PUCER MINING O IN THE KLONDIKE. e , o A Full Description of the Way Out of the Bo far nil tbe mining that lias been 1one in the Klondike country has been 'what is known as placer mining. This is the simplest and oldest form of mining, and is usually adopted in new gold fields. . In its crudest form, placer mining is simply the picking up of a panful of dirt from the bed of a stream where gold is supposed to ex ist, the washing away of the dirt and pebbles and the gathering of the gold, which, because of its weight, sinks to the bottom of the pan. For example, let us follow a pros pector on some stream in our Western gold fields, where the complication of eternally frozen ground does not enter into the question. After traveling perhaps many weary days he conies on a stream coming down some moun tain gorge that looks "likely," as he says, to his practiced eye. He stops and examines the pebbles on the bot tom, and finds a good many of them are of quarts. This, although not in itself an indi cation of gold, is a good sign, so the prospector scrapes away the earth and atones at the bottom of the stream to the depth of a foot or so, and then TWO TTPICAL KLONDIKERS IN FULL DRESS takes out a panful of dirt. The pan, by the way, is nothing but a broad, shallow dinh of strong sheet iron. Having done this, he puts in enough water to make the panful semi-liquid, and then gives it a rapid, twirling mo tion. This causes the gold, if there is any, to sink to the bottom of the pan. Then the gravel and sand are carefully washed out until only the heavy resi due remains in the pan. This residue is carefully examined to see how many "colors" there are in it. "Colors" is the term miners give to the particles or nuggets, if there are any, of gold that can be seen at the bottom of the pan. Bnt gold is not the only thing that sinks to the bottom of the pan. Al most always there is found with gold a fine black sand, which is magnetic iron ore, and from this the gold has to be separated. Of coarse, if the gold is in nuggets of any size this is a simple process, but if it is in fine dust, as is generally the case, the mercury pro cess is employed. In this the residue in the pan is placed in a barrel with some water and 0 BLUICINO AT A RICH CLAIM IN THE KLONDIKE. ' ' (From this mine 911000 was taken from a piece of ground Si by 14 feet In plane dlmen . - slops. It Is officially designated as "No. ij Below," Bonanza.) mercury. The gold, when it touches the meroory, forms an amalgam. After quantity of gold baa been put in the barrel the mercury ia taken out, squeezed through a buckskin bag, and what remains in the bag is heated, either in a retort or ia some other way, until what mercury is left is vs porised, and the gold remains, nearly j-nre. - This ia plaoar mining ia its moat r--siiv form, but it is slow work, and . j r varioni methods ware devised tho Precious Dust Is Taken (jjJJ) Earth. . xw. to shorten it where it was to be carried on to any extent. The first step in advance in placer mining is the use of the "rocker." The rocker looks like one of the old cradles we And once in a while in the attic of some old house up in the conn- try. It is a box abont three feet long and two feet wide, placed on rockers just like a cradle. A part of the box is covered with a piece of henvy sheet iron, placed a fnw inches below the top mid punched full of holes about a quarter of au inch in diameter. The bottom of the rest of the box slants towards the lower end and is covered with a piece of woolen blanket. To waras tue emi of the box slats aro placed across, with mercury behind them, to catch what gold gots by above. The miner sets np his rocker neor the stream and piles his gravel on the the sheet iron, keeping it wet all the while and keeping the rocker in motion The fine gold anil sand sift through to the blanket, while nuggets of any size remain on the iron. The finer gold settles on the blanket and the dust is caught by the mercury behind the slats. The blanket is frequently rinsed in a barrol of water with mercury at the