Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-09-06


preciated this, and the rescit was that
very few lays were let and the great
majority of creek claims remain in the
same condition they were in this
spring. The claim holders will now be
compelled to have their assessment
work done, which is supposed 70
amount to 800 on each claim, and, as l
said before, must be done this summer
or before Jan. LIST, 1901; otherwise they
are open for relocation. A great many
who intend to remain in this winter
are staying with that object in view, OF
relocating claims that have not had
the assessment work done, and January
LIST will see a mad scramble for all
parts Of the country.
There is no doubt but what this
country is rich in gold, as everything
indicates, and If claim owners had
offered liberal inducements hundreds
of new mines would have been opened
up and Nome and the surrounding
country would have seen boom Of
prosperity that would have in every
particular justified the great stampede
this summer. When miners were
confronted with the condition l have
mentioned very large per cent. OF
them became discouraged and took the
back tracks for the states. Some
came with only enough money to land
them here, thinking, from the accounts
that they had read and heard of this
country, that all they had to do was 70
get here and they would wake up in
the morning with money in their
pocket. 1t was delusion and snare,
and they were left stranded ina country
whose people were as unfeenng as the
climate was cold. l do not think any
went hungry, but people could not ex-
tend to each other any assistance
further than the hospitality of their
mess box Not 5 per cent. of the
stranded could find employment, and |
was informed that 1000 had made ap-
plication to be taken out on the gov
eminent transport, Rosencranse, on
her first trip out.
"As a last resort, those who re-
manned in tackled the beach, which
had been pretty thoroughly worked
out last summer and early this spring
with rockers; and from Snake river,
which empties in Boring sea at Nome,
for 10 miles up to Penney river, the
beach is lined with tents and sluicing
outfits, which in some instances have
paid as high as $40 to $25 per day to
the man. The beach has been consid-
cred free to all, but last week, the new
| commissioner rendered decision
which declared that the beach could De
staked and claimed same as other
mineral lands. In "a hours the entire
| beach was staked by those on the in
side who were early to get the tip, and
one poor fellow who was trying to ger
enough out with rocker to pay his
fare home was arrested and placed
under bonds in the trifiing sum Of
IS 900. The beach is practically WORTH
less below Nome and above Penney
river, and the 5000 miners who are
working it would have exhausted it in
another month, but the claim owners
knew as long as miners could make
reasonable wages working it there was
no chance to get them to work their
assessments and accept their rs per
cent. propositions; so luere is not
much doubt but what the companies
are back of the movement to drive the
people off the beach. The miners
have thoroughly organized and in
tend to resist a decree that seems I'M
just and prompted by the selfish
interests of the companies. So far
only the one arrest has been maue
and l understand no further effort mas
been made by the beach locators to
disturb the miners. The town and
district are under military rule, and
fairely good order is maintained.
Nome on the list of July was city
of about $4,000 souls-25, 900 people and
10000 dogs! The hauling was almost
entirely done with dog teams before
the boats began to arrive in June.
Now there are more teams and wagons
than can find employment, and great
many outfits are being sold for less
than were paid for them in Seattle.
Labor is down to 40 cents an hour and
board yourself, and very little to be
had at that. Provisions are very cheap
now compared with what they were,
and the four in our little camp live
well at so cents a day. Up until a
week ago the weather had been very
fine with no rain, and for week the
thermometer ranged around So degrees,
which seemed very warm indeed to us.
Since a week ago Sunday, however,
the weather has been abominable-
rain almost necessarily, with a wind
that has kept the sea dashed into a.
perfect fury, the breakers washing upI
the beach almost to the tundra, and in
a great many instances driving the
miners back so they could not work
for couple of days at a time. Today,
we Gre unable to work, and every
wave washes over our pump and
around the foundation of our engine,
and the probabilities are that when the
sea subsidies we will have a couple of
days work before we can resume OPP
erations. We are spending most of
the day driving our clothes, which have
been wet for 4 week.
We'll. my dear friend, will con-