The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-21
O. D. Lane Plans Water and
Railroad Improvements.
PUMPING PLANT FOR ESQ. 900.
lziliionaire Mining Man Tells His
Schemes for the North-Believes
Gold was Cast Up From the Bow-
els Of the Earth-Buys . Freight
steamer to Garry His Goods and
Employes From San Franchise.

~. y
man Of San Francisco, has in hand Noms
ventures involving tho expenditure Of $780,
co.. Most OF this Is being spent for min
tng machinery and gold-getting appliances
1t involves an outlay of $4,000 for
pumping plant, the order for which has
already been placed, the construction OF
dve-miis railroad. supplies and steamers.
Mr.. Lane Is visiting s. G. Simpson, his
brother-in-law. They and Robert McCor-
mick own the steamship Oregon, which Is
being put into condition for the Nome
traffic. m
Mr.. Lane Is enthusiastic over Mono ~
rich camp. A year ago he expended
nearly $4,000 in vessels and supplies In
Seattle. which he sent later to Nome. His
faith in the camp was rewarded the first
year with gold return Of $4,000 Our
company took out about that amount OF
gold. and the Pioneer Mining Company
dug out 100000" he says. "All told,
should say. the district yield last season
was $2Ooo.ooo at = low estimate"
Water and = Railroad.
Discussing his plans regarding Nome
work next season he continued: I'VE are
going to put in q $l50000 pumping plant.
This machinery has been ordered In Chica-
GO and four miles of eighteen-inch pipe
through which to convey the water we are
getting in San Francisco. 1t IL our purpose
to pump the water from Snake river. ele-
waiting 1t to q height Of 200 feet This will
enable US to supply all the high mining
ground. such as Dexter, Anvil. Snow and
Dry creeks with water. There Is . good
DEAL Of country up there where there is
no water. We expect with this pump to
supply water not only for our own use, but
for others. Then we shall have centrifugal
pumps. probably six or seven, put up on
barges. These may be moved about In the
creeks and rivers supplying water for the
lower land sections.
I'VE shall probably construct a railroad
from Nome four or five miles out over the
tundra. giving easier access to the creek
mines"
be .overrun by men, many Of whom will
wish they had never gone. Men will go
there without means or experience and
In the end some of them will wonder what
they went for. But tho people who will go
edge Of mining and the life Of miner will
mako money. ! don't think 1t will be
very disorderly camp next summer, though
The average frontiersman is peacsable and
harmless. wanting only that which Is due
him."
Originated In the Depths.
As to the origin of the Nome gold. par
reading; Of the books Of nature . s tells me
that the beach COLDS source is not some
hidden quartz ledge l think It = the
prOQuct Oh peut-up FORCES, LnTOugn VOlCanlC
eruption, possibly, in the earth. 1t came
from deep down in the bowels of the
earth. These forces eventually belched
forth the gold, which was probably washed
back on the beach q short distance by the
tides. know my theory Is at variance
with that of scientific men. I am a rough
and-tumble miner l dig the gold from
the ground where find IT,. having no
time for theories. If I fail to find It
move on. The glacial action theory Of the
gold being ground out from some fabu-
iously rich quartz ledge back in the noun
talns is to my notion, erroneous. Take
the richest placer camps Oh the world.
Were the great quartz lodges and mother
lodes ever found? Look at Alder gulch.
which produced $50 100000 or $60, 900, 900; no
quartz ledge was eyer found there that
M. Lane is tall, and, though he is 50
white, he moves with the agility of
30 long, that they say. am. 81 years old.
~ began mining at II years of age. I was
. believer In silver, and am proud Of that
political faith"
When in New York a few weeks ago
Mr.. Lane purchased the Irrawaddy, q
freight steamer. which he will operate be-
tween San Francisco and Nome. He will
use her exclusively In carrying his own
freight and employees
He recently bonded the Deep Level mine
in Mexico. to a London syndicate. Tho
price. is estimated at from 100000 to 81