Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-14
GOLD IS ABUNDANT.
q. A. Walsh IN Receipt Of a Letter
From Cape Nome.
RICH SANDS ON THE SEA BEACH

RICH SANDS ON THE SEA BEACH
Former Associate of Mr.. Wnlall IN
Alaska Wrstes of the Stampede
to Cape Prince of Wales
Provisions Scarce.
Charles A. Walsh, secretary of the
democratic national committee,
is in receipt of personal letter from
John X. Sewell, of Nome, Alaska.
Mr.. Sewell is a friend of Mr.. Walsh,
was associated with him at Dawson
City and is vouched for by Mr.. Walsh
as being perfectly reliable. The letter,
while not as enthusiastic in tone as
some which are written by Alaska
boomers for public consumption, cor
roborates much that has been written1
of the gold output of the Cape Nome
country and its future. Cape Nome is
now the destination of more gold seek
ers than any other part of the world.
A copy of paper published at Lake
/
Dawson City, dated Sept. 3, has been
received in Des Moines. 1t states that
tremendous rush to Nome is expected
in the spring. Fear is expressed, how
ever, for those in the Nome country,
rs food is scarce and likely to be high.
According to the Lake Bennett paper,
ly to result this winter from lack of
10 4, II
coal supply short and high-priced. The
town of Nome, formerly Anvil City, isl
on the west coast of Alaska. south of
ing in the vicinity of Nome is now be-
of the beach being washed in rockers.
According to Mr.. Sweeney, one man
mas operated short sluice, and accord
ing. to the Lake Bennett paper. several
sluices We're to be put in operation
next spring. CLAIMS have also been
staked along the creeks flowing into
returns have been had, although but
little work has been done.
Mr. Swceney's Letter.
Mr.. Sewell's letter to Mr.. Walsh fol-
lows:
"Nome, Sept. 90, 1900. A. Walsh,
Ottumwa, Iowa: | suppose you
were somewhat surprised this summer
to findI had left Dawson where 1 was
doing so well. Well, come to think
about it, / am surprised at myself, but
as that.is not the first and only time
have made 3 fool break, am irving to
overlook it and make amends as best
can. Just now am practicing and do
ing fairly we'll; made about $500 last
month, and did not spend it all, either,
but hope to do better this month.
This city, Nome, is what was for
merly Anvil City. The town has lately
been incorporated and the city election
has been held, electing mayor and
&c uncilmen. The usual amount of
''hooch" was partaken of, and the usual
jolly time resulted; no deaths, how
ever.
This place is much more disorderly
than Dawson ard will be pretty Wild
next summer, as there must surely be
great immigration here then. The best
you hear of the richness of the dis
trict is not exaggerated. l saw two
nuggets down in the Eldora saloon
which weighed over 500. The territory
SO far prospected is very limited, but
4 the indications are, that the gold field
is fully as extensive as the Klondike
and Indian river. The only gold so far
taken out is from the claims where the
bedrock is shallow. The ground here is
4 even more saturated with water than
above. However rich these creeks are,
| they will not. l believe, ever make this
town the Dawson City is, for the sim
1 pie reason too much ground is owned
/ by few individuals, who not only
staked their own Btwenty-acre claims
on each creek, and one also on each of
its pups, but are holding. by power of
attorney, innumerable claims staked
for friends. There was any amount of
4 litigation for a time, but things are
somewhat quieter now. Rawson is
i United States land commissioner and
seems to give pretty good satisfaction
in his decisions.
I There are several law firms here and
. some of them have done remarkably
well. The fees they get would make
you dizzy. Dawson don't think is in
it on that line. AS the bench claims at
Dawson We're the salvation of the
cheecharko, so the bench diggings here
have been the means of putting a nice
little sum into the pockets of 1000
busted" Klondikers. l am safe in say
: ing that anyone can make SIS per day
on this beach with a rocker, and a
| great many have made 500 per day
and over. Is it not wonderful? i dc
not mean that any place you chance tc
put shovel down you will get even q
good SIS dirt, but there is 10 difficulty
, in getting place where you can make
that. l have wished ever and ever sc
: many times for Rosecrans and Stewart
The pay is in black and ruby sand
! pay streak which lies from six inches
to six feet below the surface and is
: from one-half to six inches thick.
have heard of pans going as high a:
: $31. All the work so far has beer
/. done with rockers, with the exception
of two or three sluices, which have JUS
,, lately been put in operation, the water
being pumped from the sea with cen
trifugal pump and then shovel sand in
> to the boxes. 1 do not know how wei
, they have done, but do not think yer.
: well. Such plants are not portable
enough "A steam shovel could be llset