The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-25

Special Correspondence Psost-Intelllgencer.
NOME, Alaska. Aug. paul kJegsted
and seven companions havo by nerest
chance, born OF necessity, stumbled upon.
taken possession OF and are now operating
one of the very richest creek claims I'm
the whole Nome country, the best ioca-
tions on Anvil creek not excepted.
II is a remarkable story. and illus
trates the extraordinary luck that one
may encounter in a mining country, while
the vast majority go broke.
Rjegsied and companions discovered
small and rich spot In the beach this
spring, near Bluff CITY and the mouth OF
Daniels creek, about sixty miles from
Nome They cut II up into ten twenty
foot strips and proceeded 20 work II. Two
~ the twenty-foot strips were found to
be barron. These were the strips farthest
away from the creek. The remainder
OF the beach for the short distance OF 100
feet was speckied with fine gold. The
eight young men pooled their interests In
the beach. agreeing to share and share
alike in the total cleanup.
The situation was such that they found
ia the course OF n few days that they
could. work 10 better advantage by
aiuicing with fresh water than by pump
Ing water from Bering sea- In order to
secure the water right they saw they
would have 70 buy what was known as
i320 feet in dimensions. Discovery claim
had been staked Ia the fall of 1929 by n
man, name unknown who had sunk
few holes TO bed rncq and. finding moth
ing. had abandoned II, Along came a
young fellow named Ryan who re-staked
st. Ryan also was disappointed. Pros
pccting OF the creek bed yielded him
nothing. but he did not give up tho
claim at once. Subsequently he sold the
claim and water right 90 iSjegsted and
companions for $40 n was paid for with
gold taken from the beach. They had TO
huy the claim as well Of Ryan In order
10 set the water right and they looked
upon II as so much dead ground.
When the beach was nearly worked out
they hired two men. sent them 10 the
upper end of the creek claim and told
them 10 60 70 work and see " they
could find anything, Offering to pay them
vases or 20 give them 100 feet off the
upper end Of the claim. The matter OF
compensation was not settled then, but
II was before night.
Wow II so happened that the channel OF
Daniels creek had changed, nobody
knows when. and on TO one side was the
bed Of the creek as Il used 10 flow. The
two prospectors abandoned the present
channel and went over to the old bed.
They sank one hole 20 bed rock. a dis-
lance ~ about eight feet, and found the
bottom laden and fun OF hne gold. They
returned that night TO the beach camp,
reported what they had struck, said they
guessed they wouldn't work for days
wages but would take the 100 feet OF
ground as their pay.
The little company on the beach
formed themselves into the Black Chief
Mining Company and set TO work on the
creek claim. They are said to have taken
ont moro than $4,000 from the claim. not
wsih~tanding that slucng was greatly
handicapped by the lack OF water that
has retarded mining In the Nome copn-
,re during the whole season They say
thnt they also took $4,000 out Of the
beach
SIX more claims, covering the entire
length 90 Daniels creek have since been
located by others and the pay streak
extends through them all.
one Of the members of the Black Chief
Mining Company IL native half breed,
lie II raid TO have given the boys a
pointer as "a the pay SPOT on the beach.
The whole creek IL now being mined
An reports agree that n N as rich, II not
richer than Anvil Thus did eight men
fall into a fortune.
Paul KieKstnd was formerly customs
lnapcctpr ahcat. with headquarters nj
Mary island. before the present Alaska
lipuor law was IN force and the m-
p0ftatlon OF strong drink into Alaska
was forbidden hy law II was hts duty
o. travel on ships running 70 Southeast
srn Alaska ports ana seize any whisky
ibaf he might ind aboard lie Is wei
known 60 old Southeastern Alaska steam.
boat men