area of the interior. Occasionally during the Avinter the Chinook winds sweep across the Yukon valley; which Would sooni to indicate the passage of a storm centre to the eastward, if wo accept the theory that the cause of these winds is similar to that of the foehn experienced in Switzerland. One of the greatest ranges of temperature within such a short period that has been experienced in the Territory, or that has been shown by the official records, occurred in February, 1907. On the l-tlh the temperature was 1 below zero, on the 15th it was 45 above, and on the 18th it was 45 below, a difference of 90 degrees within three days. As is common in all northern latitudes, the display of the Aurora Borealis is, at times during the winter nights, magnifi- cent. For a moment a flickering light may be seen at some distant point in the sky, then with the speed of a javelin flying from the hand of Achilles, there flashes across the sky a streak of light, the end of which is lost on the opposite horizon. There is an apparent twitching of the j^henomenon, and in a few- seconds w'aves of light radiate in all directions. Vivid flashes overspread the sky, as if ' ethereal radiance ' were escaping from Prometheus' reed. The sky is lit up with the lurid glare of this remarkable phenomenon, which writhes and twists in all conceivable forms ; at times presenting huge parallel arches, then suddenlv cliany fi\c \ai'ict ics. ilir hhie grouse of the heavy tiniluT known as Inciters, i-utfed grouse, in- correctly called pheasant, C'anaila grouse, sometimes called fool-hens, owing to their tame unsuspecting natures, allowing themselves at times to be acWndly bnoeked oxer with sticks; the sharp-tailed grouse, the praii'ic cliickcn of ilic Northwest, and > 5 B GENERAL INFORMATION 115 several kinds of honntifnl ptavnii^aii, a l)ii'(| peculiar to cold countries, of mottled l)ru\vn coat in smniiier, clianginu- in winter to rosy white. This rose tint, however, is most noticeable in life, since in market specimens or mounted hird-; the 1)1(miiii fades to immaculate wdiiteness.' Bears are also numerous, and comprise the small black variety, several speeiiiieiis of ])ro\vn bear and the Alaskan grizzly, which attains a great size. The sportsman who desires to devote all his time to hunt- ing, if ho selects the Pelly district, can leave the steamer at Fort Selkirk. Arrangements can be made to obtain a guide either at Whitehorse or Selkirk, together with whatever assis- tance may be required and the necessary outfit. There is a small steamer makes an annual trip from Whitehorse to Ross Eiver trading post, which is situated at the mouth of Ross river, and to go by this steamer is the quickest and easiest way to reach any point in the upper Pelly district. If the Stewart district is chosen, then it might be advisable to come to Dawson, obtain an outfit, and take the steamer Prospector, which usually makes several trips to Mayo and occasionally to Eraser falls. Mr. J. Keele, of the Geological Survey, in his report of 1906 on the upper Stewart river region savs : ' At the mouth of Lansing river Messrs. Frank IJraine and Pcrcival Xash have established a trading post, and a small band of Indians live close by in cabins. Several Indians from Fort Goodhope, on the Mackenzie river, make regular journeys to this point, trapping and hunting along the route. A few white men make a regular business of trapping on the Hess river and its branches. ' This region offers a great field for the sportsman and ex- plorer,' most of the country between the Stewart and Pelly headwaters and Ihe Mackenzie being quite unknown. ^ Suitable boats or canoes can be poled or tracked on the main rivers well up into the watershed ranges. Several of the lit) YUKOX TERRITORY higher mountain gronps offering sufficient inducements to the mountain climber and huntsman are situated within a day's journey from the river.' Writing of the game in the Peel river district, which is also reached by the upper Stewart, Mr. Camsell, also of the Geological Survey, in his report of 1906, says: ' Moose, though found over the whole region explored as far as the delta of the Mackenzie river, are never as abundant as thev are on the Yukon side of the divide, and on the Peel river itself are rather scarce. ' Caribou are i)lentiful everywlieri' in the vicinity of the mountain ranges, some even being found on the plateau. ' Bears, Ijotli black and grizzly, are plentiful near the summit of the divide, and numbers of them were seen all the way down the Peel river, and particularly on the Mackenzie dell a and in the mountains to the west of it. Xumbers of white mountain sheep were seen on l)oth Braine and Xash creeks. In the mountain section of the Wind river several of them were encountered on the banks of the stream, as well as the slopes of the valley. A small band was seen on Mount Goodenough, west of the Mackenzie delta, and they are said to be abundant in the mountain range to the west of this ; so that the range of this animal covers the whole district explored.' . The tourist who does not desire to enter the field of sport, will come direct from Whitehorse to Dawson. There is sj)lciiii> l)aws(iu but ail- mires the handsome public buildings in which the business of the different depart ments of government is transacted. Gov- ernment House and the ( 'oui'l Ii GENERAL INFORMATION 