The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-08

Seattle, the starting point. and Cape
Nome. the destination. are the two places
uppermost in the minds of thousands OF
people throughout the Middle West whose
desire for speedy wealth has resolved them
to try the Alaskan gold fields. Cape Nome
is where they want to go. and with sur
prising similarity Of opinion they are
agreed that there Ii but one place to make
the start from and that is Seattle"
These were the observations OF z. @. NC
Micken, formerly OF the North American
Transportation G. Trading Company. yes
terday upon his return from tour OF the
principal cities OF. the West. His trip In
ciuded st. Paul, Minneapolis, Chicago.
Kansas City and many other leading cities
in that section.
Railroads DO Good work.
IT found people," Mr.. McMicken contin-
ued, ''manifesting a great deal OF interest
in Alaska, and especially in Cape Nome.
They were two months ago very much con-
fused regarding the location OF the new
district and II was particularly noticeable
that many labored under the impression
that the new diggings were In close prox-
unity to the Klondike. But now the tranl-
folders containing detailed information.
and many Of the larger newspapers are de-
voting considerable space to the matter.
THE Minneapolis Times and Chicago
an entire page to the publication OF Cape
Nome Views and articles descriptive OF this
and other American gold districts. The
small towns OF the asricultu,rahi ; states
are beseeching the general Offices OF the
transcontinental lines In the larger cities
for advertising matter concerning Alaska.
New England is only beginning to en-
thuse over the new district Massaciu-
sets and Connecticut particularly nre
awakening to the opportunities offered by
Alaska. / had with me a liberal supply Ut
samples of the famous Cape Nome bench
gravel which, as is well known. reveals
gold to the naked eye. A st. Paul news
paper man examined some of 1t with much
curiosity and w 1y,.s ts,,s story which he
San Francisco has been advertising
Cape Nome tickets at s175 and $500 for first
sailings but these rates will not get the
too San Francisco labors under the disad-
vantage Of being so much farther from the
district than Seattle.
Money for Investment.
"There is an abundance of money in the
East seeking investment in Cape Nome.
Capitalists are not so timid as they were
regarding the Klondike during the first
year of that camps development. They
have had It demonstrated 20 them that the
gold was and is in that district, and are
naturally less slseptical about Cape Nome,
whose splendid showing of last season has
gone d great way.
II saw great many Seattle people East.
notably In Chicago. w. D. Ray, formerly
a resident of this city, is now at the head
of a Chicago electrical vehicle and auto
mobile concern. 1t is surprising how the
automobile has captured Chicago. They
are there by the thousands, and the fac
tories can scarcely supply the demand. A
Chicago firm is putting up twenty auto
mobiles for Honolulu, and another con-
Germ Is manufacturing lot of automobiles
to be used as government mail wagons. It
is a curiosity to visit one Of the nutomo-
bile livery stables. They are fitted ZIP in
sumptuous style and are literally patron
ized by the wealthy people The boule-
wards are lined with the automobile, which
has three speeds-six, twelve and eighteen
miles an hour. They are particularly in
favor with the ladies' for shopping, and 1t
looks as though the new invention would
all but supplant the horse and put cabmen
out of business"
Mr.. McMicken was accompanied to the
East by J. Percy Parkinson. The latter Is
expected to return Tuesday.