The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-05
GOLD MINES Of ALASKA
The Strange Beach Diggings at
Cape Nome.
GOV. BRADY'S REPORT
How the Discoveries OF Anvil Greek
Were Made-A Few Men Locate
Every thing of Value-How
to Get There.

AS much interest now centers in Cape
Nome and its prospects, the portion Of
the report of Hon. John T. Brady, gov
ernor of Alaska, which relates to the
Cape Nome district will doubtless be
Governor Brady says:
'One is embarrassed when he tries to
set forth an accurate and truthful state
ment in regard to the production, both
from the quartz and placer mines and
as to the promises of production in the
immediate future. 1t is only here and
there that we can get reliable reports.
The production from placers in South
western Alaska is carried on upon the
Porcupine and neighboring streams
near the boundary on what is known
as the Dalton Trail leading up from
Pyramid harbor, situated upon Lynn
canal. We have no means of knowing
the product of this camp, but from
what is reported it must be already
amounting to several thousand dollars.
The gold is coarse and assays well.
Hydraulic mining has been carried on
j II.
Ihls plant has been in operation for
several years and parties this year have
taken hold of the next lower basin in
GOLD creek and are proceeding to run
tunnels and to develop a very large
hydraulic plant. They have reasonable
prospects that this enterprise will be
profitable. We jump to the Yukon val
ley and take Eagle City as the center,
and we find that Forty Mile creek and
that region have been very promising
this year toward the very close of the
season, and the rich cleanup of many
of the claims excited great interest
among many of the old-timers who have
been successful upon the Klondike, and
some of them hurried down to purchase
interests, for which they paid Very large
sums. There are several thousands of
square miles in that region which can
be put down as good placer mining ter
ritory; the great stampede to Dawson
left it almost deserted for two years,
but it is now coming to the front and
conservative estimate of that camp
can be placed at $750,000. AS we pro-
coed down the river we find that Cir
Gle City is the headquarters of the next
mining section, Birch creek, and its
tributaries on the south side of the
Yukon. There is considerable prospect
ing and some of the claims have turned
out we'll; the product is estimated at
$3.50 900 Down the river we come to
Rampant City, which is the headquar-
ters for Manook, Hoosier and other
creeks. This is one of the newest of the
camps, and considering the number of
men and efforts put forth the returns
are very favorable. The estimate for
the output is $3.50, 900. Last year the
koyukuk river excited great attention
and great many companies QUILTED
a very considerable expense build
ing stern Wheelers. taking pumps and
nd oil
supply of provisions and proceeded to
ascend the river. They found co1ors on
the bars as they went up, and believed
that if they could get to the sources
they would find coarse gold. They scat
tered along the various tributaries,
built their winter quarters and pro-
ceeded to prospect. Their greatest diff
ficulty in attempting to reach bedrock
at any point was with the water. They
tried in all ways to overcome it, but
could not. Many became sick with
scurvy and suffered intensely; some,
however. pushed north to the head
tributaries of this great river and found
good prospects. One party of Swedes.
upon a creek called Myrtle creek, had
succeeded in whipsawing lumber and
erecting set of sluice boxes and had
cleaned up several thousand dollars in
coarse gold in a short time. About an
ounce of this gold was exhibited by
sold the SWedes a portion of his outfit
before going out. The majority of the
Koyukuk prospectors left the river sick
and discouraged, but nearly all of them
believe that gold was in the country
and that it would yet be found What
has just been said above concerning
these people who went to the Koyukuk
may be said OF those who went to Kot-
zebue Sound and endeaVored to pros
pect the streams which empty there.
II is pitiable to listen to the stories of
their suffering. Many fell by the way.
Scurvy was the scourge. and the cause
of this disease does not seem to be well
understood. Men had good outfits of
all kinds of food that can be taken into
camp, yet many Of them took the dis
ease and died. ''
Mr. Sperry. an elderly gentleman
from Cincinnati, wintered there, and
crossed over in the spring to the Koy-
ukuk river. He was met at Circle City
He thinks the reason why men take
the scurvy is that they break up their
regular habits They lie in bed dur
ing the cold weather and do not take
their meals regularly, and are not
careful about cooking their food prop
erly He said that he was not troubled
in the slightest. He was careful to
have regular hours for meals and to
take exercise. 1t may be that this ten
dency to hibernate during the dark
cola days III that Arctic region is the
main cause of the scurvy. The natives
are not troubled with it. They have
to get out and exert themselves to
supply their wants, and of course they
always have a fresh diet of fish and
flesh.
Last year placer gold was found
upon Fish river and it's tributaries
which empty into Golofnin bay. The
mining district was organized and a
recorder elected Some claims were
worked for a short period before the
winter set in The amount of the
output cannot be ascertained
In July last year a rumor reached |