121 object for wlucli it is granted, the luunber of each species or eggs which it is intended such person may kill or take, and the period of time during M'hich the permit is to be in force. It shall be unlawful for any person to use poison or poisonous substances for the purpose of taking or killing any birds or beasts of any kind, whatsoever, and the fact that any person places any poison or poisonous substances in such a position that it may be reached or taken by any binl m- beast shall be proof that is was used for such purpose, and shall be deemed an offence against the provisions of the game ordinance. Every person who has in his possession without lawful excuse during the closed season any beast, bird or eggs, killed or taken during such close season, shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding $500, and in default of payment to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months. EDUCATION. A superintendent of schools for the Yukon Territory was appointed in 1902, and* in the same year a general system of education was inaugurated throughout the Territory. The course of study prescribed is similar to that adopted by the new provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. 'No teachers are employed unless they hold at least a second-class certificate, with normal training, and efforts have been made to employ only specialists in the Dawson public school. The teachers in this school have been selected from some of the best educational institutions in Canada. Thu high school l)ranch of the Dawson pnblic school was instituted in 190:3. There arc two teachers in charge of this branch, one a specialist in classics, modern languages and history, the other a specialist in mathematics and science. In 1904 a laboratory was established wiili apparatus and materials for tlio i^rcscribcd work in physics and eheniistry. In the high 122 YUKON TEERITOKY f grades of the Dawson high school the course of study prescribed by the University of Toronto for pass and honour matricula- tion is carefully followed, and candidates were prepared for university matriculation in the years 1905 and 1906. As a result of the examinations, several candidates were awarded honours in Classics, Mathematics, English, Physics and Chem- istry. There are eight rooms in the Dawson public school, three of which are devoted to high school purposes, and one to the kindergarten, the latter being supplied with complete equip- ment for this work. Fire exits are provided for every room, and a regular fire drill is practised by the pupils, who can be out of the building in half a minute after the sounding of an alarm. In certain districts where the number of children does not warrant the establishment of a regular school under the pro- visions of the school ordinance, regulations have been made by the Commissioner for the establishment of ' assisted schools,' but the average attendance must be at least five pupils between the ages of six and sixteen, and the course of studies prescribed by the Council of Public Instruction. Teachers of ' assisted schools ' are also appointed subject to the approval of the Commissioner and Superintendent of Schools. AGRICULTURE, Thouffh the ao'ricultural resources -of the Yukon are beyond doubt of consideral^le economic value, yet it must not be con- sidered that the territory is suitable for occupation, at the present time, by a large nuud)or of agriculturists depending absolutely upon this industry. A large agricultural community can only exist in a country whore the produce of such an industry can be disposed of at a reasonable ])rofit, or where access can be obtained to markets at a distance, provided trans- portation rates will ])oniiil of fair coiiipcl it ion. In the ^ ukon GENERAL IXFORMATIOX 123 the principal iiuliistiy is milling', and agricullnral development mnst necessarily proceed according to the requirements of the population engaged in the mining industry. Fanning fipera- tions can only be successful so long as those who are engaged in agricultural pursuits produce no more than is required for consumption within the Territory. Up to the present time, however, the number of agriculturists is not sufficient to supply the local demand for farm produce, and the quality of some of the products is not quite equal to the imported article; but as Professor Macoun has pointed out in his report on the Yukon, ' these matters will right themselves in time, but the climate must not be blamed for the ignorance of the cultivator.' Care- ful and systematic farming operations, with due regard to the peculiarities of the climate, would abolish the importation into the Yukon of many of the agricultural products required hx the people of Dawson and surrounding district. If hay, oats, potatoes, &c., were grown in such quantities as would supply the local market, the price would be much less than is paid at the present time for imported products, the transportation rates would be avoided and the consumer would derive the benefit. Instead of the people- of the Yukon paying large sums outside of the Territory for these products, the agriculturists in the Yukon would transact the business, and the money would be retained in the Territory, and probably invested in such a way as A\-ould aid in its future development. It was computed by Dr. Dawson in 1887 that within the drainage