The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-04
CAPE NOME GOLD FIELDS,
ChfDER, A RETURNED
MINER, TALKS OF THEIR.
WEALTH

Hicher Than the KIondfIe-Pros-
poets Appear GOIden-Presept Com
didons and Habits of Life-De-
scribed-WOmen as Miners.
From the New York Times.
Inc Cape Nome district of Alaska has
more golden wealth than the Transvaal.
according TO Capt. j. f. Cryder. a mining
expert of twenty years experience. For
more than ten years he was engaged in
mining work in Colorado. Then ne went
TO Alaska, being one of the gold mine pio-
heers in that region. He spent eight wears
in exploration there, acting as EXPERT for
some of the leading mining and mercan-
tile companies.
Last spring" he said, Il came out of
the Klondike and heard about the iiscov-
cries at Cape Nome. l thought at first
that the reports were spread to catch
trave1 for the transportation companies.
Even if the stories were true, reasoned
with myself there would be little use of
going there, as all the claims would be
taken up. l happened TO know Capt. j.
j. Healy, general manager of the North
American Transportation and Trading
Company, and one day while seated in his
Office at Seattle, 1 asked him what he
knew about the Cape Nome tales of
riches, he replied that from the way the
reports were coming in il seemed about
right there had been a genuine strike up
in that region.
Il then determined 1 wonld go to Cape
Nome, and left Seattle on June TO- 1899 |
arrived at Cape Nome on June 90 The
ri Tra, -
ing people employed me TO look into the
matter for them. / found that the strike
was really genuine. After looking the
ground over carefully I made up my
mind that another great gofdLbearing
country had been discovered.
Its surface has only been scratched so
far. No one has any idea of the immense
riches it holds. / consider it far richer
gold country than the klondike, far
greater than anywhere else. l spent July,
August, September and october there.
went over nearly the whole of the Cape
Nome territory, about 200 miles of beach
that prospects well and extending thirty
miles back, with gold on all the creeks 1t
is such an extensive territory that it will
take couple of years to prospect The
beach Itself is very rich. Its ruby sands
are really golden. Men who for miles and
miles were digging along the beach were
making from $40 up a day. Some were
making 800. others $1,000, S1.5O0 and ST.
S0J One hundred dollars was very COM
mon sum to make in a day.
AN assay from a two-foot depth below
the surface of the beach runs 5000 to the
ton. At the depth of five or six feet it
runs $1,000 to the ton. On the beach no
large pieces of gold are found but four
miles back 500 and 500 nuggets have been
picked up.
ut is true that there was a good deal
So OF hot
due to the fact that the people did not
take proper care of themselves. They
couldn't get lumber TO build houses, so
they had to sleep in tents. They worked
right in front Of the tents Many of them
didn't wear rubber boots nor any other
kind Of footwear that would keep out the
wet They didn't observe regular hours.
It's not to be wondered at, therefore,
that they got sick.
when / arrived at Cape Nome there
was only one building In sight That was
a log shanty on the point near the land
ing place. The water was so shallow that
the steamers couldn't go near the short,
but had to anchor some distance off, and
passengers and freight had to be landed
in smaller boats. There were at that
time only about l50 persons at Cape Nome
Before l left the number had increased to
8 900 Some two thousand came away with
the last steamboat, as there was no pros
pect of their getting food or shelter during
the winter.
I'm June last all who were at Cape
Nome slept in tents. The weather WIS
pleasant, although 1t ratned a great deal
The people didn't mind that, however, but
kept right at work. The single log build
ing at the point was used as cache
house all the goods were store there.
THE two rivers at Sape Nome which
empty into Boring sea are the Snake and
the Nome. The Snake is about forty-five
miles in length and rises In the granite
range to the north of Nome This range
has an Indian name which do not recall
The Nome river is about fifty miles In
length. It runs around and heads Snake
river. Both streams are fordable in places.
Both rivers have a large number of tribu-
taries, all OF which are rich i'm gold. The
tributaries of che Snake river have been
much more fully prospected than those "
he Nome river. The richest tributary of
he Snake so far as known up 10 the pres
ent time is Anvil creek. This Is the only