bottom, and this mercury, together witu that behind the slats, is "roasted" as in the other method. But even this method is not used when "sluicing" is possiblo, as it is when the stream has sufllcient full. In sluiciug a number of long boxos are made which lit into each other like a stovepipe. ., Across these boxes slats are placed with mercury behind them, or sometimes the bottoms are bored full of holes and mercury placed under neath. A long line of these boxes is placed at a considerable slant and tho miner shovels his gravel in at the up per end, lets the water run down the sluice and the gold, if in nuggets, sinks and is held by the slats, or, if fine, is caught by the mercury. Three times as much gold can be washed out in this way as by a rocker, because three times as much dirt can be washed. And after the boxes are all done with they are burned and tho ashes washed for the gold held by the wood. These are the various methods of placer mining and thus they are prac tised in the Klondike region, hampered only by the natural conditions of the country. Let us now look for a mo ment at what these conditions compel the Klondike miner to do. Let us suppose the gold-hunter has passed through the difficult Journey and arrived at the gold fields. He first goes out and prospects until he finds a claim where the "colors" in his pan encourage him to locate. If he should happen to be early on a new field he would probably stake out a claim next to one that was already paying iu tho hope that his would pay, too. A Klondike claim is supposed to be laid out COO feet long parallel with the general direction of the creek, and 660 feet crosswise, the idea being to give each location the width of the gravel from rim rock to rim rock. Most of the creeks up there have a slight fall with wide bottoms. Bed rock is anywhere from four to twenty feet below the surface and pay dirt is apt to extend clear down to bedrock. Of course, the great difficulty that the miner has to contend with is the fact that the ground is frozen solid about all the year, and even in summer thaws only a few inches. This makes it necessary to thaw the ground arti ficially, and this is done by "burn teg" Fires are built on the surface and the ground thawed a little ways. This ia then dug out; another fire is built in. the hole, and this process is eon tinned until bedrock is reached. Then fires are built against tbe side of the beH, and drifts and tunnels are thawed out. All the dirt thus taken out ia piled outside until the stream opens in the spring. tThen the sluice boxes are set np and the winter's diggings washed out. Thus a miner is enabled to keep busy about all the year. This method of burning out a shaft and tnnnels is by no means new, for it has been carried on for many years in the basins of the Amoor and Lena Rivers iu Siberia, where the conditions are very similar to those in the Klon dike region. 1. TIUWINO OUT THE DMT. Flacer mining in Alaska differs from placer diiuing in warmer climates only iu that the dirt bus to be thawed out, and that water for washing can be ob tained there only a month or two in each year. And even when bedrock is reached it is in mauy cases filled with cracks and scams which are rich in gold and well worth the digging out. As to the value of explosives in this frozen soil authorities differ. The Mining and Bcientifio Press said recently that they cau be used effectively, while the Min ing and Engineering Journal, in speak ing of the Biberian mines, where the conditions are similar, says their effect is simply to mat the ground together harder. For this same reason, says tbe latter journal, the ground cannot be dug with a pick and shovel until thawed out. Lumber, by the way, in the Klon dike country, fit for sluice boxes, costs from $130 to $150 a thousand feet. So far most of the gold found in placer mining in the Klondike region A SLUICE BOX. has been coarse, and many of the nug gets have been found attached to quartz. This, according to experts, indicates that the veins from whioh it originates are not