44 FORTYMILE, BIRCH CREEK, AND FAIRBANKS PLACERS, [bull. 251. 
junction of Owl and Crow creeks a little work bad been done and some 
pay found, but the developments are not sufficient to give any indica- 
tion as to the values of the ground. 
Tributaries of Canyon Creek. — Some mining is being clone north of 
Walker Fork over the divide on tributaries of Canyon Creek. Squaw 
Gulch is the most important tributary, and is easily reached by fol- 
lowing the spur between Baby and Woods creeks. It heads in the 
divide opposite Wade Creek, and its tributaries have their source 
within a mile of those of the latter. In the lower 4 miles of its 
course it flows in a northeasterly direction and joins Canyon Creek 
about 6 miles above its mouth. It is a small stream with a fall of 
perhaps 150 feet to the mile. Its valley is narrow and V-shaped, and 
is sunk 1,500 feet below the level of the spurs on either side. The 
bed rock is marble, schist, and quartzite, which strike N. 45° W. andi 
dip 30° to the northeast, and are cut occasionally by small granitic 
dikes. 
The gravels are of the same types as the bed rock, and the propor- 
tion of bowlders is large, especially toward the mouth of the creek. 
The depth of gravel varies from 3 to 10 feet, the average being about 
S feet. Gold is found in about 1^ feec of gravel over widths up to 50 
feet. It occurs as small flat pieces, often containing a considerable 
admixture of thin, flaky gold ; but coarse pieces are common and 
specimens work $43 have been found. The best values thus far have 
averaged about $2 to the cubic yard, and the creek has produced a] 
few thousand dollars. Considerable ditching has been done and] 
dams have been built, but only a few men were on the creek in July. 
The flow, like that of other streams having small drainage areas, isj 
closely dependent on climatic conditions and is immediately affected 
by drought. 
Franklin Creek. — This creek and the conditions obtaining in 1897 
were described by Goodrich in Spurr's report, already referred to. 
Its mouth is at the end of the ridge trail from Steele Creek to South 
Fork of Fortymile, and is also on the Eagle- Valdes mail route, 
small collection of cabins, picturesquely located on the small flat at 
the mouth, is known as Franklin and includes a post-office and road 
house. 
Gold was discovered on this creek in 1886, and the early days ar(i 
said to have been full of interest. One man's grub list in 1890 for 
two months consisted of 1 sack of flour and 5 pounds each of beans, 
rice, dried apples, and tea ; the daily pancake was cut in three pieces, 
one for each meal. The gold was easy to mine and more easily speni 
on the little flat at the mouth of the creek, which was then crow dec 
with miners, and passed quickly through many hands. 
• Spurr, J. E., Geology of the Yukon gold district : Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 
Survey, pt. 3, 1898, pp. 332-335. 
