The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-08-02

have found nothing Immediately to
do, who have seen no gold yet; and
one and all they are discouraged.
They are bitterly condemning the
country. One man came up to me
and said:
You are going to tell the truth
about this aren't YOUR
"Yes; if / can" replied. /
"If you DON'T he said, "Ill ex-
pose you. This is the --est fake !
that ever was perpetrated, sir"
Another man as soon as he stepped /
off the landing scow, was seen by a
number of persons to pick up a hand |
full of sand off the beach, examine it |
it carefully and say; II don't see any
gold in this sand.n | meet at every
turn people | knew in Dawson, and
l ask them what they think of this.
They agree in the main that the coun-
try is all right, but that il will be
better camp next year than this.
There are too many here expecting
to do other business than mining,
and too many Of that large class, in
Guiding would-be miners, who have
not learned by hard experience that
nothing comes easy in Alaska.
The country for 100 miles in each
direction from Nome, and to the heads
of the rivers entering the sea in that
distance, is already staked. The rul-
ing concerning the mining law that q
power of attorney conveys to an in
dividual the right to stake a mining
has mainly been the cause of this,
and it has already been a terrible set
back to the country-the one outrage
ously bad feature about mining
laws otherwise good. Single persons
holding powers of attorneys from
friends outside have staked and re-
corded scores of claims. One person
alone is said to have 400 holdings and
interests.
During the past winter, particular
ly just before New Years day, waye
after wave of stampeders went over
the districts, wherever there was any
ground supposed or known to be good,
and restaked, or Jumped" every
claim, some creeks, like Anvil, known
TO be very rich, being staked five or
six times over--this being done in the
hope that flaw may be found in the
J title either through the use of power
Of attorney or else from failure to
make the discovery of gold required
) by law or to do the addressment work
of 500 within the precribed time.
Consequently, the ownership OF
) claims in such large number of in
5 stances being in dispute, no miner
Z cares to take lease or lay of the
ground, while investors are equally
reluctant to buy. Prospecting and
Z working of the mines will, therefore
be held back until the Court, soon
expected to arrive, gets here and de
9 cides the question OF ownership
which means virtually another season
s as summer will soon be over.
2 The title to town lots would also
seem to be equally uncertain. Many
5 lots were sold outside for prices vary
ing from hundreds into the thousand
3 of dollars, and the purchasers hav'
5 arrived to take possession and erec
: stores and other buildings, to fine
9 their title disputed by some person
x ! oloi IN hQ and
3 asserts that he gave no authority t.
2 anyone to sell. As consequence o
5 this, some incidents have occurre'
I. which seem to justify what frlen'
9 of mine said lately: This is red
8 hot mining camp. You have got t.
!. have a man for breakfast in a first
- class camp So we have had
he "man for breakfast every day so fal
sometimes both men have been kille
Lid and in nearly every case the troubl
is, grew over the jumping of town lots
by Guns were whipped out, and in tiv
he minutes the dispute was over Som
,se steamship companies are naming
W. return rate for passengers of $50 fo
ed second class. There will be a larg
yer number, if present signs can be dc
set pended upon, who will be stranded
to and will have to be sent back a
to Government or someone's expense
ra. There is already much hardship fro1
,h. our crowded condition. Water ma
nd be had from wells dug at frequent il
est tervals along the beach. These al
DID private property, and water is sold a
er, the rate of three to four painsful fC
for % cents. The water is very clear bu
slightly brackish on the beach.
ass 1t is a cheap camp. One can lv
CHI, almost as cheaply here as at hom
on Every other person is selling out h
,a). goods and outfits in order to g
J 40 away. Prices of some things are le'
ere than Seattle prices.
lch Quicksilver is selling for less tha
cost. Whisky and liquors are dru
oh on the market. A loaf of bread