fnr distant from the alluvial deposits. Placer gold is lib erated by tbe erosive agenoies of ice, rocks and water from the rock matrix in which it is held. It is tougher than the rock whioh holds it and resists abrasion better. Drawing an inferenoe from other regions where placer gold has been found in large qnantities, it is reasonable to expect that in the Yukon country rioh gold lodes will be found. , And this brings us to the subject of quarts mining in Alaska, for the gold bearing region np there is by no means confined to the Klondike country. Ao cording to the recently published hand-book on "Klondike," written by L. A. Ooolidge, of Washington, there are in southeastern Alaska gold mines whioh have been worked for the past twelve years, and whioh in 1800 added over 2,000,000 to the gold surplus of the world. Of this mining region Juneau is the centre, and its discovery is shared by Richard Harris and Joseph Juneau. In 1880 these two men started out from Sitka it was in the summer and in AuKmst dieoov ered gold in a stream which they named Gold Creek. Late they ex plored this stream to it source ia a mountain valley, whioh' they named Silver Bow Basin. Then a town site waa established at the mbuth of, Cfold ureel, wutou wt at Brat named Bar ill! rlsburg. Later it was changed to Rockwell and then to Juneau, which name It still holds. This lost christen ing took place in 1881. The next year both placer and quarts mines were discovered on Doug las Island, abont four miles from Jnnean. These are now the famous Treadwell mines, having been bought by John Treadwell in 1884, and, says Mr. Coolidge, "from these enough ore has been taken out to pay the purchase II Si tj IP ir w JyyJj 3. DIOOINO AND DUMPING. money of Alaska and more." The ore of these mines average only from (2. CO to g.i a ton, but owing to the enormous scale on whioh they are worked and the low cost of extracting the ore there is a large profit in working thera. All around Jnnoau and, for that mat tor, all along the Alaskan ooast, gold- MINER TESTING) GRAVED. bearing quartz is found, and in many places is being profitably worked. There seemBto be little doubt among mining experts that extensive quartz mines will be '.located in this Yukon country before long. This will mean the introduction into that country of all sorts of improved mining machin ery, rock drills, stamp mills and so on. Just what method will be employed to extract the ore from the rock will de pend on what kind of ore is found. It may only have to be crushed, and separated by mercury. It may be re fractory ore and have to go through some one of the various prooesses now in nse for separating such ore. As soon as the mines are found means of transporting the maohinery will be provided and the mines will be started. Mines in rook, of course.will not be delayed by the weather condi tions whioh make placer mining so dif ficult in that country, Rook doesn't freeze and the deeper down the mines go tbe warmer it will get, so perhaps this kind of mining) will be the pleas enter ol the two. Boats Like Big Sukata. Curious boats whioh look like big baskets are used in Busrah. the Ven ice of Turkish Arabia. As a matter of fact, they are practically Vaskets, be ing made of wickerwork, plastered to keep out the water. They are known as gophers, and the European who boards them feels himself to be much like the three men of Gotham who went to sea in a bowl. Until compara tively recent times a boat something similar in shape and made with the same material, called coracles, were used by fishermen on many of the turbulent streams in Wales. Noother form of a boat could hope to survive the navigation of those streams, and WICKER BOATS OF TURKISH ARABIA. bumping against bowlders and drop ping over small cataracts in thera did them no material damage. In China oertain literary degrees can be purchased of the Government for about 70. Taking advantage of that foot, some unprincipled person has lately hoaxed the Celestials by selling thera what purported to be diplomas which would bring the