The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-11-16
WONDERFUL CAPE NOME.
MissVarinBs Had Hard Lack in the
hiondike. but Fonnd Success
mt the Cape.


Paris this morning. after an absence
Of Is months In Alaska. They were
members Of local company OF Is
business men, who spcnt $4,000 in a
vain search for the fabulous gold fields
reported TO exist In Alaska two years
ago. Mr. Holbrook spent all Of last
winter on the Kayukuk river, beyond
the arctic circle. He says that hum
areds Of men were lured into that dis
trirt by reports Of wonderful ilnds ot
gold and that. after several months
Of heroic prospecting, not single
strike Of gold was made. DIR. Allen.
with several other members Of the
Paris company, located nearly forty
claima around l,ampart City, aud
worked all the winter prospecting
them. Not an ounce of gold was tak1
en- out Of any Of the claims
Last July they started back to Mis-
souu. While waiting for q ship ut
st. Michaels the reports Of the Won
dcrful richness Of the Caps Nome dis
trict reached them, and they decided
TO try their luck once more. They ~
manned at Cape Nome until October ..
Both gentlemen confirm previous re-
ports AZ TO the richness Of that dis
/ tFict.
II suppose the Cape Nome gold fields
arr the most remarkable IN the world"
Mr. Holbrook said Il was al ST. Mi
chnel'E when the first reports about
the new district were received. Old,
experienced miners Fidiculed the idea
n gold being found in the sands along
the beach, and thought the reports
were another hatch q: lies started 10y
the trading sud transportation COM
pauicN. A month later. however. re-
linblc personal friend confirmed the
reports had heard. Here was
| chance to make back the money ! had
wasted In other mining camps. and
lost no time Ia getting to the cape.
In no other part Of the world could
such mining camp be seen as ! saw
ut Cape Nome. For twenty miles the
beach was thickly dotted with tents,
and every man who could buy n pan
was washing gold from the sands
along the share. joined the crowd,
and averaged $40 q day the first week.
I wrote to ST. Michael's for the rest ~
our crowd, and FIVE Of the Paris hoys
joined me MS soon On they could make
the trip. The beach was free go all,
and We had ~ good chance as any
body. Our hest days work yielded an
average Of Sb- in gold 20 each man. |
know of a number of men who have
cleaned up $500 10 $1,000 in one day,
and in one instance three men in one
day took out 5000 These. of cuurs",
are exceptional cuses, but will serve
M illustrations Of the richness Of tho
district
"ln other mining camps In Alaska
Il is necessary to thaw the ground 20
bed rock-a distance OF IS To 800 feet
before the proprietor knows whHt
the results oi his lal'ors will be. This
IL very expensive and very iaborious.
II IA different at Cape Nome. There u
strip ~ beach go feet 10 100 feet wide
and 90 10 100 miles long Is lich In gold.
There is no expensive re,sIrding ~
claims, and no tedious and doubtful
weeks of prospecting. The beach Is
public property. No claims can hc
stukcd. and no wealthy syndicate can
monopolize the rich sections. Every
man has an equal chance, and oil the
capital that is necessary is good health
and o good pan aud shovel. Tho sand
Is from "a 10 80 Inches deep. II h easy
to handle, and the BehrinE sen, few
feet away, furnishes an inexhaustible
supply OF water for washing the gold.
The fact that 6ny man with n reason
able amount Of energy can make good
money along the shore has made II
next TO impossible for n" owners Of
claims further hack to hire men TO
work them. when | started home
day lnborerE were In good demand at
$40 q day and hoard, and mechanics
at SIS day and board. Frcsh meat
was selling at 81 per pound, bacon az
90 cents, and everything else in pro-
portion.
zone drawback to mining on the
beach Is the fact that II IL impossible
TO work when n high wind IL blowing
from the sea, Ms the waves dash so
high upon the shore the gold hunters
are forced 20 quit work and move up
to higher ground.
"oniy about 1000 men will winter
az Cape Nome. as II is impossible 10
work after the winter sets in. The Ice
makes IL impossible for ships to get
In after November. II Ia an unhealthy
place. too. when left an epidemic Of
typhoid fever was raging. and many
deaths had already occurred.
"Anyll City, the capital OF the dis
trict, is a mere shauty town. II 80
built of such light and lnhammnblc
material that " fire once starts the
whole town will be destroyed, and
everybody predicts such an occur
renee before spring.
"The scarcity Of fuel 10 the most se-
riouH problem that confronts the camp
this winter. There 10 none to be had
In that vicinity. and the people depend
almost entirely on fuel imported from
the states. When ] left Cape Noms
coal was worth $50 ton, and not
enough was in sight TO last until JAM
uarJ.
II expect TO go back as soon NJ nnvi-
cation opens In the spring. The STAN
pSde into that district win eclipse any.
ding in the history Of Alaska. and
predict that by the end OF next season
the thousands That win work along the
beach up there will exhaust the sup.
ply Of gold In the sands.
Fight TO rs niles back from the
beach, hewevcr, good paying claims
have heen located. and mining is car
ried on as II IN in the Dawson C.ty dis
trict. I know os ono claim that sold
for $4,000. and hcyeraI nthers are
held at st,opo,ooo or more
"The stampede to Cape Nome has al
most depopuinte9 Dawson City, Ram
part City ami other districts ON the
Yukon. The freight aud passengss
traffic up that river are practically 9
thing of the past. Our company ha,