area of the Yukon, as far north as Fort Selkirk, there was an area of 60,000 square miles, of which a large propor- tion might be utilized for the cultivation of crops, and in which cattle and horses could be maintained for local purposes. Since that time there have boon discovered other important agricul- tural districts, which would ailV,vd ample scope for farming operations, and the extent of territory available for agricultural purposes is greatly in excess of the area computed by Dr. 124 YUKON TERRITORY Dawson. It miglit be interesting to quote here an extract from Dr. Dawson's report of 1887, showing how much he was im- pressed at that time by the agricultural possibilities of the Yukon ; and it is also important to note that his remarks had immediate reference to the Pellj river district and the valley of the Lewes : — ' To instance a region which produces the general condi- tions of the Yukon district and adjacent northern portions of British Columbia, we must turn to the inland provinces of Russia, to which allusion has already been made in connection with climatic features. The province of Vologda, in European Russia, appears to offer the nearest parallel. It is circum- stanced relatively to the western shores of Europe as is this district to the western shores of the North American continent. Its area is 155,498 square miles, situated between the 58th and 65th degrees of latitude. The climate in both cases is a continental one, in which severe winters alternate with warm summers, and the actual degrees of cold and heat, so far as our information goes, are not dissimilar. There is no very heavy rainfall in either region, such as we find near the western coasts bordering on the Atlantic and on the Pacific respectively. The agricultural products from the province of Vologda are oats, rye, barley, hemp, flax and pulse. The mineral products com- prise salt, copper, iron and marble, but the precious metals do not appear to be important, as in the Yidcon district. Horses and cattle are reared, and the skins of various wild animals, as well as pitch and turpentine, are among the exports. The population of the province is 1,161,000.' There is no reason why the agricultural products grown in tlie province of Vologda should not be grown equally as well in the Yukon. During the past few years comparatively large (piantities of oats, potatoes and vegetables have been grown along the Yukon valley, particularly in the vicinity of Dawson, and in nearly all cases excellent results have been obtained. It is computed that the quantity of potatoes grown near Dawson last season and placed on the market aggregated 200 tons. It has been estimated that the population in the Yukon consumes nnnually over $200,000 worth of potatoes. During llic present GENERAL INFORM ATIOX lli.j Aviiiter (lUOG-OT) potatoes were sold at a fairly low rate, and in the spring it was foimd that there was a scarcity in the market. In the latter part of April one farmer near Dawson, who had hoLl his stock of home-grown potatoes during the winter, sold 13-^ tons at 13 cents per pound, which brought him a round sum of $3,500. Potatoes grown in the Yukon are quite equal in size to the imported product, and when the proper kind of seed is planted in suitable soil and attention is given to the cultivation, potatoes can be grown fully equal in quality to the best outside product. The best quality of potatoes so far have been grown on the islands in the Yukon river. On the land surrounding Dawson, either in the valleys or on the benches, potatoes of good quality can only be grown after the land has been cultivated for a few vears. On an island in the Yukon river at Ogilvie 175 pounds of potatoes were planted on the 12tli of May, 190G, and by the first or second week in September the crop was ready for lifting, and yielded 8,000 pounds. The ground was ploughed as early in April as the frost would permit, stable manure and about 300 pounds of lime per acre being applied. The potatoes were planted as near the surface as possible, and liilled up as the vines grew. It is estimated that during the present season a much larger quan- tity of potatoes will be grown than in former years, and some of those interested in agriculture predict that within the next few years there will be a sufficient quantity of potatoes grown to supply the market, liesides what is required for the local market, a considerable quantity of potatoes is shipped every year to Fairbanks, and other points in Alaska. On an island in the Yukon at Ogilvie three or four luishels of oats per acre were sown about the first of May, and harvested about the middle of August. The yield was about two tons of oat-hay per acre, which was sold at an average of $50 per ton. E'ative hay, averaging one and one-half tons per acre, was also harvested about July 15. 