The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-11
MINISTER'S VISIT TO NOME.
REV. J. p. ID. LLwYD, OF ST. Marks
CHURCH, BACK FROM NORTH.
Tells Interesting story of HIS rrip
and His Impressions of the Gold
Camp-Is overcrowded - Ravages
of Disease Among the Natives.

Rev. ]. p. d. Ewyd, rector OF St
Marks Episcopal church, has recently
returned from vacation trip TO cape
Nome. Mr. Ilwyd went up on the steam
er Ohio and visited St Michael, Nome
City and several other Alaskan clues.
He also visited different religious In
situations and missionary establishments
In the vicinity OF the famous gold camp.
Mr.. Llwyd gives an interesting account
OF his journey and his impressions OF
the Far North. He said in an interview:
Nome exceeded my expectations as
to size and business activity. Two
months ago there were more than 1900
people there. Perhaps 50oo have left and
there are still three times too many.
Normal conditions cannot prevail under
such circumstances. Nome is like body
swollen to grossness--nothins but good
bleeding will reduce II to Its proper size
An army OF human beings has been
OF whom came .inadequately provided
expecting TO pick up riches as birds pick
seeds. Their condition Isl: assets, moth.
ng Outcome ne famine p''s
Some have done well on Anvil creek
many are making good money, but the
trouble Is that everything is tied up Y
come into the hands OF receivers ana
Judge Noyes has docket of cases hye
feet high to dispose OF this winter of
banded about, but IL is impossible TO
find any well authenticated cases.
'Self-help IL the motto OF. everybody
at Nome Society has resolved itself into
its primitive condition, and every man
is a Jack-at all trades. You build your
own house, unless you are prepared TO
pa te psa .ef is the pro
duct OF the Joint endeavors OF a few OF
Its congregation. The bishop OF the do
cese raised part of the structure. and
on my arrival the rector in charge Rev.
Mr.. Bloor, came down from the roof
where he had been hammering away
for dear life to receive me. Seldom has
Christianity had more promising field
than among these eager, earnest, un-
satisfied men, The men there do go to
church. or congregation OF l0o seven
ty-ive are men.
MY visit was a series Of reunions I
met several of my old parishioners on
the street and on board the steamer. /
am very well satisfied with my journey.
as II has given me broader idea OF
conditions In the camp.
Famine and disease are making ter
rihle ravages among the Eekimos at and
about Nome, and native graves are TO
be seen on every hand rev sticks OF
wood laid criss-cross. n paddle, spear,
a rag OF cloth and on top OF all, exposed
to the weather, a half-decayed corpse
that is an Eskimo grave.
by scores whole families being found
dead IN their hu,s at enc time The
korchinsky, with whom | had several
interesting conversations, Informed me
that nearly 400 had died this summer
many Of them having been. his parish
toner's. Their belief that sickness means
possession by devils, causes them to re-
fuse proper care and food to their sick.
and death results from slow starvation,
This same priest told me that his
parish extended from Boring strait 10
Dawson ZIP the Yukon. distance Of
some 400 miles by water. His head
quarters are near his pretty church. but
the difficulty of working such an enor-
nous territory Is great. and his absences
are frequent and extended. He was
most courteous. His manner and per-
sonality are simple. earnest and very
engaging.
THE bay at St Michael swarms with
fish. Three Of lis caught 400 tom cod
and founders in few hours We also
went hunting on the mainland and bag
ged several duck, ployer and ptarmigan
In a six-mile walk over the tundra. In
walking over this tundra l could not
help thinking OF the brave prospectors
who have walked often scores of miles
over that treacherous surface only to
drop at last from sheer exhaustion, glad
to ind In death relief from despair"