The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-09-04

contestants argued the case at length. Yes
terday Judge Noyes handed down a de-
cision that the receiyership shall be per-
manent, which means that the Mckenzie
company shall operate the claims. From
this decision there is no appeal.
On Thursday, July q, new mining re-
coTder was appointed to succeed Dr. Ket-
tIeson, one of the pioneers of the west
ern peninsula of Alaska and the owner OF
No. Above on Anvil. The new recorder
is United States Commissioner Stevens.
The former recorder and his deputy wero
very popular, and their Office was always
open for the free use of all corners who
| wished to examine the mining records.
| The present officer has introduced new
system which has in several respects be-
come obnoxious. A title and abstract COM
pany, which is a branch of a concern in
California, is doing business at Nome. The
company renders services which the re-
cordeT's office could not be expected to
provide in convenient written form II d
concern of this kind had been doing BUSH
ness at Nome last fall fewer persons in
New York and other Eastern cities would
have been deceived into buying properties
with shady titles or no titles at all I'm
til recently a clerk of the company has
been sent to the recorders office nearIt
every day to look up one or more proper
ties. No special privilege has been asked
fer the clerk, and he has not interfered
by his presence with the use of the Ie-
corder's books by private searchers OF the
property records. Yet Recorder Stevens
informed the company that none of its
clerks or employees would be allowed to
look at these records. which are, under the
law, open to the public without paying for
it.
AS might be expected the company re-
sists this demand, and in its behalf var
Ious accusations are made. The fact has
lately appeared that an employe of the Of
ice Is interested as a partner in a rival
abstract company doing business at
Nome. When certified record is wanted
at the recorders office a legitimate charge
OF $50 is made for the certification. The
abstract company first referred to never
pays this fee
Although the public is complaining
bitterly of the civil administration, the
town Is still remarkably orderly. The
government Of Nome and the surrounding
mining region has evolved into a curious
mixture of the civil and the military. For
several weeks it has been said that as
soon the civil authority should be-
come established in the mining camp the
military force would be entirely with
drawn, but no step has yet been taken
toward this end, except the building of
extensive barracks at Nome River four
miles east of this place, and there is no
in exclusive cOntrC, OF the town for some
time. The civil authorities seem i'm
potent careless. The state of affairs
at present is from one point Of view
grotesqUe. from another extremely ser
ioue. and from all standp0ints unsatisfac-
tory The confusion which has prevailed
during the present mining season as to
where the military authority leaves of
and the civil begins bids fair to continue
Indefinitely. At certain times it seems
as If the camp were entirely within the
governing control Of the military gaTri-
son. and at others the appearance momen-
t,srily is that the civil jurisdiction is in
complete working order.
The fact which is most patent in connec-
tton with the local government is that
soldiers patrol the streets night and day,
and that they are apparently under orders
to interfere in the slightest cases of dis
order or lawbreaking. Deputy marshals,
representing as they do the civil author
ity, are more or less active: but it is i'm
possible to predict under given conditions
requiring the attention Of the governing
power whether the military or the civilian
guardians OF the law VIII appear on the
scene to enforce statutes and regulations.
Last night a drunken miner only a few
hours arrived from the creeks. was en-
tIusias tically haranguing crowd in Front
Street near the Pioneer saloon, Within
minute or SO he had changed his speech
making into an imitation OF a vaudeville
performance, with dancing as the principal
feature. minute later TWO soldiers s3l-
JARED the variety artist and marched him
CT TO the barracks. civilian represent
ing the municipal government in the ca
pacEty or policeman could have accom-
p.ished just as much. and more quietly
Yet the residents OF the town who have
been here for year or more are boastiHg
Of the good organization of the city gov
eminent and are talking about municipal
incorporation. Ambitious politicians are
plentiful and the town will soon enter
upon hot campaign for the nomination
and election OF local governmental officers