82 FORTYMILE, BIRCH CREEK, AND FAIRBANKS PLACERS. I hull. 251. 
small. For over 4 miles along the creek over an area varying from 45 
to 250 feet in width, pay has been found in gravel varying from 18 
inches to 7 feet in thickness. The gold is similar to that of the other 
creeks. Coarse pieces are found and these are often in association 
with much quartz. One nugget has been found worth $190. Values 
are found ranging from 5 to 10 cents to the pan and occasionally 
much higher. The creek during the past year has been a strong 
producer. 
Fairbanks Creek was located in ' October, 1902, but development 
work on it proceeded slowly, and as late as September, 1903, work 
was still in the prospecting stage. At that time from No. 15 A to 
No. 16 B more or less preliminary work had been done, most of it in 
sinking holes to bed rock. Thawing Avas accomplished by wood fires, 
hot rocks, hot water, and steam. Sometimes a combination of hot 
rocks and hot water was used. In the use of Avood fires or even of hot 
rocks there is frequently a too rapid thawing of the sides. In the 
hot-water method 20 gallons were used at a time, which in 2 hours 
would thaAV about two-thirds of a cubic yard of dirt. One boiler 
was in use on the creek, operating 4 points, and iavo others were about 
ready to commence work. Hand windlasses were used for hoisting 
the dirt. Very little sluicing had been done. 
The creek presented a far different appearance in 1904. Man}'' 
boilers had been brought in and developments were active along 
the portion of the valley from No. 8 A to No. 8 B, a distance 
of about 2 miles. The creek had passed from the prospecting 
stage to the producing one. The* problems of extraction are sim- 
ilar to those of Cleary Creek and similar methods have been intro- 
duced. On No. 11 A the depth to bed rock is 15 feet and the deposit 
consists of 5 feet of muck and 10 feet of angular gravel. A boiler 
operating 3 points Avas in use and the ground was kept free from 
water by pumping. A ditch 1,200 feet long, 3 J feet wide, and 3 feet 
deep had been dug to confine the creek so far as possible to the middle 
of the claim. On No. 8 A there is 3-J to 4 feet of muck and about 11 
feet of gravel. The ground was worked by means of a 5-horse- 
power boiler operating 4 points. Some of the best ground is said to 
be found along this portion of the valley, and a 10-ounce nugget has 
been found on this claim. On No. 7 A there is from 2 to 10 feet of! 
muck and 10 to 16 feet of gravel. The gold is frequently coarse and 
a $190 nugget has been found. There was much activity here and two 
15-horsepoAver boilers were furnishing steam for 20 points. On No. 6 
A the depth to bed rock is 19 feet and the material consists of 8 feet 
of muck and 9 to 10 feet of gravel. A plant was in use capable of 
thawing: about 14 cubic vards of dirt in ten hours. On No. 2 B there 
is a thickness of 28 feet of muck and gravel in about equal propor- 
tions. The plant consisted of a 12-horsepower boiler, points, self- 