holders nndec the Jurisdiction of foreign consular omoes. HUM STATE KlS CONDENSED A BRAVE WOMAN. Follows a Porsletest Trsinp With a Revolver who Threatens! to Inra the Horn. Mrs. C. I Reasle. wife of a wealthy oil producer living five miles east of Bandy Lake, was alone In the house the oiner evening when an insolent tramp demanded admission. Bhe drove him away with a revolver and followed him to the -rate. The tramp was mad and threatened to burn the house. An hour later he came sneaking back. She seised the revolver again and marched him ahead of her down the road to the house of her brother-in-law, where she told her experience. The tramp es caped. . The following Pennsylvania pensions were granted: James H. Orenet, Pitts burg; William McVetta, Harmonshurg; David Hoover, Reynoldton; Henry Hrhmonts, Monara: Henry H. Raum gardner, Caseyvllle; William Haney, Albion: Hugh It. McCleese, Johnstown; James Tearney, Hnllldaysburg; John W. How, Marion Center; Jeptha I Ayres, West Pike: Margaret Iuhbs, Pittsburg: Mary E. Halsley. Union- town; Harfth Lang, Altoona; Mary A. Hartley, Pittsburg; Joel F. Large, lttsburg: John It. Means, unlontown; Patrick Leonard, Erie; James Labar, Mercer; David Hates, Deckers Point; Nancy A. Mounts, Sharon; Martha Oray, Portersvllle: Mary J. Roberts, Beaver Falls: Deulah Fldell. McKees- fort; Jonas W. Hare. Scottdale: John evore, Allegheny; Joshua Torrance, Bcottdale; John Hankin, Davis: Martin K. Weldner, Clarion; John A. Wherry, Pittsburg; Henry 8. Oburn, Irwin: Mo ses Thompson, Allegheny; Johnson C, Akers, A I too It a: Harriet F. Smith, Handy Lake; Evnlln A. Gates, Dun ransvllle; Eva Flke, Markleysburg; Joseph Hopper, Bear Creek, Cuserne; Joseph H. Lang, dead, Altoona. Blair; Israel Bear, Litlts, Lancaster; Hugh It. McCleester, Johnstown, Cambria; Hen- amln F. Moore, Falrmount, Lancaster; Emanuel Dltsler. Cornwall. Dauphin: Joseph F. Herron, Ohlovllle; Albert Beckett, Pittsburg; Edward F. Powers, Hickman; John H. Flemm, Freeport; Martin V. H. Oakes: Westmoreland; James T. Chalfant, Allegheny; Char lotte E. Hammltt, Bellevernon; George Coates, Allegheny; Archibald Cham bers, Allegheny; William Burnett, Lock Haven; Jacob W. Heck, Washington; Alfred Hassinger, Rellefonte; Edmund H. Williams, Union City; Robert O. BcottH Morrlsdale Mines; Daniel Fits waiter, Canton; James F. Collins, New Castle: Samuel M. Grace, Adamshurg; John Wlmer, Oreensburg. Windham; minors of Timothy Fitzgerald, West Newton. With the lives of 200 families tremb ling In the balance, George Sober mounted a bicycle and, after an excit ing race or six miles from ShainTikln township, reached Chamokln the other morning In time to organise a body ot men, who ran from house to house warning the people not to drink the morning supply of milk delivered by the Sober brothers. A fiend, to revenge himself on the Sobers, had poured a lot of Paris green Into the milk cans. In addition to feeding It to the cows, two of which died as the cyclist was scorch ing to Shamokin. Isaac Lepply was ar rested for the crime, and had to be kept from a mob, who wanted to lynch him. George B. Sanbouln was seriously In jured the other night while driving from Stoneboro to Greenville. San bouln represents a large eastern rub ber house. While driving along the road about three miles out of the city a stranger drove up behind Sanbouln, wno asked him ir he wanted to pass him. Tho stranger did not reply, but drove up alongside and struck San bouln's horse a sharp crack with the whip. The horse wheeled, throwing Sanbouln out, breaking his collar bone and cutting a deep gash In his head. Sanbouln was picked up unconscious. Willie Kordan, aged 10 years, one of II boys who were bitten by a mad bull dog In West Srranton last March, died the other night from what the pTIysl rlans diagnosed as unmistakable hy drophobia. Death was marked by In tense suffering, the boy li his agony biting his mother on the arms. This Is the second death, Tommle Bevan, 11 years old, dying In April from the effect of bites by the same dog. Trie county commissioners