The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-07-24
ANOTHER MONTE RETURNS
J. MoRHLocK. OF SOUTH SALEM, BRINGS
HIS n YEARS BACK WITH HIN.
Doesn't corotorate Fleteher's Tale Of Woe
Says Too Many People at Nome and
Everything Taken.

j. Morelock, of South Salem, VINO is
home from Cape Nome, was down town
yesterday, having about recovered from
the effects Of rough voyage from the
North.
He came down on the Sequoi, little
tub Of steamer, which rolled and
pitched to such an extent that the pas
sengers we're mauled into something re-
sembling jelly.
Mr.. Morelock, although he is 72 years
Of age, looks none the worse for bis trip
but is hale and hearty as ever. He talks
Interestingly Of his trip and his stay at
Nome.
He went north on the Senator, with
]. H. Fletcher, Charley Wolz and other
Salemites. He tells quite a different
story from some that have reached us
OF the voyage. He says he has no com
| plants whatever 10 make OF his treat
ment by the officers and crew Of the
steamer. He was sick on the voyage,
but received every attention that he
could reasonably expect. In fact, he
says he has been we'll treated by every
one he came in contact with during his
absence. The lady passengers; Of whom
there we're fifteen, on the voyage up
we're particularly kind. He was so far
from well that his fellow passengers
tried to persuade him to turn back at
Dutch harbor, but he secuted the idea
and went through all right, regaining
his usual health after being ashore a few
days.
He and Wolz set up their tent near
that Of Governor Fletcher and party.
He says that Fletcher was not as sick as
has been reported here. Fletcher and
his son and Mr.. Robects started in a
skiff they had built for Port Clarance 8
days before Morelock started home.
Mr.. Morelock was three weeks ashore
at Nome, Of which place he corroborates
the oft repeated descriptions.
He did some prospecting on the beach,
bnt found nothing. and also went back
on the tundra and dug hole. AT that
point the tundra was black muck on
top and rock underneath. II was about
miles back over the tundra to the
foothills.
He saw two who claimed to have been
80 miles inland and said the country
was all staked beyond that. They had
prospected Buster Greek thoroughly but
found no sign Of gold.
The beach has been worked out, and
the creeks are all staked, some claims
having dozen locations plastered on top
Of each other. There will be endless lit. |
igation when work starts on the creeks,
and there is no chance for a newcomer
to locate q claim.
There is gold there, however, and Mr.
MorloCk saw plenty of il; gold pan full !
and heaped with coarse gold in one place. |
The beach gold is much brighter and |
purer than the Dawson gold, Of which |
a good deal has been brought TO Nome,
and which brings 81 more per ounce.
II does not get dark at all this time of |
year, and newspaper can be read by |
sunlight at midnight. Every one keeps
late hours and lies late in the morning
after getting used to it.
Mr.. Morelock says that the best class
OF people in theUnited States are gather
cd there, and there are people from all |
over the world, and from nearly all ma
tionalities.
Mrs. Fiester was about 10 start laun.
dry, and Mrs. Nichols was running a
house, intending to start her
hospital sooP. Charley Wolz was hale
and hearty. He rad been butchering,
and intended 10 secure steady employ
ment at that trade Of some of the large
firms. He was letting his beard grow,
and it had arrived at the stage when it
was far from ornamental. The Gwinn
boys Of North Salem had found some
gold.
Prices Of provisions were very reason.
able. II is so easy To get stuff there
hat everyone takes lot OF provisions
along, and many returning throw their
'tuff on the market. White beans sold
or 8 cents per ID; bacon 20 cents; flour
cents butter in tins 20 cents; eggs 33
'ents per doz; even lemons were cheap.
The boom was rapidly waning during
he three weeks that Mr.. Morelock was
II Nome, and wages fell at least one half
md horse teams fell from $40 per hour
o So.
One man from New York, named
)'Conuer, went up on the Senator with
! stock of liquor and ontfts for three
aloons, paying $4,000 freight on his
tuff. He tried in vain to sell out the
OF for less than it cost in this country,
md finally came back, leaving it to be
old on commission. An excellent arti- '
lie OF whiskey can be bought there for