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In The News
Nome Gold Digger
Nome, Alaska
Vol. 1, No. 5
Wednesday, November 22, 1899.
Page 1.
TAKING OUT GOLD.
Over 400 Men in Cabins and Tents to the Penny and
Half at Work.
Dumps that Average 30 Cents to the Pan - Men
Making $5 to $20 a Day - Life of the Beach.
A Gold Digger representative indulged in a stroll
up the beach as far as Penny river on Friday last, with the object of
gaining an accurate knowledge of the extent of mining operations now
under way and of the preparations making for further prosecution of the
work. To say that what he saw and learned astonished him, is but putting
it mildly. The entire stretch of beach - a distance of twelve miles -
was found to be thickly lined with substantial cabins to the number of
upwards of 125, with a score or more grouped at Penny river. Besides
this were tents innumerable, the habitations of miners who had not yet
had time to put up more substantial structures. Within the tents and
cabins were found parties of men ranging in numbers to as high as seven,
and constituting a grand total of not less than 400.
Of this number, it was found by personal inquiry,
about half are actually engaged in mining at this time, while nearly the
whole of the other half are either prospecting for rich spots or are
watching the operations of their neighbors with a view of profiting by
their development work. The fact that a score or more were found who had
just arrived on the beach is evidence that the earnest advice of the
Gold Digger begun a couple of weeks ago, is bearing fruit and that the
beach will receive the attention this winter that it deserves.
Among those who have just got to work are the
following: Louis Gettant, Eugene Andrecetti, Holger Nelson, D. J.
Steffins, J. J. Miscall, Jack Flynn, Henry Alexander, Riley Wilkinson,
Charles Schultz, W. B. Martin, Tom Morgan, Tom Sullivan, J. P. Hall,
Otto J. Smee, John Finley, J. L. Williams, J. D. Reimers, P. O. Hallan,
John Johnson, William Stoney, M. Snell, Ed. Dozier, Pete Clark, John
Hammel, George Crawford, Joseph Williams, William Clark, J. H. Hall,
Lawrence Brekke, R. J. Tracy, F. J. Green, Wm. Travicer, E. Loranger.
James Beck, one of the well known Beck Brothers,
weas the first miner found at work. He is just on the outskirts of town,
and was as busy as a beaver. Frank Bibbee, Pat McCrystal and A. H.
Haynes, three neighbors, have never lost a lick since last summer. Their
pay streak is variable in quality, but they are doing satisfactorily.
George Schaffer and Rand McLaughlin calculate that they are making $20 a
day each, which is pretty good winter wages. J. Harris, formerly of the
Pioneer Mining Co. and A. L. ("Ben") Butler, have just got comfortably
settled in a cozy cabin. Thomas Parker, once associated with the Butte
restaurant, and John Mahear, have also just got settled, but will soon
be raising the pay dirt and washing it in a tub with water heated by a
machine. Henry Miller and George Lewis are withholding operations until
the mining conditions are improved, and Mr. Ladd is only awaiting the
return of his partner from York. W. Hasshend and John Arnot, two genial
gentlemen, who treated the newsgatherer most hospitably, will not do any
mining, but they have things fixed to enjoy life in regal indolence and
affluence.
George Caveley will begin work in a couple of
weeks.
F. E. Harris and E. G. Wood are holding down a
strip of beach from which $100 a day was taken by a miner during the
summer.
Joe Norris also has the pay-streak where it was
rich in the summer and is working it out into his cabin. The gentleman
is a miner of 25 years experience, from Sonora, Cal., and knows a good
thing when he sees it.
W. H. Duffield, James Farley, James Curtiss, Ole
Rapp, Albert Berg, John Hastins, J. F. Babcock, Frank Turner, P. O.
Hallan, John Johnson, G. Lieske, B. B. colcord, Ernest Kablac, J. P.
Morris, Frank Klein and Joseph Klein, his son, Wm. K. Lord, J. M.
