The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-22
@. P. Dam Makes the Perilous
Tr1 in the Dead Of Winter.
Journey to Kafmni Consumes Thir-
ty-EiEbt Days Actual Travelling
-nLiyfns Accommodations mt Nome
Taxed to the Utmost-No short
age In the Food Lne-stampedes
and Rich Gold strikes Reported.

Christian p. Dam, who went TO Nome
last summer for Sol G. Simpson, returned
to Seattle yesterday. He left Nome Jan
uary D. last. accompanied By Capt q. u.
Hickman. They are the latest arrivals
from me great northern placer camp. hav-
ing left Nome more than two weeks later
than Rev. Loyal l.. Writ. Mr.. Dam Is
manager Of Mr.. Simpsons lumber and
mercantile interests. large shipment OF
merchandise was lost on the steamship
Laurada last October, and the conditions
arising nut OF that misfortune are what
brought Mr.. Dam out on a long and peril
ous trip In the dead of winter On the
trail AT the same time were j. III. Fred
ericks, j. ID. Morgan and c. Erickson.
The party followed the coast to the
mouth OF the Yukon river, thence trave.ed
up the river 10 icognute. otherwise known
as the Russian mission. thence across
country TO and down the kpskokYiR
river, following the shore line 10 fBreba III
hay. thence across the Alaska peninsula
to Katnai. where they caught a sloop for
Kadiak. The steamer Golden Gate picked
them up at Kadiak and landed them at
sitka. where they took the COTTAGE CITY
for Seattle. The journey censu6e& IN
ty-eight days. actual trnyelinsxt r. 10
Katmat. They had 70 nv yer bNp1
sound few days ON acc8dnt N 0e<c&
going out. and day now and then on
the trail TO give the dogs rest. For,
tho first three days after leaving Nope
the weather was very cold. the, tharmom
eter dropping to rs degrees below zero.
with high wind blowing. Again, while
approaching Katmai. the mercury ~.
tempted to hide itself in the bulb at Go
bottom Of the glass. but at othsr d.
the weather was comparatively lid dex
party had sleeping bags 1hdH1Dbes. -
got along quite comfortably,
Mr.. Dam brought out special Akd3tskofE
tho Post-Tntellig ences up to 4ArnSefN ~
the day he left Nome He said In addition:
The living accommodations; at Nome
are now taxed to the utmost. j don't be-
lieve rabbit could find u place to burroW
In for shelter. That is. of course. saps SKI
aggeration but II gives an idea OF the
Ssnss q D sppaSsaus ~ %
shortage Of ANYTHING In the fookrA9lef
expected during the winter. Tit wf4htf
Lord only knows what It wifi be next
summer. according to what l have heard
since arrived In town this. pprypngs Coal
the mi" sin~ I'm When De oui,s ass w wss
short. Lumber sold last fall from NoQ to
$50 per 1000 feet. 40 ~" os
Nome is going 70 make good min
has been found the country has been stak
ed and rcstaked, and staked again and
jumped, for Distance 'of 100 miles Afetind
been several stampessss, and txcltink i re-
ports q rich. iinds whiehnmayh turn out
To be true. The locations were simply
made on the snow. There In no wood 10
thaw down with. and the locators don't
know yet what they've got. That r. also
In great measure true OF the entire Nome
district, with few exceptions. Rich
Gulch and Dexter creeks. a few good
claims have been staked on Glacier creek,
and on 0phfr creek. over in the Fish river
country. Pay has been found In the beach
sands. About 1900 men were at work on
the beach last season. This beach was
about fifteen miles long last season.
Whether II carries gold beyond that is
IN the tundra. but that In my opinion
win have to be- mined on large scale
In my Judgment the richness OF the Nome
country in placer gold u not known yet:
II Will take another season to find out
Nearly all traces OF beach nining last
summer have been obliterated by the
waves and Ice. New corners next season
VIII probably work some Of this ground
over again.
'''rhe sickness OF early winter" said Mr..
Dam. In conclusion. had about all passed
away when left Next summer l look
for considerable sickness. Why Well
chiefly on account OF the bad water and
haskrxfkNitary conditions accompanying
sue Rpwd. Piles and piles OF goods
and the weather was rainy aud
sto summer, II II Is SO this sum
me reople who are going must expect
ma t&comfori at FIRST NV advice to
49, Hbing 10 Nome IL TO take nothing
morN.than IL actually needed
Mr. Dam Intends TO return to Nome on
the FIRST steamer He would make no
sis lam. e.. he.