The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-01-28
"Nigger Jim" Daughtry Comes Out.

on the Sound Saturday, with forty-five
klondikers aboard, among them jim
Doughtry. Some of them were mine.
owners, and it is reported that about
$25O,OOO in gold and about as much
IN drafts were brought out, Doughtry
having three sacks, six inches long by
three inches thick, and one large cam.
vas bag filled with the precious metal
altogether load for strong man
His partner, Stevens, had about $685.
OOO
Daughtry and Stevens probably rep
resent as much wealth as all the other
Klondikers combined, together hold
ing over fifteen claims, some of which
| are among the most valuable on the
Yukon river. They have been in part
nership about a year, and have acquir-
ed their property by purchase. Ste
vens has not even used his own RICH t
of location while Doughtry holds one
claim on French Gulch, which he To-
Gated himself. John Ludgate, who
left Seattle on the 18th, and missed
Daughtrv, is said to have staked the
latter to go to Alaska. The following
information is taken from the Post
IntellIgencer:
Daughtray is one of the most inter
esting personalities that has been de-
veloped in the far northern mining
camp. His souhriquet, "Nigger jim, .
has been gained by Southern twang
OF speech. He is redolent OF the min
strel stage. He is known to almost
everybody on the Yukon. Three
years ago he was rolling logs in Shell
ton for livelihood Quite recently
he has developed fondness for shoot
ing craps at ST. 900 throw, and does
not feel that his appetite can be salts
fled on meal costing less than an
ounce of gold dust. He has been in
the Klondike three years and got his
start by the sale of No. 27, above, on
Bonanza creek. Since then he has
increased his holdings by judicious in
vestments until, together with Ste
vens, he holds claims which represent
millions of dollars. He himself does
not know the extent of his fortune
and he will get his first idea from the
cleanup next spring. Daughtry may
have manner that wins friends in
the Klondike, but he is little brusque
for civilization. as several well-mean-
ing callers who approached him yes
terday in the lobby of the Butler ho-
tel, found out.
Fred Stevens, "Nigger Jim's" part
ner, has a genial disposition, which
has not been curdled by the warm
glow Of prosperity. He was here a
year ago. At that time he had but
little money and few expectations.
He was then planning to build an ope-
ra house in Dawson. The successful
carrying out of his plan gave him his
start He built the opera house last
summer. 1t was 10Ox40 feet and, in
that country, was considered mag
nifcent building Early last fall he
sold the opera house for $4,000. In
September he went into partnership
with "Nigger jim" Since forming
the alliance the two have acquired the
following properties:
No. 49 above, on Bonanza.
Nos. IA, Is, 76, II below, on Bonanza.
No. 80 below, on Hunker.
No. 16 below, on Sulphur.
No. 21 above, on Henderson.
Nos. II, IL and 13, on Star creek a
tributary of Hunker.
No. 3, on Moosehide.
No. 21 above, on Eureka creek.
A third of bench claims Nos. 4 and
5, on Eldorado, with Frank Berry.
A third of No. 81 below, on Bonanza.
"Nigger Jim" owns himself another
claim on French gulch. Either Stew
ems or Daughtry will go from here to
New York city, where they have
proposition to sell claims Nos. IA, 70,
76 and II below, on Bonanza. 1t is
understood that James A. Pearce, rep
resenting New York capital, has ali
option on these claims for S4OO,OO
AS soon as this deal is closed "Nigger
jim" will start on his return to Daw-
son. over the ice, in order to be present
at the spring cleanup. During the
absence of the two claim owners their
affairs are in the hands of Jacob Winn.
Miners on their property are receiving
$3.50 per hour.
1--WE did not come out because of a
shortage of provisions" said Fred
Stevens yesterday at the Rainier