Sowder, M. F. Biersdorf, John finley, Charles Drake and Perry Winfield
are prospecting for a location and J. C. Jacobson is preparing to do so.
F. Moran and Wm. H. Straight are two hurtling
partners of the right material. They have worked right through from the
summer and have made $200 since the freeze up. H. Koch, Nels Holms and
George Diedrich are piling up a dump, but will not do any rocking until
spring. E. H. Meredith and Peter T. Kob, are located about four miles
from town and are doing nicely. George C. Broderson and George W.
Gardner are working in their cabins and doing well. W. R. Anderson, E.
T. Seike and M. Blum worked all summer, doing well, and will continue
work during the winter.
E. A. Parsage and Peter Anderson are piling up a
good sized dump. S. J. Marsh, H. W. Harland and J. E. Berg are
comfortably located at cabin No. 101 and will be heard from in no
uncertain way. S. B. Ballew and George Streub are working rich dirt
opposite cabin No. 85, where they have been for several months. J. H.
Wilson, Mike Connellan and J. Trell are getting out a fine pile of ruby
sand and expect to do well. Mr. Wilson is one of those who believes the
beach gold came out of the sea, hence he is working near the edge of the
water.
One of the most industrious, p4rsistent, and
successful parties - as well as royal good fellows - are Messrs. Jack
Underwood ("Kangaroo Jack"), William Rye (the "Australian Nugget") and
James F. Freeman. They have panned as high as $50 in selected dirt and
expect their dump to average 30 cents to the pan. They are cozily
domiciled in cabin No. 75 but are working about a mile above there. As
high as nine ounces a day have been taken out in their locality.
James Lemay, E. Marcot and Victor Lord are
prospecting for a good location and expect soon to settle down to
substantial work. E. G. Stanley and A. Gordon, with their wives, are
located in tents about eight miles up. They are already turning over the
gravel and have a 40 cent nugget to exhibit as illustrating the quality
of their pay-streak. Messrs. Stoney and Snell are confident they will
make $6 a day each throughout the winter at the same place.
Thomas Kirkpatrick and George Corbett are putting
down a shaft on the edge of the tundra eight miles up, being now down
about 15 feet and expecting to go 50. They expect to find coarse gold on
bedrock. They are now in a peculiar wash strata - blue black in color,
made up of clay, pebbles, schist, etc., and having a soapy feeling. The
men deserve public credit for their plucky work.
L. Cox, an experienced miner who was on the upper
Yukon and Stewart rivers thirteen years ago, is associated with Borsch
and Fred Hulegenberg, about ten miles up the beach. Mr. Cox has no faith
in the prospecting for coarse gold on the tundra. Henry Alexander and
Riley Wilkinson have been prospecting industriously for a week, and will
soon be piling up a dump.
With such an array of brains and brawn at work on
the beach, and others going out daily, it cannot be long before the
affairs of Nome will receive a substantial quickening. An important
feature of this week's developments was furnished by a number of public
spirited business men, who outfitted numbers of men from their stocks
that they might go on the beach. Acts of that kind cannot fail to bear
rich fruit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A SPECIAL ELECTION.
Councilman Dam, at the meeting of the city
council last night, reported from the finance committee, that the
accounts of the chief of police had been examined and fund correct. He
also announced the auditing of small bills to the amount of $85.
Chairman Low, of the hospital committee, reported
in reference to the bills of Z. E. foster, for the city hospital, tht
while Mr. Foster had, in his opinion, overstepped the bounds to some
extend, yet he thought the bills should be paid. He said the firms owed
were large tax-payers.
On motion of councilman Pennington it was decided
to get the opinion of City Attorney Pittman as to whether Councilman
Wright's office should be declared vacant, he having been absent over 30
days.
In the case of a vacancy which the mayor declared
existed, a special election will have to be called.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CAME FROM THE YUKON.
