Gilpin observer., 1900-11-08
OFFICIAL REPORT
ABOUT CAPE NOME

Washington, Nov. 5.-Brigadier Gen
eral George NJ. Randall, commanding
the Department of Alska, has sub
mitted his annual report. Much space
is devoted to conditions at Nome,
which he found upon mis- arrival at Il
critical stage. 1t was difficult to OBJ
tain convictions by jury trial in the
United States commissioners offices,
which emboldened the lawless. Labor
organizations prevented men from
working for less than 81 an hour and
We're the cause of much destitution and
destruction of property.
Fully $4,000 people arrived at Nome
in June. Claim jumping was the order
of the day. Many property owners
were disposed to defend their rights by
taking the law into their own hands.
The arrival of troops prevented serious
disorder. The military took charge,
thoroughly examined into all COM
plants and where the rights of proper
ty could be determined, placed it in
the possession of lawful owners. Cap
tain w. A. Bethel who acted as judge
advocate in these courts. is highly
praised by General Randall.
There were about 500 men working
on the beach at Nome with machinery
at one time, and many declined to give
answers concerning the prospects for
gold, while others admitted they were
taking out only from 81 to SO Il day.
The beach was practically worked out
last year. The tundra is believed to
be rich, but it would require large cap
ital to produce results. There is n
large area of country which has not
been prospected, where gold can yet be
found, but it requires men of expert
ence to develop such n country.
General Randall says it has been de-
cided to establish II permanent mill
tary station on the island of st. Mi
chael. He recommends the purchase of
two stern-wheel river steamers for OPP
erations on the Yukon and that all
coal, forage and building material In
tended for Alaskan posts be started
from Seattle not later than June 10Th
and shipped in sailing vessels, for econ
omy. Also, that n cable be laid from
Seattle, via Juneau and Skagway, to
Valdez, connecting with the telegraph
line now building over the all-Ameri
can route from Valdez to Port Egbert,
and down the Yukon river to Fort Mi
chael. When this line Is complete,
General Randall says, military head
quarters should be in southern Alaska,
or at Seattle.
He recommends n llfe-savlng station
in the vicinity of Nome. He also rec
ommends that lighthouses with fog
whistles be established in southeast
Alaska at Cape Cox, Cape Clmmanna
and Five Fingers; also fog signal Mt
Unimak pass. He also recommends n
military reservation at Dutch Uarbor,
and n coaling station, and thinks the
need may arise Mt some future time
for erecting fortlilcations at this place.
He further says: ~ recommend that
the government afford some relief to
the natives until such time as they can
take care of themselves"
81 am of opinion that II would be n
mistake for the government to give
any aid In future to the venturcsome
classes of white men who come to
Alaska. About 800 have been sent out
on transports and other vessels this
year and many more will be sent be-
fore the close of navigation. The con
ditions are now generally known |
throughout the state and the cXpec- |
tatlon of government aid In returning |
to their homes In ease of failure has |
without doubt been the most hopeful |
prospect In view to n considerable num- !
Der who have come to the country since |
1897. and especially in the recent rush |
to Nome"