126 YUKON TEKKITOKY About tliirtv miles up the Stewart river is what is known as the Mazie May ranch, owned l)y Mr. Samuel Henry. Mr. Henry applied for this land in 1897, and in the summer of that year harvested 26 tons of native hay. During the last five years about 100 acres have been under cultivation, and crops of oat-hay have been annually taken from the land. In 1902, 125 tons of oat and native hay were cut and sold from this ranch. Mr. Henry says he has no difficulty in selling all the hay he can grow. The native hay is cut about the middle of July and the oat-hay about the first of August. After the hay is harvested it is placed in stacks for about three weeks, and then baled in a 16 by 18 baling press. It is then shipped to Dawson by steamer, if possible, and if a steamer is not avail- able it is brought down the river on rafts. The rate for carrying this hay to Dawson, a distance of about 100 miles, is $7.50 per ton. Mr. Henry has also grown rye and barley, but finds the oat-hay most profitable. A mixed lot of 800 pounds of timothy, clover and red top, was sown on a piece of well cultivated land of about eight acres, but the result was unsatisfactory. Clover seems to grow well in a wild state around Dawson, and there does not seem to be any reason why it should not grow equally as well on cultivated land if it is properly seeded. Mr. Henry is of opinion that much of the seed may have been lost by being covered too deeply. Last year the native hay grown on this ranch was sold at from $55 to $60 per ton, and during the present winter the oat-hay was sold at $110 per ton, when outside hay was selling at $120. In the fall, as soon as the crop has been taken from the gj'ound, it is ploughed to a depth of about six inches. As early in the spring as possible the land is cultivated, a disc harrow being used to cut and pulverize the sod. The seed is then sown, covered with a square-tooth harrow and rolled in. The price of oat seed in Dawson at the present time is six cents per pound, and 100 pounds of oats are sown to the acre. "ci O o GENERAL IXFORMATIOX 127 The fullowiii"^,- is u list of llie implements on this ranch, namely : 5 ploughs, 2 disc harrows, 1 spade harrow, 2 mowers, 2 sulky rakes, and 1 steel baling press, IG by 18. In discussing the price of agricultural implements, ]\Ir. Henry says that the importation of these articles is very expen- sive. For instance, the original cost of the steel baling press was $350, but before it was delivered on the ranch it cost $1,200, or two and a half times the original cost. At the head of Flat creek, about sixteen miles from Dominion, there is a ranch of 160 acres, on which are grown oat-hay, turnips, potatoes, vegetables, and a large quantity of native hay is also harvested. On this ranch there are eight cows and a bull, hogs, poultry, &c. Dairy farming is carried on on a small scale, butter being made, for which there i? a ready demand on the creeks in the locality. Besides the native liay required for the cattle, a large quantity is sold to freighters. It is estimated that along the Flat creek valley there are twenty square miles of good agricultural and meadow land. Of the large quantity of excellent, native hay which grows wild in this valley, only a comparatively small quantity is harvested, apart from the ranch, some freighters cutting only as much as is required, under permit, for feed for their horses. There are also several farms situated along the Klondike valley. About four miles up the Pelly there is a farm of 100 acres, which supplies oat and native hay to the roadhouses along the winter trail, and also to cattlemen who drive cattle over the winter trail in the spring, the hay for the cattle being ]")laced at different points along the trail. Most of the root crops grown in this vicinity are disposed of at the roadhouses along the trail. Oats have been ripened and threshed in the Pelly district, but not to any great extent. In the Duncan and Mayo districts sufficient garden produce is grown to fill the requirements of the community; and suffi- cient wild hay is cut to supply the local demand. 128 YUKON TERRITORY The following is an extract from a report l)y Professor John Maconn on tlie Yukon Territory: — ' . . . July 16th I crossed the Yukon by the ferry, and visited the gardens and farm in West Dawson. The gardens are on the flat along the Yukon, and seem to have been estab- lished before any others in the district. Everything was in a forward state for the season. Munro's farm is on a hill about 300 feet above the river, and about a mile west of the gardens alongside of it. Here was actual farming, and besides the usual garden vegetables there was at least 25 acres of oats wdiieh had been sown for fodder. To the north of the oat fields 25 acres were cleared and were being broken up for a summer fallow. ' On August 6th I again visited this farm, and found a marked chano-e in the growth of the oats. Some of the seed had been sown late and some early, but the greater part late and on freshly broken ground. As a result of this the crop was patcliy, and tall and short grain grew in close proximity. The land ploughed the year before produced the earliest and best growth of straw. JSTearly all the grain was in the milk, but where there evidently had been a crop last year I pulled up specimens of wdieat, barley and oats that were far advanced towards maturity. Fine specimens of oats were gathered that were colouring and had very remarkable ffrain. Instead of one full grain and an abortive one in the fascicle there were always tw^o and often three. This condition I had never seen before, but it seems to be universal at Dawson, as later I noticed it in other fields. ' On August 23, I again visited Munro's farm in West Dawson. He was then cutting his oats for fodder. In his latest oats the Volunteer barley was all ripe, and this was not sowed until .luno 5. In this case the barley ripened in 79 days. Tables in my possession show that there is no frost from May 23 to August 23, or 01 days. ' Owing to the high latitude of Dawson, 64° 15' north, the altitude of the sun al)()ve ihc horizon is never very great. For nearly ilircc nioiillis, how'ever, there is scarcely any dark- ness and llic snii is ;il)ove llie horizon over three-fourths of the time. Tlic rainfall and snowfall are both light. This light deposition, (•onil)incd with so mnch sunshine, gives much warmth, ;ind on ex])os('d soil great ex iii)orati()n. These condi- tions are so vai'i<'il tluii while on mio side oi' ;i ci'cck there may GENEKAI. l.