The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-22

one else to work them for nearly two
years. II Is also wei!-known that big
majority of these power OF attorney men
are men that never worked in their lives.
and never intend to. and assessment work
is something that they never even think
of doing.
The way In which the law Is evaded IL
both simple and easy. We will say. for
instance. that the man who located TWEEN
~ miles Of claims viii start out about the
first Of January with his Ratchet and lead
pencil when the great bulk or the people
have left for the winter and there is moth
ing done In the hills. and viii proceed ~
change the names on all the stakes. and
then go back to town and get them all
recorded over again
As ne had lust eighty claims. the record
ing will cost him $500. instead OF the =. 600
required II he did the assessment work
He will then be enabled 10 hold the claims
for two years more. and neither work
them himself nor allow any one else TOT
work them. II half what | hear IN true.
twenty miles OF placer ground Is not the
most that one man hoids In this country,
as l have been told on what | consider
good authority that the United States COM
missioner Al St Michael has over Ion
claims. and have not the slightest doubt
that the statement is correct.
This rs fair statement Of the condi-
lions that now prevail at Cape Nome and
which Judge Jackson has undertaken 10
defend, and which he seems To think ought
ssiil 10 be continued.
tn. Judge also claims that those who
located claims on the tundra along the
bank were also entitled to all the gold
between the hank and the sea. This may
be. and probably IL. the law. but II II Is
the people OF the United States canno; Ire
informed any too soon Of the fact that
digging fer gold I'm the Cape Nome coun-
try H. a crime. and II Is very proper that
the thousands NJ people who are Eona
there mex. spring should know this before
they start, every place where there
seems 20 be even "A possibility of finding
gold liz staked nv some one.
Had Judge JacksonS view ri the law
been strictly enforced IL is no, likely that
this beach would have been worked nj all.
ss ;ha claims along the bank were held
by spec aiators OF whom only a fSw we're
In The country al the time. and about z tst
men had been at Kofzehue sound ard on
the koyuh9k and in other parts 81 Alaska.
would, most OF them, have gone back
broken DO WI 81 health and spirits 70 Gasii-
tate families and mort gagged homes. But
on account Of the law no. being enforced,
they went nu; with from TOO 20 ss.v5b each
70 meet the loved ones tisat they rad left
behind and find themselves welcomed ia
their homes TO which they could bring
comfort and happiness. What viii happen
next summer IL The present conditions are
continued does not require n prophet To
tell.
Those who have been there and under
stand the conditions that prevail know ex-
BcgIy what must happen. II e9Vsj people
r. there nezt spring there Will be twenty
or thirty or less than "A hundred, come pat
F.ch. Seine ef them will have a half a
ton and some % sasfE ton 81 gold,
perhaps more. BAT IL - quite safe 10 FAY
that some here near - pr cent of ali
the resi- will GENE back broke II Will
make TO difference II there IL sfTike az
Cape York ar anyx here elss~~th@ country
wid al ~ located long before they see ~.
The beach has tsesfs. or will -. reEkg Is nSit
before they get there. az the WORK can ia
continued very i21s in the ga4s ana cam
fges7csa very sar3s in tire spring
On ne other hand. II people were allowed
n nina ali over tha country tire same 90
they mined on the tHaea lass summer There
vnsgns De s1.sss4 OF 10 90 people EG there
rext summer. and fw0-GhiFds 90 them re-
turn an well fixed financially as those no
worked On ths asseh. and IN all pgfsssahil-
fty ahsszt 30 go 800 added to tbs. wealth ~
the I1vsltess stasex II seems 20 nse only
rSsht that raen VITO So - those fsr~zEay
Arctic w4I8s~t0 that bleak ishggpssa be.
fever stricken country should - allowed
- Gig fer gold wherever they think they
can ans4 T. II always seemed 70 ne q fsas-
ur&l right that should saos Dc denied TO any
American cislxsn-
Bsrcs Greek District Lava.
Bat. 0f course. under the present cir
eamstancss ILLS cannot he allowed bat