at Greens burg reluctantly decided recently that they will not attempt to have those em ploying aliens enforce the alien tax law and collect 3 cents from each for eigner employed. The money collected thus far will be returned to those who paid It. This action was taken In view of Judge Buftlngton's recent decision that the alien tax law Is unconstitu tional. Two men were killed near Johnstown recently on the Pennsylvania Railroad, Joseph Repine, at the famous point, Pack Saddle, and a man unknown, at Benns Creek. Repine waa the engineer at Booth & Fiinn'a stone quarries at Pack Saddle. He was aged 30 years and was a widower with several chil dren. The unidentified dead ia In the morgue. Rev. O. B. Patterson, until recently pastor of the Methodist Episcopal vhurch at Cooperstown, was taken vio- ently Insane a few days ago and at tacked his wife with a butcher knife. The recent conference at Oil City as signed Mr. Patterson to the Clymer N. Y.) charge, which seemed to prey heav ily on his mind. Sheriff Cronlster has seized the Rrockerhoff house. In Bellfonte, for the benefit of the creditors on executions aggregating over 15.000 agalnBt J. N. Neubauer, the landlord for six years past. The total liabilities will aggre gate $10,000, with not over $5,000 assets. The hotel property Is owned by the Brockerhoff estate. John W. Balrd, aged 57, a prominent Democratic politician or Clarion, was killed a few days ago. Mr. Halrd was driving to Payter township, when his horse took fright, and he was thrown from the vehicle, alighting on his head and shoulders with such violence as to break his neck. Miss Elma Mezner, aged 23 years, an Inmate of the Polk asylum, waa found dead In her bed the other day. She was smothered to deajh while laboring In an epileptic fit. She belonged In Lock Haven and was brought to Polk when the Institution was first opened from Elwyn. A threshing: machine ran away go ing down a steep hill near Greenville, was overturned and Jamea Relnold fa tally crushed In the wreck the other day. Ebeneaer Daniels, one ot tne best known and wealthiest citizens of Ven ango county, and one of the first per sona to drill for oil on Oil Creek, drop ped dead from heart disease while eat ing his dinner a few days ago. He leaves a wife and family. George Latchlaw of Clark returned home the other day from the Stoneboro fair Just f 200 poorer than when he start ed. He claims that he was watching a close finish between two horses when someone put a hand in his pocket and extracted the roll. Mrs. Frank Beebe was awarded 11.000 damages at Clearfield the other day for a broken arm, tne reauit or rail on an Icy sldwaJk In' this city last winter. INDUSTRIAL NOTES. Coke Ovsbi Being Firs and Ussy atea Oivta Work. The Star mines and coke plant at Ftnuffer station, near Oreensburg, Pb., which have been Idle for a year, will be started up within 10 days, giving employment to 200 men. Seventy-five additional ovens were fired at Mam moth during the week, employing 76 men. At Hecla 100 ovens were fired up, making room for 100 additional men at the plant. The Hecla ovens had been Idle for several years. Reese, Ham mond ft Co. have begun work on a new plant. The Latrobe steel works will be gin at once tho erection of 20 new houses. A hotel will also be erected. The new Glen Drilling company's platit at New Kensington will be soon started up. The Metcalf steel works, at Brae burn, are near completion. Over 400 men will be employed. Fifty new dwellings will be erected by the com pany. LABOR W0BLS. The Irnndale furnace property' at Klngwood, W. Va., was sold the other day to the Captain Flicker Taylor com pany for the sum of 16,200. This plant cost originally $212,000, and was owned by Felix Nemegyle, of New York, who operated the furnace for years. The plant has been Idle for some years. The purchaser experts to Improve and oper ate the furnace. The settlement of the coal strike and the consequent reduction In the price of coal at Akron, O., have enabled a number of large factories, which have been shut down for weeks to