\ l-()i;.\IA Tlo.N 1;.".) be two or more feet of moss and beneath that permanent frost, on the other side the soil may be so exposed to the sim that no moss can exist, and only the deepest rooting grasses can main- tain a foothold. Hence people talking a])ont deep mosses speak of land facing the north, while those who claim irrigation is necessary have in their minds terraces exposed to the sun. This being the case, any one writing on the subject of vegetable growth or the ])ro(liK'tion of crops must take all the circum- stances into consideration. ' . . . From what I saw of growing crops I am satisfied that the soils are good. That in the river bottoms was allu- vium, overlying the river gravels. On the hills the soils seemed to be chiefly loams, with sometimes sand in greater or less pro- portion. As no glacier action had taken place, the soils were very local in character, and largely resulted from the disin- tegration of the rocks of the locality. 'All attempts at cultivation were apparently successful, even in the Dawson swamp. When the ground is properly worked, the soil mixed, and the ice or frost stratum in late summer is found at a depth of eight or ten feet, there will be a complete revolution, and all crops will mature much earlier. I took notes during the seven weeks I was at Dawson of the growth of all cultivated grains and vegetables, and below will be found my remarks written at the time. Everything, be it native or exotic, grew surprisingly, and while I never found any culti- vated thing a failure, I must say the same of weeds. In every case they were a success, and numbers of them wore natives of California. ' White clover, alsine and red clover, as well as timothy, grew wonderfully well by roadsides and on dry soil. In the swamp muck of Dawson much of the clover on lawns, sowed in the swam})y soil, looked yellow and had a sickly appearance. Timothy acts similarly ; when sowed in the bog it is sickly and yellow looking, while along dry roads, in the woods or on the hillsides it is quite tall and has a seed head from two to three inches in length. ' Barley is certainly Avell suited to the Yukon district. On August 6, on the farm of West Dawson, I found grain quite hard mixed with oats that w^ere much later in appearance. On the 18th August I visited the gardens in West Dawson along ^& the Yukon, and found oats being cut for fodder. Mixed with the oats were many barley heads fully ripe and others that had hard grain. In all cases the grain was large. AVest Dawson 130 YUKON TEREITOliY was again visited on August 23, and Mr, Munro was then cutting his oats for fodder. In his latest oats the Volunteer barley was all ripe, and this was not sowed until June 5, so that the ripening of barley at Dawson is an assured fact. ' Oats do well everywhere, but are seldom even a fair crop on ground just broken up and then seeded. In all cases I found good oats where sown on second year cultivation. The grain was earlier, taller and better in every way. On August 6, I found self-sown oats on Munro's farm on West Dawson fit to cut, but only a few bunches on dry ground. Barley was ripe at the same time under the same conditions. This showed me that up to that date there had been enough heat to ripen oats and barley if sown early on dry soil. ' In the matter of wheat I do not speak positively, but I believe that after a few years wheat will ripen on all fairly warm soils, although at present its ripening is doubtful. As far as my investigation went I could find no person who had sown wheat. Mr. Munro had sown oats grown somewhere in the United States, and he informed me that he was led to believe that the wheat mixed with it was spring wheat. Instead it nearly all turned out to be fall wheat and only made leaves, stooled out, and its roots penetrated the soil to a remark- able depth, and so remained when I saw it on August 23. That it will ripen next summer is to me a certainty, and I trust Mr. Munro has not ploughed it all under. Of the spring wheat I may say it was generally taller than the oats, but scarcely as ripe. All the ears were filled to the tip with grain, and the grain was filled out and since has hardened so as to give the appearance of ripe grain. Since my return to Ottawa I have had the grain tested, and the report on the Yukon wheat received from the grain tester, Mr. Ellis, of the Experimental Farm, is as follows: 100 grains planted; 100 grains germin- ated ; 100 grains made vigorous growth. Germinations very quick and growth exceptionally good. ' When grain ripens in the country and is again sown there, it will take on the conditions of its enviromnent and mature earlier, and early frosts, like those attributed to Manitoba, will have