Klondyke! The word and place that has startled the civilized world is
to-day a series of thriving mining camps on the Yukon River and its
tributaries in the Canadian Northwest Territories.

Prior to August 24, 1896, this section of the country had never been
heard of. It was on this day that a man named Henderson discovered the
first gold.

On the first day of the following month the writer commenced erecting
the first house in this region and called the place Dawson City, now the
central point of the mining camps.

Dawson City is now the most important point in the new mining regions.
Its population in June, 1897; exceeded 4,000; by June next it cannot be
less than 25,000. It has a saw-mill, stores, churches, of the
Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and Roman Catholic denominations. It is
the headquarters of the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police, _and perfect
law and order is maintained_.

It is at Dawson City that the prospector files his claims with the
Government Gold Commissioner, in the recording offices.

Dawson City faces on one of the banks of the Yukon River, and now
occupies about a mile of the bank. It is at the junction of the Klondyke
River with the Yukon River. It is here where the most valuable mining
claims are being operated on a scale of profit that the world has
hitherto never known. The entire country surrounding is teeming with
mineral wealth.

Copper, silver and coal can be found in large quantities, but little or