A COMPARISON.
Western Australia, with a popu
lation of less than two millions of
people, produces annually an
amount of gold which exceeds half
the production of the United States.
When it is consideied that the first
important discovery in Western
Australia was not made until Sep
tember, 1892, .his is a wonderful
showing. The country from which
the gold is obtained is an arid
desert, and owing to its climatic
and other adverse conditions was
far more inaccessible than^any field
in Alaska; yet today Kalgoorlie,
the mining capita! of the antipodes,
has a permanent population of over
a hundred thousand. In the first
year of Kalguorlie’s existence wa
terfor drinking purpose* cost 60
cents per gallon, and today the
year's supply of water for house
hold purposes can be bought for a
little over three dollars. Freight
originally cost $275 per ton: today i
the miners supplies are landed on I
the fields for about $18 a ton. Nat
urally under the improved condi
tions the gold output was multi
plied many times.
The question naturally is asked,
How was all this accomplished?
The answer is a very simple one:
The West Australia government \
realized that it was to their best
interest and the best interest of the
country to foster the mining indus
try in every conceivable manner by
the establishment of reproductive
works. They employed express
riders at big salaries to deliver
mail; they furnished an escort for
the delivery of gold to the metrop
olis; they spent thousands of dol
lars in sinking wells to furnish a
temporary water supply; in less
than two years the miners on the
goldfields were connected with the
coast towns by 500 miles of tele
graph wire; in four years a rail
road was completed at government
expense, and in less than seven
years the largest pumping plant in
the world, costing $32,500,000, fur
nishing a running stream 18 feet in
circumference and capable of sup
plying 300,000 people with water,
was constructed. Nor were these
immense undertakings unprofitable
ones, although the cost of freight
and water were reduceo several
hundred tuues, the government se
cured as high as n percent, per
annum on the amount of money
invested. Wheu all things are con
sidered. there is nothing wonderful
aliout the Australian gold product.
But how vastly different is the
treatment accorded to A.idta hy
the federal governmeut. Instead
of assisting the men whose hardi
hood is opening up this great coun
try. the laws prove an ohatacle in
the path of develop tent, and the
i spending of money to help the
country is a matter not to be
i t .ought of—the federal government
is too penurious to pay its em
ployees in the local postoffice a
salary commensurate with their
services; but given the same condi
tions as those enjoyed by the
miners of Western Australia, Alas
ka in a very lew years vvovld pro
j (luce nearly as many dollars in
; mineral wealth. The precious
metals are here in abundance, but
under the present laws and condi
tions it will take many years to ex
tort them from Mother Earth.—
Gold Digger._
BIG NUGGET
FROM DORIC
Worth S 128.25 and Brought
In Saturday.
When Henry A. Young arrived'
in camp from Doric creek last Sat
urday be brought an agieeable
surprise for H. F. Thutnm. It was
a nugget taken from a shaft in the
upper end of Mr. Thumm’s Doric
creek claim a few days ago, and
was of the value of $128.25.
It had been predicted by some
that pay would not be found so
good on the upper end of the claim
as it is lower down; but* when a
trial shatt was bedrocked it proved
to be in phenomenally rich ground.
Aside from the nugget, pans were
taken from the hole running as
high as $5. The nugget was on
bedrock.
Up to the time of Mr. Young’s
departure only one fire had been
put in after bedrock was reached.
GRAND ENCAMPMENT
ARCTIC BROTHERHOOD
Seattle. Nov. 3. The grand en
campment of the Arctic Brother
hood was in session yesterday.
Committee reports will Ire received
this morning.
This evening as a grand attrac
tion the Electric company extends
the u>e of it.-, cars for the delegates
to see the city.
Liberals (airy ('amnia.
Ottowa, Nov. 3. The Dominion
parliamentary election sustains
I.aurier by a majority ol seventy
seats. British Columbia sends four
liberals.
HohU iN Kill rusliit-i'.
Cody. Ni-h., Nov. I.- Two tob
h«rrs attempted to hold up the First
Nat total Bank A running Hkht
between rilbtiM and the robber*
ensued an I C vduer Hr««lt>U||h wan
iMtwtly kilted. The ruhltcr* **
raped without booty.
I RECEPTION SALOON
WINES,
LIQUORS
and GOOD
CIGARS
St. Louis
ABC
BEERS
The Highest Priced but
the Best Quality.
BILLIARD
AND
POOL
ROOMS
12-year-old Crow Whiskey—The Only Stock.
Something New — Try Our Apricot Cocktuil
Pile Flavor You Never Forget
Famous M. J. B. Whole Roast
Selected Mocha and Java Coffee
PACKED IN 1-2-5 LB. AIR TIGHT TINS
NORTHERN COMMERCIAL CO.
SOLE AGENTS
NE VER ENCOUNTERED
ALASKA MOSQUITOES
Ants the Worst Enemies This,
Hunter Ever Met.
"What are the most dangerous j
and troublesome beasts you ever'
encountered?" a famous big-game!
hunter was asked, after he had fin- ,
ished telling a string of yarns
about his adventures in South
America.
"Ants," he replied. "They are
far worse than hears, jaguars, alli
gators, or any other beasts about
whom hair-raising stories are told.
They give the hunter in tropical
and sub-tropical countries more
trouble than anything else.
"Once I rested my gun against a
tree to take aim at a deer. There
was an ants nest in that tree. As
soon as I fired the ants tumbled out
in swarms and fell all over my
guide and myself.
"We were nearly stung to death
and had to tear our clothes off and
wallow up to our necks in the mud
of o nearby swamp before we could
g« t any relief
"Another time I climbed a tree
to wail tor mountain lions. I did
not notice that there was an ants'
nest in the trunk, for the ants were
all indoors when I clitnlicd up the
tree.
"I shot a mountain tiou and
started to climb wu. Hut the
ants had been di<turl»ed by the
bring and they awaruied all arotiud
that tree trunk by millions 1 had
to sink ovei them, and 1 didn't
forget it fen a week t-aebange
WILDCATS PITTED
AGAINST PIGS
Novel Sport Leads to Disaster
in France.
Wildcat and pig fights are the
latest things in the way of sport at
Lille, France, and these encounters
are usually witnessed by hundreds
of spectators of both sexes
At an inn at which a catt and a
pig fight was going on, the flooring
fell through, carrying with it about
a hundred people. Those who were
not wounded by the breaking tini
liers were badly cut by the broken
glass in the cellar into which thty
were participated.
The cage containing the animals
was overturned, and the cat, spring
ing upon several of the panic
stricken speetatois. scratched and
bit them unmercifully. Several of
the injured have since died.— Kx.
Sacred Relics Restored.
New York, Nov. 3.- J. P. Mor
gan has presented the Italian gov
ernment with the ancient relics
stolen from the cathedt.il at As oli
Mr. Morgan got possession of the
relics hy purchase, not knowing
they weic stolen.
The proposition for the recovery
of the relics was advanced by the
Italian ainlMssador iu London, Sig
1'aiisa, who communicated with the
representative there of Mr Morgan,
reciting the facts iu connection with
the theft, ltefore taking this ac
tion the Italian rnlawr conimmir
cuted with the curator ol the ken
smgton museum, where the relics
were on exhibition.