no effect as the crop will mature lief ore they come. I may remark here that the wheat in the ISTorthwest ripens earlier now than it did twenty years ago, and many people believe that it is the climate that has changed, whereas it. is only the wheat that has adapted itself to its environment.' (Macoun.) GENERAL IXFOKMATIOX I". I Writing of the agirult mi;i1 possiljilities of the Yukon, Dr. Dawson says, that to-dav the ^'ukon Torritorv ' mav well ho characterized by the term which has been employed in connec- tion "with the ]\rackenzie basin, a portion of " Canada's great reserve." ... In iho future there is every reason to look forward to the time when this country (Yukon) will su[)port a large and hardy population, attached to the soil and making the utmost of its resources.' At the present time, however, we can only say that the development of agriculture must necessarily depend upon the development of the mining industry. Under existing condi- tions the Yukon agriculturist could not possibly compete in outside markets. The price of labour is high, and for competi- tion in agricultural products, distance and transportation rates are prohibitive. HORTICULTURE. Many islands in the Klondike valley and along the Yukon have been cleared and made into gardens, in which vegetables of excellent quality are grown. Last season a comparatively small quantity of vegetables were imported, the market gardeners near Dawson being almost able to supply the demand. Tlie seeds of nearly all vegetables are sown in hot -houses early in February, and then transplanted to cold frame l)Oxes, where plants which are intended to be planted outside are strength- ened and prepared for outside planting. Cabbage plants are sold at $2 per 100 in boxes containing that quantity, or in larger boxes at a similar rate. As soon as cabbages weigh about a jiound each they arc placed on the market at 50 cents a head. Later in the season, however, as they increase in size, the price ranges from 15 cents to 6 cents per pound. Yukon cabbage is placed on the market early in August. Between the opening of navigation and the first of Aug-ust this vegetable is imported, and sold at from 20 cents to 8 cents per pound according to quantity and competition. 13 132 YUKOX TEEEITOEY Lettuce grown in liot-houses are sold in Dawson about tlu^ latter part of March at 25 cents per l)unch. For a short time the demand will reach about 100 dozen per week at this price. In a few w^eeks, however, the price is reduced to two bunches for 25 cents, and then the demand increases to about 150 dozen per week. In summer the usual period between the time of transplanting and the time when the lettuce is placed on the market is three weeks. The leaves are exceedingly crisp and tender. Messrs. Paddock Brothers, of Dawson, have about 10,000 feet under 2'lass. Last vear this firm sold over half a ton of tomatoes at from 75 cents to 50 cents per pound ; and thev have 1,000 tomato plants, which they expect will yield about 20 pounds per plant during the coming summer. It is expected that ripe tomatoes will be on the market in Dawson by the first of July. The Yukon tomatoes are quite equal in quality to what is grown on the outside, and some weigh as much as one pound each. Tomatoes grown in the hot-houses near Dawson are not placed on the market until they are almost ripe, whereas iiiqiortod tomatoes are shipped green and lose much of their flavour. ISi^early all other vegetables are grown in sufficient quantities to supply the market. Cucumbers are ready by the first week in April, and are sold at from 75 cents to 50 cents each. Celery is ready for the market by the 30th of June, and sells from 50 cents to 25 cents per bunch. Peas are also grown in large quantities, and range from 40 to 15 cents per pound. Writing of the growth of garden produce in the Yukon valley, Professor ^Ijicnim says: 'Growth of tegetables is so rapid and vigorous that to a person coming from the east it is simply astounding. When I reached Dawson on July 10 early cabbages were being cut. and on August 5 tlicir weight ranged from ;i to ,~) pdiimls. On the il2nd, when I made my last visit, hundreds of matured cabbages and cauliflowers had 3 OS 9 -H > o -J3 V- GENERAL l.VFORMATIOX 133 been cut nml sold. T iiicnsuvecl the two lower leaves of a cabbage cut the day before, and these placed opposite each other had an expansion of 3 feet inches with a breadth of IG inches. I cannot call this even an average one as there were hundreds larger but later in maturing. Cauliflowers were from 6 to 10 inches in diameter, but I was told larger ones had been cut. ' 'No doubt the constant daylight gives the force necessary to expand the growing organs of tlie vegetables in cultivation, but behind the long day are climatic conditions that as yet are little understood which in my opinion are the prcvailiui: factor iu this wonderful growth.' Flower seeds are also sown under glass, nnd the more sensitive varieties can be replanted in the open by the 24:th of May. Most flower seeds, however, can be sown in the open ground by May 10. Florists say that much of the soil in its natural state is detrimental to the bloom of plant life, and that it requires to be well worked before successful results can be obtained. They prefer the soil taken from the islands and l)ars along the river valleys. This soil requires