The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-20
.7HH ROSR TO CAPE NOME
Transportation Companies Prepar-
ing for The Spring.
Reports DisereditinE Remarkable
Discoveries of Gold Successfully
to Fifty Dollars "A COrd-T'he Pre-
Willing Prices I'm Restaurants.

An interesting report has reached the
State Department from United States Con-
sui Smith at Victoria. b. c. The report
says in part:
The indications are that there will be
great rush TO Cape Nome next spring,
something like chat to the Klondike in the
spring of 1898. 1t is evident that num-
bers will go there from Victoria and this
province in preference to either Atlin or
the Northwest Territory. The transpOr-
tation companies here and on the sound
are all actively engaged in preparing
steamers for the long trip.
The distance from Victoria to Cape
Nome is $500 miles. entirely by water.
But, Notwithstanding that fact, the trans
portation companies have already booked
all the passengers that can be carried on
the first trips, on every vessel that can be
secured. At a recent meeting of represen-
tatives Of the companies it was computed
that $1,000 persons desired to go to Cape
Nome as soon as possible.
THE reports that had been circulating
last season in regard to the gold discov-
cries at Cape Nome were quite generally
disputed here, the opinion being that the
Atlin and KlOndike countries were more
promising and also easier of access. But
the last two steamers from the North
eifectually dispelled all uncertainties. the
passengers bringing with them indisputa-
BILE evidence that all a;Oug the beach In
the vicinity OF Cape Nome gold in paying
quantities can oe had for the digging.
"A number IL these men have called at
the consulate, exhibiting specimens Of the
gold, saying they dug il on the beach. near
I . h.
shOvels and the simplest and rudest OF pans
cleared from So to 500 and even $500 per
day. while sometimes a clean up OF from
$1,000 to $1,000 has been reported. Mug
gets worth from $500 to $500 were found
near Anvil Greek, and il is believed $780,
GOO to S4OO, 900 were taken out of Snow
Gulch last summer, one man. il is said
took out $3.50 coo, while another claims still
more
Every one Of the men who came down
expressed his resolve 10 return in the
spring some even engaging return passage
on the steamers on which they came down
According to their statements. the gold
does not extend to a great depth. five OF
six feet being as low as any have yet found
paying dirt"
Complaint was made by some OF the re-
I turning miners that Claims-twenty acres
each-which stretched for miles around
and virtually embraced the whole shore
from Cape Nome to Cape York. some forty
miles distant had been staked. This how
ever. has been much changed by the deci-
! sion Of Commissioner Hermann which is
understood TO mean that no land below or
binary high tide can be disposed of to in
dividuals or corporations. but is open 10
the public TO operate on; that the right 70
dig in these tide lands is as free as the
right 70 fish in the adjacent waters; and
that anybody may wash gold out Of the
sand between high and low water, while
no authority can give any person an ex-
elusive right to do so, so that the land
cannot be obtained by corporations or syn
dicates.
Some apprehension is felt that there
may be a clashing Of interests on that
point, and It is generally desired that the
Government establish regulations and
bave sufficient police to enforce them.
Anxiety is expressed here regarding the
establishment OF a port OF entry at Cape
Nome. Captains all agree that there is
practically no anchorage OF harb0r at the
cape itself. but that at Port Clarence dis
tant only few miles. there Is q har6or.
safe and cOmmOdious-
There are now between 5000 and 8 coo
people at Nome City, Anvil City. Cape
York. Port Clarence. and vicinity The
buildings are. OF course Of the most tenn
poraTy character. 4 large number are on
the beach below high-warer mark, which
does not tend 20 promote health, although
the extreme cold Of six months Of the wear
precludes epidemics. Two newspapers are
printed there. from which I take the fol- !
lowing market quotations, current last
fall.
Beef. % cents to 81 per
pound; wood, S35 10 $50 per cord.
flour. SO per hundredweight; but /
ter, 81 per pound; canned milk.
80 cents per can; canned meats and fruits 1
about % cents; maple syrup. 81 per gallon. 4
potatoes. 80 to SIS per hundredweight; /
onions. SO 70 SIS per hundredweight: to- I
matoes. s. per can; coal SO per ton.
$50 per bunch; lumber, $3.50 per
! 600 feet. :
Ruling res aurant prices are as fol-
lows: Steaks, $3.50 to 50; reindeer. steak.
s.; pork chops. $3.50; mutton chops. 81 so,
boiled mackerel, $3.50; coffee aud dough