On Monday morning ice filled the whole of the
ocean front as far as the eye could see. It was rough on the surface,
bunched up somewhat in places, and looked as though it came from a place
frigidly cold. There has been speculation as to whether this was arctic
ice, or ice form the Yukon flats. It seems to be the opinion that it is
the latter. The current in the ocean always sets for the north, and gets
stronger through Behring straits in the vicinity of cape Prince of
Wales. The Yukon ice by this current would be brought directly here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRAND CHARITY BALL.
The charity ball and entertainment for the
benefit of the hospitals, which took place this evening at Brown's hall,
was well attended. The program: Opening address, O. V. Davis; comic
song, Mr. Boyle; solo, Harry Leland; recitation, Peter McGrath; solo,
Miss Lamont; duet, with guitar, F. L. Bates, Mr. Birch, Mr. Wheeton;
solo, Mr. Jergens; recitation, R. McArthur; solo, Dr. J. G. Humphreys;
violin solo, Prof. Lampe; recitation, J. A. Campbell; solo, Mrs. B. F.
Miller. The ball took place afterward. There were quite a large number
of ladies present and some where very handsomely gowned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MASKED MEN TRY TO ROB.
Two masked men, each with a drawn revolver,
entered A. Dinkelspiel's store about 9 o'clock tonight, while J. P.
Preuse and Mr. Dinkelspiel were the only occupants, and ordered the
latter to hold up his hands. He refused and parleyed with them, and was
beaten on the head and wrist. He shouted "fire" and the men ran away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VESSEL IN DISTRESS.
An Unknown Craft in the Ice Displays Signals and
Fires Cannon.
Was Witnessed by Richard Negus and Others - It
was a Two-Masted Schooner.
Richard Negus, of Kimball & Co.'s store at
Sinrook, who arrived here today, reports that at about 4 o'clock Monday
a vessel in the ice off shore was displaying signals of distress and
firing cannon.
"It was a two-masted schooner," said Mr. Negus,
"and she displayed two flags. The firing of the cannon continued for
about an hour. I heard three shots very distinctly. The vessel could
just be seen by the eye. You could tell it was a sail.
"C. W. Garside, the surveyor, who was near at
hand, sighted through his transit and saw the two flags, and made out
that the vessel had two masts. The schooner was in the slush ice.
Whether she would get out of it is hard to tell.
"Where she came from, whither bound, who her
captain was and who were aboard, could not be ascertained. She was at
the time about fifteen miles northwest of Sledge island. As night closed
down we could still see her, but next morning she was lost to view."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOES OF JOSEPH CARROLL.
The black bottle, roulette and craps have brought
woe to Joseph Carroll, the expert trailsman. Carroll was to have left
Tuesday with mails for the N.A.T.&T. Co., the A. C. Co., the United
States military post and others, and was to take special edition of the
Gold Digger, as stated elsewhere. He did not settle for the edition,
however, and it will be forwarded by others.
Carroll started Tuesday night, and the next day
the A. C. Co. swore out a U.S. warrant for his arrest for obtaining a
sled under false pretenses, and William Crowdy and William Blatchford
have gone to serve it; they expect to overtake the trailsman. Carroll is
also charged with taking three dogs not his own. He left mails which he
should have taken.
He had been in a bad mental condition for a day
or two. Carrolll came well recommended by F. L. Bates, of the A. C. Co.,
and others, which accounts for matter concerning him on another page,
which was off the press before he left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEWS NOTES.
Carl von Knobelsdorff, known as the "flying
Dutchman" will leave November 10th, accompanied by John H. Milne, for
Dawson and Skagway with mails.
Conrad Seim, of the J. S. Kimball Co., will
employ ten men on the beach sand.
James Wilson of the Grotto, this week bought of
one Schultz and partner $46 worth of beach gold which they took out in a
day.
The Nome Library Society had a large attendance
Monday evening, and an exciting debate on "Shall we annex the
Philippines?"
L. L. Burrell and N. N. Brown will leave December
1st with mails for St. Michael, and expect to start on their return
December 25th with United States mails.