very little treat- ment, and with some additional fertilizer will produce ftlmost any flower grown out of doors ; which mature before September 1st. The Tccdand poppy grows splendidly in the Yid^m, and "when once planted it seeds itself and continues to si)rcail. Fii some cases the pansy and pink also bloom ^\•ithollt rcplani ing. even after a very severe winter. The bloom and foliage of all plants are strong, bright and clean. Sweet peas will grow fn^m to 12 feet in height. Canary creeper and Japanese hops will run from 25 to 30 feet in a season, -while the uasturlia grow verv rank with foliage of innnense size. The bloom of the stocks, asters and nicotine cannot be sur- ])assed in quanrity or (lunliiy. lo-i YUKOX TF.KKITOIJY TIMBER. A few Years ago there was a large demand in tlic Yukon for lumber. .V large qnantitY was required for the construc- tion of houses, for city improvements, for the construction of flumes to carry water from streams to the ditferent mining- claims to which water rights were appurtenant, and for the construction of sluice-boxes and power-houses erected in con- nection with mining plants installed on the principal creeks. The establishment of a mining camp of the magnitude of Dawson, and the enormous quantity of lumber required within such a comparatively short period, created great activity in the lumber industry, and the four saY-mills in Dawson, aggregating a capacity of 90,000 feet, yt^-o working night and day during the summer season. The demand for lumber in Dawson may be said to have reached that point where the output is governed by the quantity required for nuiintenance of buildings and other improvements in the city. On the creeks, hoY'ever, the operations of large companies necessitate a continual supply. Dredges, parts of Y'hich are native lumber, are being constructed, several large water grants necessitate the construction of great lengtbs of flume, reservoirs and impounding dams are being built, and the general repair of water conduits already constructed may be said to have considerably increased the demand on the creeks for huidn'r. The Yukon Consolidated Gold Fields Company erected a saYinill on the Twelvemile last fall, of a capacity of 30,000 feet, and have been manufacturing their own lumber during the i)ast Y'inter. An enoi-mous (|uaniity of tiud)or has Ix'cii cut iu the Klon- dike district for mining operations. Wood is the only fuel that has been used up to the present tiuie in thawing the frozen iiTouud, and it is, ihoi'd'orc, an essential factor in the develop- ing and working of claims. Al one time a certain quantity of W(mm1 piled on a claim Y'as acccpteil as rcjii'(>sentation nmk'r 0) u O c o tti c GE^^KKAL IXFOUMATJOX 135 the old place 1- ]ninini>' regulations. Under the Yukon Placer Mining Act, however, this mode of representation was abolished, and in the computation of the value of work as defined hy the schedule of representation, the cost of wood used for fuel has been included. In consequence of the enormous quantity of timber used as fuel in connection, with mining operations, nearly all the timber of any importance has been cut on the creeks in the Klondike district proper. Large quantities of excellent timber are cut annually on the upper Klondike for lumber and fuel, and floated down the Klondike river to Dawson, where the logs are caught in booms adjacent to the sawmills, and the smaller timber is piled on the beach for fuel. Besides the supply from the upper Klondike, good timber for fuel is found in the Indian river district, and along the tributaries of the Yukon north of Dawson. From Indian river the wood is brought down the Yukon in rafts, which are moored along the Dawson water front, and from the district north of Dawson it is hauled over the ice bv sleio-hs during the winter. There is also a large extent of timber along the Stewart and Pellv and their tributaries. Owing to the distance from Dawson, however, very little of this timber has been cut except what is required for mining purposes on the creeks and tribu- taries of these rivers. Writing of the timber on the upper Stewart, Mr. J. Keele, of the Geological Survey, in his report of 1906, says:— ' The principal forest trees are white and black spruce, balsam, j)0])lar and birch. The limit to which trees grow on the mountain slopes varies from 1,S00 feet to 2,800 feet above the river. ' The white spruce is the most valuable tree, and furnishes good timber for building and mining purposes. The best groves of this tree are found on the islands or on the alluvial flats along the river, but good specimens occur in scattered groups on the slopes to a height of 2,000 foot above the river in the lower valleys. l-IC YUKON TERRTTOi;V ' There is a marked deterioration both in the size and appearance of the spruce as the more northerly branches of the river are approached. ' The balsam fir occurs only on the valley slopes mixed with spruce, beginnina' at an elevation of al)out 1,200 feet above the river and continuing upward to the limit of trees. On the slopes of the Ogilvie range, how^ever, the balsam disappears entirelv, its northern limit in this area beino; about the forks of Rackla river.' On the Pelly river betweeii the Macmillan and the Lewes the noi'thci'u exposures are thickly wooded.