148 ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES IN 1906. 
back, after the break-up, to the summer work in the Niukluk regioi 
This criticism applies only to the laboring men and is not intende 
in the least to reflect on the prospectors and miners who are develoj 
ing their own ground or holding responsible positions with any < 
the larger companies. 
To meet this annual exodus many of the more foresighted busines 
men are attempting to develop winter workings which shall grv 
employment to a more permanent population. Explorations wit 
this end in view are being carried on in the deep gravels that occi 
along the Niukluk between Ophir and Camp creeks. This work hi 
not progressed sufficiently to prove the value of the ground, but fro] 
the returns so far obtained further outlay is justifiable. During tr 
last summer two men sunk a shaft 40 feet through these gravel 
A section of this shaft is of interest not only as giving the successic 
of sands and gravels, but also as indicating the frozen condition 
The ice, on melting, so undermines and caves a shaft that its preservi 
tion during the summer is extremely expensive. The section in tr 
shaft is as follows: 
Section of bench gravels on Niukluk River between Ophir and Camp creeks. 
Fee 
Vegetation and muck ; 
Pure ice 1! 
Sand and ice II 
Rock fragments, etc.; much mica 
Sand and ice 
Frozen gravel, carrying values. 1! 
Up to the close of last summer no rich pay had been found in tr 
benches along the Niukluk. Summer work in these benches will t 
costly and should be abandoned in favor of winter work. 
FOX RIVER. 
On Fox River some mining had been in progress during the pa 
year, especially on I X L Gulch, a small tributary to Fox River 8 
10 miles from Council. The rocks in the neighborhood are almo 
entirely schists and greenstones, but near Horton Creek there is 
massive limestone member which forms a prominent topograph 
feature. The contact between the limestones and schists was n« 
examined in detail and it is not known whether it is mineralized 
not. The output from Fox River will be rather small, as the nur 
ber of workers is limited. 
MYSTERY CREEK. 
On Mystery Creek, a small tributary of the Niukluk from t' 
north, a small amount of gold has been won, but the work was co 
ducted on a small scale. 
