Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-01-13
HE'S A GREAT MAN.
The Gold Commissioners of the KIonp
dixie Yields Mighty Power,

The Gold Commissioner of the KlOns
dixie Yields Mighty Power,
In the rush Of news about the Won
derful gold discoveries in the Klondlke
there has been mention made once in
awhile about the gold commissioner"
but as yet the public is not aware how
important parsonage he is. 1t is indeed
B hard matter for people in the United
States to think of disputes involving
large wealth being settled promptly,
and that settlement putting an end to
all quibbling. According to reports
from the Klondike the gold commits
sioner yields power that is fairly as
tonishing, in that he listens TO cases
involving ownership to gold claims and
renders his decisions promptly. If there
has otbeen some big mistake in reports
his decision is final, and the adjustment
that he announces becomes the law that
all interested parties must abide by.
A case in direct line is that of Ron
Crawford, formerly clerk of the mu-
nicipal court in this city. A year ago
Michael Kelly, well-hnown Seattle pi-
oneer, went to the Klondike with his
son. Father and son located several
claims on different creeks, with the I'M
Outstanding that they would share the
proceeds equally. The elder Kelly de-
cided TO return TO Seattle last spring
and left his son on the claim last To-
Gated. II was what is now known as
No. so. below Discovery, on bonanza
creek. At that time the Klondke was
not known to be a bed of glittering
gold.
Kelly was anxious to return to the
gold fields, but desired to raise money
in order to leave his family in comfort
able circumstances. He met Ron
Crawford and proposed to sell him
half interest in his claims for $1,000.
Crawford hustled around, mortgaged
his property disposed of his iewelry
and by tahiag some friends in with him
got enough moGeyto pay Kelly the
81 900. Crawford went to the Klon-
dixie last spring. ard to his dsmay
found that young Kelly. not knowing
what his father had done, had sold the
Bonanza claim to an English syndicate
for $4,000.
When the elder Kelly found out what
had taken place he said that Crawford
had made his purchase in good faith
and that his rights must be protected.
The affair was referred to the gold
commissioner, who decided that Craw-
ford and his associates were to have
half of the claim. but that they must
pay to the English syndicate 81 500 out
of the first cleanup, while the Kellys
should return to the English syndicate
SIS 900, or half the original purchase
price paid by them to young Kelly.
This decision was accepted by all par
ties without murmur, and that is how
tangle was settled in day that would
have been a source of endless litigation
in the United States.
Miners say that Crawford's claim is
worth between 100000 and 100000
Seattle (Wash.) Times.
Wonderful Natural Records.
Prof. Stanislas Meunier. of the Paris
Museum of Natural History, recently
called attention to the surprising va
riety of the records which the rocks of
the earth contain, relating to the simple
daily occurrences of millions of years
ago Among such records are to be
found not only the tracks of extinct
animals and the impressions of rain
drops left in the wet sand or clay. but
also distinct traces of the effects OF
wind and of sunshine upon the sea
beaches. Prof. Meunier Illustrated, by
means of experiments. the manner in
which these records had been preserved
by nature.-Youth's Companion.