The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1900-05-17
CAPE NOME.


The following letter written for the
Juneau Record Miner, contains some in
formation as to the conditions at Cape
Nome:
Nome, Alaska, Jan. 19, 1900.
Dear Friend Jerry:
will endeayor to write to you on this
mail, which is to leave tomorrow.
Amin good health and getting through
the winter in splendid shape, and must
say that we have been having what
would call a very mild winter for this
latitude. The coolest we hays had was
about 80 degrees below zero-most of
the time from 10 above to 20 below. We
have had two or three billiards. which
were pretty sharp and cutting while
they lasted-a day or two-and piled
the snow in big drifts. But my partner
and / had built. ourselves a good warm
cabin last fall, and with plenty of wood
on hand we nave been as comfortable as
you please.
Although provisions had raised pretty
high before we had our outfit completed,
we are living fair to middling. We have
fresh beef at 90c. per h., all the potatoes
and onions we can use, some apples,
plenty of butter and milk, sugar, and
other things too numerous to mention.
AS we built us a cellar at the back end
of our house, which is just in the edge
of a bank, a door leading from the room
into the cellar, making it very conven-
lent. Nothing freezes in the cellar and
everything keeps i'll fine shape.
The stampeders have been getting
their work in in great shape this winter.
Hundreds have been running all over
the country locating.all the claims they
can. One man in the Cape York dis
trict, about eighty miles to the west
ward, located over four hundred claims.
The claims in this county are twenty
acres each.
The latest stampede and the one
which is on at present, is about half way
between here and st. Micbaels, at Nor
ton bay.
AS far as I can learn, all the favorable
ground in this district is located, and
other districts are pretty much the
same.
A chechoko coming here this summer
will have to do some rustling to find 9
piece Of ground that has not beer
located. But a great many claims were
located by power of attorney, AMI it il
thought that all such claims will be con
Isidered illegal.
The beach, had some wonderfully ricl
ground and some took out small for
tunes last fall. 1t was no unusual thin
for two men to dig and rock out fror
fifty to two hundred dollars per day
The good ground, varying in richnes.
extended from the edge of town wesr
- ward about five miles. then a break {
about a mile, and then on about fv
miles further. This ten miles was a
worked over and some of it two and thre
times.
The ground was all very spotted, som
places extending from low water to tn
highest place on the beach, and in otht
places extending along in pay strea
ouly a few feet in width.
To the westward beyon here te
miles and to the eastward from town
great deal of prospecting was done, b1
prospects were much lighter, hard
q wages. A great many are expectir
to use steampumps and sluice boxes tn
summer. In places l thing it will pa
OF the creeks Anvil has proved to
the principal one, and has some splend
claims, particularly from 2 below to
above. Snow G :lch, just across fro
the head of Anvil, and a branch
Glacier, is very good, and Glacier b
good prospects in places. Dexter al
showed some very rich ground. l do
think this equal to the KIondike cou
= try by any means, but yet it will make
- very good mining camp. Best grou.
~ from twenty. five to thirty doll ars to t
~ pan.
The sea is iced over as far as we C
see and land IS covered with snow. n
a stick Of standing timber to obscu
the vision. Wood is worth from thirt
five to fifty dollars per cord, and has
be hauled from six to ten miles and m'
of it is poor wood at that. 1t is all dri
mood nartlu dacaued nearly alMavs w