The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-31

boom in the far North Is to Be attrib-
uted the inactivity in some Of our
Northwest camps and the wholesale
collapse of the Spokane mining stock
market, in which 50 many people were
gambling few months ago.
1t is not probable under these cir
cumstances that any reasonable person
will take the Spokesman Reviews
judgment Of the Cape Nome country as
something to be relied upon without
question. There has never been a min
ing stampede when the FIRST couriers to
return were not the faint-hearted who
had turned back because Of falling cour-
age and felt that all they could offer as
an excuse for their lack Of success was
unmeasured denunciation OF the new
country and the conditions prevailing In
II. Some inexperienced fortune seekers
have returned from Nome after a few
days sojourn in the North. and letters
from several Of the disappointed have
come out; but these tales OF hard luck
were expected. They were heard more
frequently and with greater regularity
during the first Klondike excitement;
and yet few people are disposed to re-
gard the strike on Bonanza creek and
fits subsequent development a. a fiasco.
Every person who went North this
spring did so with the knowledge that
1t was forbiddins country that he was
entering. where he must put up with
discomforts, privafions and perhaps
some suffering. He knew that the beach
Immediately in front Of Nome had been
practically worked out by rockers. and
that all the claims on Snake river and
its tributaries had been located for I
year or more. He knew that thousands
were going into the country. that every
kind Of business would be overdone, and
that the demand for labor would be
far below the supply. He knew the
character OF the country and the sort
Of people he would find in it. and II
the conditions are not what he expected
II is because he did not take the trouble
to read the Nome reports or make in
quiries Of those who could have enlight-
ened him.
The melancholy stories Of the few who
are disappointed because they have not
made a fortune in a few weeks win have
little weight with people who UNDER
stand that riches. even in Alaska, come
only after hard work. From all ac-
counts the mineral wealth Of the coun-
try is fully equal to what 1t has been
reported to be. There has been a short
age OF water that has delayed work on
creek claims. but 1t has been shown that
the gold is there and in paying Quanti-
ties. To the assertion that the dreary
beach diggings were exhausted year
ago. II ia only necessary to call atten-
tion to the fact that on the beach at
Topkuk this year was uncovered what
was probably the richest piece OF ground
that has been known OF in mining his
tory. This was sixty miles from Nome,
and indicates that there are hundreds
Of miles Of beach to be prospected be-
fore one can feel that he has warrant
for saying that the beaches have been
worked out.
Before declaring that Nome is a fiasco
It might be well to wait until the creeks
In the immediate vicinity of Nome have
been worked and the innumerable
streams from Norton sound TO Cape
Prince OF wales have been carefully
prospected- This 10 the mining work
to which the thousands who went North
with give their attention. There Is
wide stretch OF country to be examined,
and In all parts OF 1t good prospects
have been found. The strong. hardy
and vigorous will determine In course
OF time what the wealth OF this new
district is. and until they have been
given an opportunity to pursue their In
vestisations and have given Judgment
II would be well not to place too much
reliance upon the gloomy stories Of the
disheartened travellers who have made
hurried round trip or who are idllng
away their time In Nome thinking peo-
pie can md gold without looking for II.
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Again csbiegrams Indicate that there
Is reason for hoping that the foreigners
in Picking are alive, but In spite OF some
favorable reports Il Is difYicult TO over
come the fears entertained from the
first that the worst has happened.
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