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Page 2.
It is gratifying that men are responding to the
suggestions that money awaits all who will give their attention to the
beach. Now cabins are being built and camps are being pitched all along
the shore. Men are drifting and rocking. There are scenes of activity in
many places. The finding of the $36.70 nugget by J. W. Algon in some of
the old diggings on the beach, shows new possibilities there.
Besides the rich ruby sand there is coarse gold,
it may be in large amounts. The secrets of the shore can only be exposed
by the pinck, shovel and sluice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHURCH NOTICE.
Congregational church services, Brown's hall,
every Sunday morning. Service 11 a.m., Rev. Raymond Robins preaching.
Sunday school 12 n. Y.P.S.C.E., 6:30 p.m. Evening service 7:30, Rev.
Loyal L. Wirt, preaching. A cordial invitation is extended to all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUNICIPALITY OF NOME, DISTRICT OF ALASKA.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT AN Assessment roll of
the taxable property has been prepared and a levy of a tax of 1-3/4 per
cent declared. Taxes become delinquent in thirty days, and thereafter
draw interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum until paid.
On all taxes paid within thirty days a rebate of
1 per cent will be allowed.
To the full amount of all taxes not paid within
60 days will be added a penalty of 12 per cent of the full amount of
said tax.
The Municipal council will on Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday nights next, sit in the council room as a board of
equalization.
Taxes may be paid immediately at my office.
Nome, Alaska, November 17, 1899. J. P. Rudd,
Municipal Treasurer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM BRUHNER CREEK.
Rich Coarse gold Obtained From Bed Rock Three
Feet Down.
W. B. Thompson, formerly of Cripple Creek, Colo.,
and W. H. Campbell, of Michigan, who have been prospecting at Cape York,
are in the city. They brought down some coarse gold from a claim on
Bruhner creek, which was obtained from the bed-rock at a depth of three
feet. This is the only place in the district, so they recounted to the
Gold Digger, that the bed-rock has been reached.
Messrs. Thompson and Campbell were formerly of
the schooner Echrett party that explored the Kotzebue country.
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Page 3.
BLOWN OUT TO SEA.
Alex. Patterson, a Beach Miner, Believed to Have
Been Lost in the Ice.
Was One of the E. B. Dozier Party and Had Only a
Little Rice and Vegetable Soup - Some supplies Went Down.
On Wednesday, Alex. Patterson, who with E. B.
Dozier and George Crawford, started up the beach with a boat load of
provisions for beach mining, was blown out to sea, and, it is feared,
lost. Dozier, as the head and front of the expedition, was by aid of
Crawford, urging along the dogs that had the boat in tow. Suddenly a
breeze sprang up, and Patterson shouted to Dozier that he would cut the
dogs loose and hoist the sail.
The boat went beautifully for a time, but a
squall caught it ere long and Patterson could not control it. He was
nearly submerged several times, and finally drifted from view. By this
time it was moonlight. Dozier hired a boat and went some fifteen miles
out but could see nothing of the lost man. He fears that he has
perished.
Mr. Dozier says that off shore there was any
amount of ice, and that if Patterson ever got in this, his boat would be
ground to pieces. All Patterson had with him in the boat were fifteen
pounds of rice, five of vegetable soup, a box of candles, and two
bottles of whiskey.
Blankets and other things were lost. Mr. Dozier
returned to the city again on Friday and got additional supplies. His
cabin is three miles this side of Penny river. The place of the accident
was six miles this side. Patterson was a cook and came from Dawson
several months ago. He was unmarried and about 30 years old.
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Page 4.
HEADLESS BODY FOUND.
The Mystery of the Discovery of an Unknown and
Possibly Murdered Man.
The Coroner at Cape York Could Find No Letters,
Or Other Data by Which to Identify Him.
H. B. Manning and T. Maloney arrived here on
Friday from Cape York, and reported that a headless body had, a few days
before they left, drifted ashore near there.
