The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-04-26

Boring Sea separates North America
from Asia and where the thermometer
varies from zero to 20 degrees below In
winter. He had heard from Esklmos
In settlement about 120 miles from
Cape Nome that gold had In former
years been found In several creeks near
the Cape. The missionary impaired
this news 10 some prospectors. This
was In October. 1898. The miners were
eager 10 get TO the scenes at once. De
spite the bitterly cold weather, the deep
snow and the forming Ice, the party,
which comprised FIVE Scandlnavians,
made the journey across Norton Sound
and explored several creeks around
Cape Nome. In freezing temperature
the men made several hundred trial
paintings in different spots along creek
branches and some remarkably rich
gravel was found. The finders decided
that 1t would not do to leave such
claims for others TO occupy so they de-
clded to remain there all winter. But
In some way the news OF the rich find
ings spread along the western coast of
Alaska and hungry prospectors, in spite
of the terrors of the winter season,
started on foot 300 and 400 miles for
the new dlggings. When spring came
500 men were camped along the banks
of the many streams that flow into the
sea about Cape Nome.
When navigation reopened on the
Yukon River and travel was resumed
In the spring the story of the discovery
Of gold spread faster and faster. A
general stampede Of Alaskan miners
and prospectors was begun for the new
Eldorado. BY June 1000 people were
at the new gold camp, a month later
there were 1900. and by August the
population reached 1000. The same
scenes that have followed the springing
up of mining towns In the West were
enacted. Gambling dens started, dance
halls were opened. By August the
town had a main street, city govern
ment with mayor and two marshals
and several general merchandlsest stores.
Any one of the buildings could be
duplicated In the States for 5000. At
first the miners gave their attention
getting gold from the banks Of water
courses among the hills back Of the
seashore, until a st. Louis miner, John
W. Peters. noticed the peculiar blush
color of the seashore, panned some of
the sand and found II rich with gold.
He kept his find a secret and took up
N aIafr nj trf 90 In al =.
Of the other miners. Within two weeks
every foot of the sand for ten miles
north Of Nome was staked out BY
October every inch of the beach for
thirty-three miles northwest of Nome
was staked and the limits of the area
claimed for placer mining were being
pushed onward six and eight miles q
week.
Prospectors Make Fortunes.
Several big fortunes have been made
By those who secured good claims
Rev. Joseph Anderson, who first direct
ed the miners to Cape Nome, has made
fully 100000. Gabriel Price, a young
Californian, Is the richest man In
Nome, although less than 30 years old
He went to the diggings about a year
ago. enduring severe privations. He
has located three claims, bought and
sold others, and also bought real estate
for song that he has sold for fabulous
prices. John Brindensen, one Of the
i've Scandinavian discoveries of Cape
Nome, has $4,000 In a Seattle bank
and two claims which are good for al
least SIS, 900 for almost a decade. He
has also an interest in two other rich
claims. Edward NJ. Bottume, brick
maker Of Rochester, N. Y, has made
$4,000 out Of small part of his claim
on the beach. while Carl Winkler, who
was porter in Los Angeles Hotel q
couple of years ago. has a claim that
has yielded him over $50, 600 since May
The beach sands yielded about $1,000,
900 from July to October, and they
have scarcely been touched. There
are dozens of square miles of the beacl
remaining which are likely to contain
wealth beyond the widest dreams. The
interior country has been but little ex
plored, and no one has the faintest idea
how much gold is locked up there. TIL.
cost Of living in Nome Is high. and the
winter climate too rugged for any bu
the most rugged constitutions.
II IL believed that the season Of LOO