The record-union., 1899-07-30
The River Lower This Year Than
for Seasons Past.
Grave Fears Of Steamers Being Able 10
Ascend Until Warm Rains Occur.
Lieutenant Spau1ding Of the Third
Artillery Gives Out Statement
Regarding His Action During
the Troubles in the Cape Nome
Mining District.

ST. MICHAEL, July II (via San
Francisco, July 80. - Lieutenant
Spaulding, Third Artillery, U. S. A., and
his detail of twenty-five men, returned
on July 18th from Cape Nome, having
been relieved by a squad Of like
number under command of Lieutenant
Craigie of the Seventh Regiment, which
arrived last week on the ST. Paul from
San Francisco. During the two weeks
they We're at Nome, Lieutenant Spauld-
ing and his men We're kept busy nearly
every hour of the twenty-four. Up to
the time of dispensing the miners
meeting on the evening of the 10th, the
principal portion of their work con-
sisted in adjusting cases of town lot
jumping.
Regarding his action in dispensing the
miners meeting Lieutenant Spaulding
says: For several days preceding the
meeting, 1 heard that it was the inten-
ton of those interested in the meeting
to pass a resolution throwing open the
district for relocation. Such action as
this would no doubt have caused blood
shed, as men owning the claims would
not have permitted outsiders to jump
them, consequently when the meeting
was called to order by a man named
Clark, and the resolution had been read
L addressed the chair, stating that l
was there to represent the United
States Government and would not per-
nit them to pass such resolution that
it they persisted 1 would clear the hall.
Il stationed in the rear of the room
six men and Sergeant, with drawn
bayonets; and when 1 noticed a dispo-
sition on the part of the miners to
remain, ordered my men to clear the
hall, which they did Later several
crowds gathered in the street, which
I also dispersed The next day 1
learned on absolutely reliable authority
that men were stationed on the brow
of the hill back of the town waiting for
the signal that the resolutions had been
adopted, when they would rush for the
claims and re-stake them.
THE men at the meeting, and es-
pecially the ringleaders, were very
much incensed at me for upSetting
their plans, and threats We're made to
lynch me, but here I am. Out Of the
crowd of 800 who attended the meeting
1 do not believe there were more than
100 bonafide claim owners. Many of
them were men who have been run out
of other camps in Alaska, and would,
ii they dare, run things to suit them
selves at Nome.
Zone of the most rabid agitators at
the meeting arrived at camp only
forty-eight hours before the meeting.
He was offered a so per cent. lay, which
he refused because the ground had
never been prospected, and even when
offered So a day to prospect the same
before accepting the lay he refused. 1t
is this kind of men who would rob the
legitimate miners of their just rights"
Lieutenant Spaulding is upheld in his
action by the solid element of the camp
and district.
Steam vessels and sail craft which
have given the bay lively appearance
since the opening of navigation have
considerably thinned out, and with the
exception of the steamer Charles Mel
son, the only ocean craft remaining at
ST. Michael are several sailing vessels,
a whaler and the revenue cutters Rush
and Nunivak The Nunivak, Lieutenant
Camden commanding, will soon be
placed in commission on the Yukon, and
owing to the low water in the river it
is question among steamship men and
pilots whether she will be used in that
stream.
The Grant, Perry and Thetis have not
yet arrived from Dutch Harbor, and
the Bear has not returned from her
cruise to Siberia.
The water in the Yukon River is
lower this year than for many seasons
and grave fears are expressed of the
ability of the river steamers being able
to get up or down until the melting of
the ice and warm rains increase the
size of the stream. The same condi
lions of affairs exist on, the upper
river, which renders traffic over the
lakes even more uncertain than by the
lower river.