80 Professor H. A. Miers [Feb. 28, 



There are other iutrutluctions wLiich were new at the time of my 

 visit ; although no crushing of quartz had then been effected, a small 

 Tremaine mill had just been erected on the banks of the Klondike in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Dawson, and it is to be hoped that we 

 shall soon hear of promising results among the quartz discoveries. 

 An auriferous conglomerate found in considerable deposits on the 

 Indian River was attracting much attention, chiefly on account of 

 its superficial resemblance to the South African banket. 



In default of resources other than gold, the prosperity of 

 Klondike in the immediate future appears to me to depend mainly 

 upon the extent to which in the creeks water can be more economi- 

 cally and bountifully supplied, labour and the necessaries of life more 

 cheaply obtained, and communication be made more easy, so that it 

 may be possible to work low-grade gravel at a profit. There is much 

 auriferous material which it does not at present pay to touch. The 

 Government is giving every encouragement, and in Mr. Boss the 

 Territory has a strong governor ; roads have been constructed ; the 

 royalty has been reduced to 5 per cent., and on all claims $5000 of gold 

 are exempt. The necessary charges are only $10 for a miner's license, 

 $15 for recording a claim, $50 for surveying, $15 for renewal, and an 

 owner is only required to put $500 worth of work on to his claim each 

 year. 



But the cost of water, wood, labour, and materials is almost pro- 

 hibitive ; the standard of living is high, although there is, I think, a 

 constantly increasing number of steady and thrifty men coming into 

 the country and replacing the more gambling element of the early 

 camp. 



The ultimate prosperity of the country depends largely, I think, 

 upon the extent to which auriferous quartz may be discovered, and 

 other resources developed. 



But it is certain that Dawson has come with the intention of 

 staying, and that the country is very far from played out. Not only 

 is there a considerable quantity of ground yet to be worked in the 

 Klondike creeks, but it must be remembered that much of the vast 

 Yukon territory is auriferous, and that attention has only been 

 distracted from other localities by the extraordinary wealth of the 

 Klondike area. 



IS ow that the district possesses a large town, inhabited throughout 

 the year, now that communication is being facilitated, that freight 

 rates are being lowered, and that the population is increasing, it 

 ought to be possible to open up districts that could never have been 

 attempted under the more adverse conditions of two or three years ago. 



Coal is being mined at Clifl:' Creek, 55 miles below Dawson, and 

 at Five Fingers, about 200 miles above Dawson ; placer copper exists 

 in large quantities on the White River; copper ores have been found 

 near White Horse ; the Atlin district promises well ; horses, cattle, 

 and sheep will shortly be supported in the country itself, and 

 vegetables and other produce will be raised. 



