YUKON PLACER FIELDS. 119 
miles of the creek, the output has as yet been small. The construction of the railroad, 
which parallels Goldstream Creek for several miles, renders it possible to mine lower-grade 
deposits than formerly, and considerable work was planned for the winter of 1905. 
CLEARY CREEK. 
Cleary Creek, about 8 miles long, flows at first northwest and then, bending round gradu- 
ally, follows a southwest course to Chatanika River. The two tributaries are Chatham and 
Wolf creeks, small streams which flow in short, narrow valleys and enter Cleary Creek from 
the east. 
Cleary Creek has proved itself by far the best producer of the region. Workable deposits 
have been found along about 7 miles of the stream, and the limit of their extension into the 
Chatanika Flats has not been determined. Chatham Creek, only about a mile in length, 
has been a good producer. Considerable work was done on Wolf Creek two years ago, but 
since that time little gold has been found. 
The deposits of the main valley range in thickness from a few feet to more than 120 feet, 
with an average of about 60 feet. The pay streak has a maximum thickness of about 14 
feet and an average for the creek of about 5 feet. The width of the pay streak, under pres- 
ent mining costs, varies from 30 feet or less to several hundred feet, and in part of the valley 
is reported to be 800 feet. Though it is not yet well defined, the width will probably average 
at least 150 feet for the creek. The average value in the pay streak for much of the stream 
appears to be about $10 to the cubic yard. The pay streak is rather uniformly developed, 
but the width of the valley is such that its location requires much prospecting. The posi- 
tion of the pay streak in the valley is at variance with the course of the present stream. 
Above the bend the pay streak is altogether on the west side, several hundred feet from the 
creek, except at the head. It crosses the valley at the bend, and throughout the lower part 
is found on the right side 1,000 feet from the stream. As the valley of Cleary Creek opens 
to the Chatanika Flats, the pay streak swerves back to the left side and has been found there 
within a short distance of the creek. The pay streak may be said in general to occupy the 
center of the valley, being about equidistant, both above and below the bend, from the 
ridges on either side. The discovery of gold was made at the point where the pay streak 
crosses the valley, and there good surface prospects were found. 
The important characteristics of the Cleary deposits are their thickness, the only shallow 
diggings being on Chatham and Wolf creeks and at the very head of Cleary Creek; the rela- 
tion of the pay streak to the present course of the creek, and the extension of the pay 
throughout the lower part of the valley. The production for the last year has probably 
been about $4,500,000. While this figure does not possess a high degree of accuracy it 
serves at least to emphasize the fact that Cleary Creek has become an important producer. 
DOME CREEK. 
Dome Creek, also a tributary of the Chatanika, is about 8 miles long and heads in the west 
side of Pedro Dome. The gravels of this creek are similar in character to those of Cleary 
Creek. Their thickness, so far as determined, ranges from 30 to 160 feet. Most of the min- 
ing has been limited to about 3 miles of the valley, commencing about 1 mile from its head. 
The known pay streak compares favorably in thickness, width, and values with those of 
other creeks, but its continuity has not been determined. There is a considerable area of 
mineralized rock on the slope of Pedro Dome and at the head of Dome Creek which is being 
prospected and is reported to carry values. 
ESTHER CREEK. 
Esther Creek is tributary to Cripple Creek, a small stream that enters the slough about 3 
miles above Chena. The railroad passes within 1^ miles of the creek and a wagon road 
with easy grades has been built to it along the birch-covered ridge which forms the northern 
limit of the valley. 
Bull. 284—06 9 
