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John DeBuhr
JOHN DeBUHR is an Inmachuk
miner, and one of the discoverers
of this famous creek. He was
born in Germany, April 1 6, 1868, and
was a sailor for seventeen years. During his residence in the United States
he has followed mining in Montana,
Idaho, Oregon and Alaska.
He arrived in Nome June 21,
1 899. He was one of the passengers
on the steamer Garonne, the first vessel
to reach the new mining camp this season. He took 500 feet of lumber with
him and was offered $1 a foot for it.
Upon his arrival he obtained a lay on
No. 3 Dexter Creek and worked this
ground until August 1, when he sold
out and went to work on the beach.
He was very fortunate on the beach,
where he struck some rich ground and
rocked out as much as $300 a day.
He returned to the states that fall
and came back to Nome in the spring
of 1900. He was in the Kougarok
stampede, and in December, 1 900. he, Bill Davis, Jim McCormick and Mr.
Parker left Nome with ten dogs and 1,000 pounds of provisions for the Arctic slope.
They were out on this trip forty-nine days. It was the first overland trip by
prospectors to the Arctic. The weather was exceptionally severe and besides suffering from
the very cold weather, during the last twelve days of their trip they were compelled to
live on two days' rations. Returning, one of their dogs froze to death in the harness,
and when they got to Mary's Igloo, the recording office of the Kougarok District, the
thermometer registered 68° below zero. They arrived in Nome January 1 8, the day
before the occurrence of the worst blizzard that ever swept over Nome. While they were
on the Arctic slope they staked Old Glory Creek.
Mr. De Buhr returned to the Arctic the next spring, and during this season he
made three overland trips between Nome and Inmachuk River. One of these trips
was made without blankets, and there were no road-houses for shelter. He did not
attempt to camp or build a fire, as rain or sleet was falling all the time. He traveled
constantly for three days until he reached Kougarok City, where he obtained much needed
rest, and then finished the journey to Nome. During this season he located the famous
Jnmachuk mines, now known as the Dashley Group. He obtained the first pay ever
found in the Inmachuk. From this pay-streak one pan of gravel yielded $24.60.
In the fall of 1902 he took in the first steam boiler and thawer to this region, and
began prospecting for winter diggings. He is a firm believer in the future of this part
of the country, and is the owner of some of the most valuable property on the Inmachuk
River.
Source: Nome and Seward Peninsula by R. S.
Harrison. Seattle: The Metropolitan Press, 1905.
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