The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-20
CAPE NOME RUSH At HAND
PAMPHLET GIVING PRACTICAL IN
FORMATION FOR SEEKERS
OF GOLD
FREE STRIP ON THE COAST
From Twenty to Forty Thousand
PersOns Expected to Try
Their Luck There This
Summer.

The rush of gold seekers to the new Ell
dorado Cape Nome, Alaska, will begin
next month, and estimates of the num-
Der of persons who will be camped upon
that bleak strip of Behring sea beach be
fore the brief Arctic summer of 1900 is
over vary from 10000 to 10000. They will
gather from nearly all over the civilized
world, though chiefly from America, and
some will be miners of experience, but
most of them will be "tenderfeet" and
the necessary hardships which both
classes must undergo in their search for
gold will be many, but the unnecessary
hardships which the "greenhorns" will
invite by reason of their "greenness"
would be materially lessened if before set
ting out they would take time to study
a pamphlet just issued by the department
of the interior.
This pamphlet contains a preliminary
report on the Cape Nome gold region by
Frank c. Schrader and Alfred II. Brooks,
assistant biologists on the staff of the
United States geological survey. It's value
is enhanced by maps and illustrations, the
whole being based upon personal Observa-
tons made by these biologists in BRIEF
visit to that region last October. 1t an
swers many of the puzzling questions
which almost every intending prospector
asks before he sets out, and many which
he might not be wise enough to ask be
fore it is too late for the answers to do
him any good.
THE CHANCES FOR NEWCOMERS.
One of the first queries likely to crop up
in the mind of man eager to dig his for
tune out of the Cape Nome earth IS, "Wnl
there be any claims left by the time / get
there, or will / find all the gold-bearing
lands already taken up?" To such the
report says that nearly all the gold so far
taken out a Cape Nome has been found
in placers on gulches, bars, benches and
on the beach, from a point about a mile
east OF the town westward for some ten or
fifteen miles. No claims were allowed to
be staIed out last year within a strip of
ground running along the beach sixty
feet in width and measured from high
tide limit. Within this reserved area all
had an equal right TO dig and wash
gravel. About 1900 men worked in this
strip last summer and took out about
$1,UOO.G01 in gold A large number of men
will find room for their activities on this
strip of beach this summer if it continues
to be withheld from private ownership;
but, even then, 1t should be remembered
llEAQduStlDle
and the gold bearing gravel does not Oc-
cur in paying quantities in one continu-
Gus streak along this fifteen miles of
beach. The line is broken and cratic;
rich here, moderate there and worthless
in another spot close by.
Just back of this unstaked strip of sea
beach the newcomer will find all the
known goid-bearing land-the gulch, river,
creek bar and beach placers-claimed;
7N,1f I'LL 1T
claims in the Nome beach region is prob
ably nearly a thing of the past, those hav-
ing capital to invest will no doubt find
plenty OF claims for sale. '"Those who
lack knowledge of mining matters" says
the report, SHOULD invest their money
very cautiously, for there is vast army
Of spectators a Nome, who endured the
rigors of the Arctic winter there just on
purpose to be ready to unload when the
first steamer load of 'tenderfeet' arrives.
1t would be very wise for all ineXperi-
enced newcomers to put by enough money
for the return passage"
HOW TO REACH NOME.
If the intending miner, after reading
this report on the gold bearing area and
the extent to which 1t has already been
pre-empted by the pioneers Of last sum
mer, Is still willing to take his chances
OF finding new claims or buying an old
one, he will probably consider next the
best way to get there and the cost OF
transportation. The report names six
routes and gives many invaluable details
and directions about each. The shortest
and quickest is the all-ocean route from
Seattle across the North Pacific ocean
and Behring sea direct to Nome, about
200 miles, consuming ten days at least.
Freight rates were quoted last summer
at $40 ton; first cabin passenger rates,
500: second cabin, $50 This summer,
when the rush sets in. they will be high