* There are numerous groves close to the river, with good spruce up to two feet in diameter. Spruce of the same size is also found along the upper Pelly, but not so plentiful. On Moose creek there is a beautiful grove of jackpine. The grove is about two miles in length, and the trees wdll average about sixteen inches in diameter. It is considered that the best timber in the Territory is situated on the IMacmillan, a tril)utary of the Pelly. The Macmillan is well timbered for about 100 miles from its mouth, the breadth of vain aide timber along the valley being about, half a mile in many parts. The spruce is straight, tall, and averages about twenty inches in diameter ; some have a diameter of al)()ut three feet. The trees carry the size well up, and furnish five twelve-foot logs to the tree. '•The prevailing trees on the river-flats of the Pelly are Cottonwood, as])cii, nldcr, s])rncc mid willows. THE KAIN FALL. The 0})(Mi season in the Yukon TeiTit(»ry is characterized by its great drought at the time the mining operations can he best conducK'd. DiiiMng liic cai'ly pari of (lie season, in the month of ]\ray, ihcrc arc (iccasional I'ains of nniny honrs" dura- tion, which increase the water snp])ly very malerially. During the month of .Inne there are no rains, and according to past * Dr. Dawson. p 6 > o ^N UAK.Y ; FEbKUAKTl^iA^] 1 1 : : . : T _ -. - . 1 . 1 . ,. 1 -r-'-fr-'--] - - ' ' . GENERAL IXFOUMATION 1 .'{ ( records none nro oxjioeted Letwoon tlio first week in .Tiiiif ;iii 7 04inche.s THE TEMPERATURE. The t(Mn]iei'aturo3 hereunder given were taken from the ofllcial records kept by the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. The table shows the average maximum and minimum tempera- ture for each month. Tlie average temperature of the month was deduced from the daily temperatures. The accompanying sketch shows the fluctuation of tlu^ temperature during the months of jSJ^ovember, December, January, Febi'uary and March, in the vear 1905-11)06. 138 YUKON TERRITORY MONTHLY TEMPERATURES FROM MAY 1, 1905, TO MAY 1, 190G. 1905— May June •Tilly August September . October November . . December . . 1906 — January). _ . February . , March . . April Mav 26 above. 33 36 26 19 4 below. 23 43 69 39 17 above. 10 below. 25 above. Average. 46 above. 57 H 61 54-5 M 37-5 M 25 8-5 M 13 below. 35 14 10 above. 31 46 THE GRADE OP STREAMS. The grade of streams, one of the most essential conditions necessary in a placer camp, is a subject which has received, within the last few years, a lot of attention. All pumping plants hut two have been replaced by ditches and flumes where grade was sufficient to conduct the water from the neigh- bouring tributaries. The gradients of the gold-bearing streams are seldom found sufficient for the disposal of the tailings from the mining operations without resorting to artificial means. It is exceptional to find a gold-bearing stream where the natural grade can be used to advantage in sluicing operations. TABLE SHOWING THE GRADE OF STREAMS. Name. Klondike River Bonanza Creek Kldorado i< . . .• Hunker „ (Jnld Run n Twelve Mile River Little Twelve Mile River, Tombstone it Rock Creek Sulphur 1 Mayo River Average Grade per Mile. 13.6 feet. 45 50 40 50 50 150 150 40 40 10 GEXKI.-AJ. IMOKMATIOX 139 STREAM VOLUMES. The unit of nicasiii'ciiicnt u- in-c-crilicd l)_v law in this Territorv is the 'miner's inch.' It is defined in the Placer jNlinino- Code as ' half that quantity of water that will pass throuiiii an nritice two inches hiffh by one inch wide, with a constant head of seven inches above the top of the orifice.' This aiiiniml of wnlci- is aiiprnxinuitclv 1 •.-) ciiliic feet pci- minute. • The expression ' a sluice-head ' is a favourite one of the miners, meaning the amount of water that will be sufficient to wash the output of four men shovelling-in. In other words, it is the amount of water that will ao through a box 10 by 12 inches set nth of May and the beginning of the month of June, while the tlood time of the Yukon river itself is during the second week of the month of June. The small g«dd-bearing tributaries have their fl(H)d time during the month of -^^ay. The reader will find in the accompanying table the approxi- mate volumes of the ]»rincipal streams, including the gold- bearing tributaries, in the Yukon Territory, as measured by the Government mining engineer. 140 YUKON TEKiaxOEY VOLUMES OF STREAMS. District and Stream. Dawson District. Klondike River Bonanza Creek Eldorado Hunker Bear Dominion Sulphur Gold Run Rock 12-Mile River Little 12-Mile River. Tombstone m Stewart District. Stewart River. Mayo .1 Duncan Creek . Montana River Pooley Canyon. Conrad District. Volumes in Minens' Inches. 55,000-300,000 68-17,641 820 156 65 400 300 120 1,800 20,000 Remarks. Above mean. Low water. Mean water. Below mean. Low water. Above mean. 2, 000 1 Low water. 5,500 1,100,000 Mean water. 125,000 10,000 High water. 3, 6001 3,000 The streams in the Conrad district are torrential during the months of June and July. These streams are practically dry during the winter. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DURAij^the las^^ateT^tamped below. m^^'"'' MAR 6 1981 MAY2919'* mEM jm ! .81964 *^c^Mc» m^^"^'' i APR ^^^^^ r -r*- ■■'■4 ■ REC'D LD-URC - UKL 5197? DEC 6- Form L9-100m-9,'52(A3105)444 THK kSttKAHY UNIVERSITY mF CAl,IFORNlA LOS ANHJ^JftES UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY iiiriiiiiiiirntiiiii!i AA 000 535 217 4 i!ir