Compass
Object
1995.1.169
Asian compass in round wooden case with detachable lid. There are 24 Asian symbols on the compass face, twenty in white on a black background and four (presumably representing North, South, East and West) in gold on a white background. Three symbols are carved into the lid.
Many Japanese immigrants came to the Yukon during the Gold Rush, like most, to seek work or wealth. Most Japanese immigrants ended up working primarily in the food service industry, but a few did try their hand at mining. This is especially true of the Keno area. Massa Sekata worked as the camp cook until opening the hotel for himself. The Yamasakis were hotel owners, and Mrs.Yamaski was a Korean nurse who administered first aid when needed. George Nagano owned the GN cafe. James "Jimmy' Sugiyama, the owner of the Galena Hotel, posted a notice in 1936 and was off to mine his riches. The notice read: "I am closing my hotel business in Keno and I am going mining. All those owing accounts, please pay at once. Jimmy Sugiyama, Keno, YT". Mr. Sugiyama and his partner Fred Osata did find ore on their claim. It is not known if either were the owner of this compass, as it could have belonged to any of the Japanese families from the Silver Hills of Keno. Mr. Sugiyama sank a shaft on a prospect on Galena Hill in 1930, worked on it full time in 1936 and he kept the claim until 1949, where upon the public administrator sold the property. His name lives on in the district on the Sugiyama vein.