The head was cut off clean and clear, suggesting
the possibility of murder, but nothing definite could be learned
regarding the matter. There were almost no clothes on the body, and no
letters or other writing by which to identify it. Thee coroner held an
inquest and the jury decided the man came to his death by means unknown.
"It is possible the man's head was cut off by the
ice," said Mr. Manning, although that is hardly likely. It is known
however, that a few weeks ago a boat with two men in it was blown away
from Port Clarence during a storm. The body found had been in the salt
water for a long time. It drifted ashore at a point about three miles
above Cape York.
"Mystery hangs over the matter and probably
always will. Whether it was a murder or whether the man was lost off
shore and drifted into the ice, where his head was sawn off by the
jagged edges of a pack, is a matter unsolved. His family and friends
will wait to see or hear from him in vain."
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TROUBLE OVER RECORDERS.
Two claim the Office in the Cripple River
District - charge of Illegality.
James McCoskrie, for some time past recorder of
the Cripple river district, is having some trouble to hold the office. A
few days ago there was a new election, and J. A. Jackson received the
largest vote. McCoskrie claimed the election was illegal because men
participated who had not been in the district 30 days, or held recorded
property. He also alleges that more ballots were counted than persons in
the room, as shown by the tellers. He therefore holds the books. He says
they may be copies, but he will not give them up till another recorder
is elected. A visitor to McCoskrie's house says it looked like an
arsenal.
Jackson's friends say McCoskrie called the
meeting himself, but did not circulate notices broadcast, only placing
one on his door. The chairman of the meeting was George Cromack and the
secretary A. J. Kelsey.
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ADVERTISING.
Charles Hoppe - Signs and Wall Paper
Frank C. Blatter, Photographer
Miner Bruce, Proprietor, Hotel Casco
J. S. Kimball Co. - Banking
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ARGOSY OF THE SNOWS.
Departure of Joseph Carroll for the Yukon and
Interior and the Outside.
He Will Carry Mail to Nearly Every City and Town
of the Yukon and the Pacific Coast.
Joseph Carroll, the trailsman who has made four
trips from the Yukon via Mackenzie river to the Arctic ocean, will leave
for the Yukon and outside.
He carries with him a very large edition of the
paper, and will place it before the public in all the camps and cities
of the Yukon valley for 2,300 miles. From Dawson he will go to White
Horse Rapids, Bennett and Skagway distributing the paper, and will then
sail for Seattle and San Francisco where he will do likewise. The
circulation of this large edition in this way will be of great advantage
to Nome. It will be a winter message to interior Alaska and the United
States as to the status of things at Nome, the great center of the
Arctic gold country, toward which so many eyes are now turned. Starting
from the city of Nome, Mr. Carroll will proceed by way of Golovin bay,
Eaton, St. Michael, Nulatta, Rampart, Circle City, Eagle City and Forty
Mile direct to Dawson. He expects to reach the latter place inside of 60
days.
He will change his dog teams three times while en
route. His team of dogs with which he sets out will be changed at
Nulatta, 800 miles from here. The next change will be at Rampart, 350
miles further on, and the third change will be at Circle City, 512 miles
onward. From there is a run of but 270 miles to reach the great city of
the Klondike.
Indians will accompany the traveler, one at a
time in relays. He will have no other company. He will carry
considerable mail. His sled is a big basket affair, a sort of argosy of
the snows. He carries a small tent and individual provisions.
He expects to reach Skagway, 600 miles from
Dawson, the last of February. His arrival on the coast and at San
Francisco cannot be timed, owing to the irregularity of the steamers,
but at any rate it will be soon after reaching Skagway.
Carroll has made the trip between St. Michael and
Dawson previously. He has also made 17 trips between Fort Yukon and
Circle City in one season. Besides this, he is the only man in Alaska
who has ever driven 68 dogs in one team. His four winter trips from the
heart of the Yukon to the Arctic ocean have made his a phenomenon as a
winter traveler.
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