From the front page of The White Horse Star, January 16, 1901

The New Gold Strike

The first authentic news to be received from the new strike on Livingstone creek in the Big Salmon country is that brought out by Mr. Leonard Matchett who, though not the discoverer, was one of the first locators on the creek.

The discoverers were some former employees of Mr. J.C. Tache, who went into the country last summer and, having found good prospects on a tributary of Livingstone creek, took up claims and started to work to reach bedrock, but the ground was frozen so hard and they encountered so much water that they were unable to accomplish much.

Mr. Matchett is a practical miner of over 20 years experience, and last summer worked on the War Eagle mine in White Horse district. Of the new strike, he says:

"The discovery was made by the LaRose brothers and others, and is six miles below Livingstone. It is seven miles from the gulch to the summit and 15 miles from there to the Hootalinqua. It is the finest glacial wash I ever saw, and I have been engaged in mining for the past 20 years.

"When I left there were 22 claims recorded and as I met quite a number going in on my outward trip, I suppose by this time there are a great many more.

"I washed out some of the dirt on one of the dumps and as a result secured 5 cwt of gold. The gulch is full of large boulders and it is going to take considerable capital and a good deal of hard work to get down to bedrock, but I am fully convinced from what I have seen that the ground will warrant the outlay.

"After I had staked my claim I went down the river about 100 miles to record, but when I reached the post the recorder was absent.

I think some effort should be made by the people of White Horse to have the recorder's office for that district located here, as it is the proper and most convenient place to have it.

"The much talked of winter trail from White Horse to the Big Salmon should be built at once. It will save half the distance between the two places and is a very easy way to get in.

As near as I can estimate, the distance by the cut-off to Livingstone is 80 miles, while by the way of Hootalinqua it is about 160 miles.

The worst part of the shorter route is the first four miles out from La Barge, and consists of a few steep bluffs, which, however, can be easily surmounted by building sidehill grades. The rest of the way is plain sailing until the Hootalinqua is reached, when another grade will have to be made to reach the river. From there on to the mines a good trail has already been built.

"The trade from the Big Salmon country during the coming season is going to be large, and the business men of White Horse ought to get in and work to secure it.

On my way out I met a party of 35 men going in under contract to work for Mr. O'Brien of Dawson, and I understand that he intends to increase this force to 80 as soon as he can get things in shape.

There are at present about 250 men in the district and in all probability there will be a great many more in a short time. I heard it reported that one company intends to spend $50,000 in development work during the coming summer.

"At present supplies of all kinds are very high. Flour is $28 per 100 pounds; bacon 38 cents per pound; ham 50 cents; tobacco $2 and rubber boots $16 per pair, and very poor boots at that."