pkindle]       GOLD    PLACERS    OF    FAIRBANKS    DISTRICT,    ALASKA.  69 
and  coarse  rock  fragments,  and  the  other  six  feet  a  mixture  of  more 
or  less  angular  flattened  fragments  of  quartzite-schist,  mica-schist, 
granite,  and  occasional  large  pieces  of  vein  quartz  up  to  200  pounds  in 
weight.  The  pay  dirt  varies  from  2  feet  to  over  4  feet  in  thickness. 
It  is  somewhat  finer  grained  than  the  material  above  it  and  contains  a 
sediment  composed  of  sand  and  a  large  proportion  of  yellow  clay, 
which  makes  panning  rather  difficult.  The  dirt  is  said  to  average 
about  4  cents  to  the  pan,  and  to  run  from  $5  to  an  ounce  a  day  to  the 
shovel.  The  gold  is  generally  flat,  and  occasional  pieces  are  found  up 
to  a  half  inch  or  more  in  diameter,  worth  from  50  cents  to  $2.50. 
Sufficient  work  has  not  yet  been  done  to  give  definite  information  in 
regard  to  the  average  value  and  distribution  of  the  pay  dirt. 
Pedro  Creek  for  2  or  3  miles  below  Twin  keeps  for  the  most  part 
close  to  the  rather  steep  slope  bounding  the  unsymmetrical  valley  on 
the  east.  The  stream  bottom  widens  on  the  west  and  merges  into  the 
spruce-covered  hillside,  which  rises  gradually  to  the  divide  between 
Pedro  and  Cleary  creeks. 
The  bed  rock,  so  far  as  seen  in  this  part  of  the  creek,  was  found  to 
be  a  quartzite-schist.  This  is  mantled  over  with  10  to  25  feet  of  muck 
and  gravel.  The  muck  averages,  perhaps,  4  feet  in  thickness  and  is 
underlain  by  gravel  to  bed  rock.  The  gravel  is  composed  mostly  of 
flattened  fragments  of  schist,  with  occasional  pieces  of  gneiss,  granite, 
and  vein  quartz.  The  gravel  containing  the  gold  varies  from  2  to  7 
feet  in  thickness,  and  gold  is  also  found  in  the  bed  rock  to  a  depth  of 
about  2^  feet.  The  pay  dirt  is  characterized  by  a  }rellow  color,  due 
to  a  considerable  quantity  of  the  fine  yellowish  sticky  clay,  and  ranges 
from  5  to  20  cents  to  the  pan,  with  occasional  pans  of  much  higher 
value.  The  gold  is  of  a  bright  color  and  occurs  generall}T  in  small, 
flattened  pieces.  Very  fine  gold  is  sometimes  present,  and  coarse, 
lumpy  pieces  up  to  a  value  of  $14  have  been  found.  Garnet  and 
rutilc  are  frequently  associated  with  the  gold. 
Prospect  holes  have  been  sunk  during  the  winter,  but  most  of  the 
developments  were  made  in  the  summer.  The  claims  are  worked  by 
open  cuts,  and  the  low  grade  of  the  creek  has  necessitated  the  con- 
struction of  bed-rock  drains  up  to  about  800.  feet  in  length.  Ground 
sluicing  is  commenced  by  May  20  and  shoveling  in  by  June  22.  Work 
can  be  continued  till  about  the  middle  of  September.  Ground  is  pre- 
pared by  draining  and  stripping  off  the  4  feet  or  more  of  muck,  after 
which  the  gravel  becomes  thawed  and  is  ready  for  shoveling  in. 
During  the  past  season  wages  were  in  some  cases  as  high  as  $1  an 
hour  for  a  man  and  $25  a  day  for  a  team.  The  expense  of  working 
probably  absorbed  from  50  to  60  per  cent  of  the  production. 
Gold  Stream,  the  continuation  of  Pedro  below  Gilmore  Creek,  was 
not  visited.  From  the  information  available,  however,  it  would  seem 
that  the  conditions  there  are  similar  to  those  on  Pedro  Creek  except 