resume, giving employment to nearly 2,000 men who have been Idle. The shops will be enabled to run on full time until next spring. Among the plants at Wheeling, W. Va., which have been ordered to work at once are: Top mill blast furnace, Idle two years; sheet mills at Whlttaker Iron plant, Bellalre steel works, and portions of the Benwood Iron mill. The Wheeling and Warwick potteries are working day and night. The American wire nail works, em ploying 700 men; the Lippencott lamp chimney plant, which works 400, and the Macbeth lamp chimney works, with a like number of men on Its payrolls, resumed In full blast a few days ago after a shut-down of two months and a half. Contract has been awarded for a 60 tnn addition to the South Sharon steel mill at Wheatland, Pa. Eighteen more puddling furnaces were fired up at the Sharon Iron works, making a total of 3ft In operation. An additional force of men will be employed. John H. Waters, on the heaviest stockholders In the new tin-plate plant at Johnstown, Pa., received a letter re cently from the New York end of the concern stating that they would begin work on the plant this week. The Cambria Iron company at Johns town, Pa., paid out $116,000 last week. This Is the largest two weeks' pay for a long time. About $10,000 of this amount was In gold. Orders have been Issued for firing SO ovens at Trotter, and 200 more will be fired at once by the H. C. Frlck and McClure coke companies at Connells vllle, Pa, All the departments of the Salem. O., Wire Nail company resumed work the other day. On the first of the week the mllla will be put on double turn. During about 700 years the Latin lan guage was the language of court, camp end polite society from the River Tweed, In Scotland, to the Euphrates, In Asia, and from the Crimea or Cher sonese, In the Black Sea, to the Pillars of Hercules, at the western extremity of the Mediterranean. The British museum has books writ ten on bricks, tiles, oyster shells, bones and Hat stones, together with manu scripts on bark. Ivory, leather, parch ment, papyrus, lead, Iron, copper and , wood. It has also three copies of the Bible written on the leaves of the fan palm. ' MARKETS. PITT8BURO. Grain, Flour and Feed. WHEAT No. 1 red No $ red COHN No. 2 yellow, ear No. 2 yellow, shelled Mixed ear OATU-No. 1 white No. 2 white BYE Wo. 1 899 87 86 85 84 28 2 52 25 10 00 81 86 89 29 27 6S S 8 5 2.1 8 7S 10 50 8 50 12 00 Id 00 18 50 12 60 6 00 0 00 FLOUR Winter patents 6 1'aocT straight winter S Bye Hour 8 BAY No. 1 timothy 10 Mixed clover, No. 1 8 Hay, from wagons 11 FEED No. 1 White Md., ton.. IS Brown middlings: 13 Bran, bulk 12 BTHAW Wheat fi Oat S BEKDH Clover, 60 lbs 4 Timothy, prime 1 60 00 00 00 00 00 00 so 50 76(g) 5 00 88 Lta Dairy Froduota. BUTTER Elgin Creamery...., 23 21 Ohio oreamery. 10 20 Fancy country roll 15 16 CHEESE Ohio, new 9 10 New York, new 10 It Fruits and Vegetables. BEANS Hand-picked, V bu... 1 20 ! 1 25 POTA10KH White. pr bu'.... 60 70 CABUAOK Heme grown, bbl. 110 125 ONIONH perbu 60 60 Poultry, Eta CHICKENS. V pair I TUKKEYH. V IU EUUd IX and Ohio, (reeh. . . . 403 60 Id 14 16 17 CINCINNATI. FLOUR 4 WHEAT No. red BYE No. 2 COliN-Mlxed 1 1 AIM 4 85 tit 47 81 21 13 15 EOOS 14 PHILADELPHIA. FLOUR : a S 10 0 35 WHEAT No. 2nd . Ml COltN-No. 2 mixed 85 OATH No. 2 white 27 BUTTER Creamery, extra 21 EUOB Pa. Arete 18 NSW YORK. FLOUR Patents 3 31 5 60 WHEAT No. 2 red tw COMN-No. a 84 OATH White Western ,. 25 BUTTEB-Creamery m EQOB State of Venn is LIVE STOCK. CIXTIU, OIOCS IABDS, CAST LIBSBTT, . CATTIS, Prime, 1,800 to 1,400 lbs 4 909 5 00 Good, 1,200 to 1,800 lbs 4 76 4 80 Tidy, 1,000 to 1,160 tbe 4 SO 4 60 Fair llnt steers, 200 to 1000 lbs, 4 00 4 60 Common, 700 to 00 lbs 8 60 W aoos. Medium 4 83 4 40 Heavy. 4 86 4 40- Boughs and stags S 85 8 00 sassr. Prims, 96 to 105 (tie, wethers... I 4 00 4 10 Oood. 86 to 80 lbs.. 4 00 4 10 Fair. 10 to 80 lbs 8 40 8 65 Common 8 00 123 Culls 1 0 a 00 Hptlug lambs..... 8 50 4 29 Vetr to good lamas 8 64) 4 85 V eel selves...... 4 00 U
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers