The evening times., 1900-01-20
THE RUSH TO CAPE nome
Transportation Companies Prepar-
ing for the Spring.
Reports Discrediting Remarkable
Discoveries of Gold Successfully
Refuted-WOod From Thirty-hve
to Fifty Dollars a COrd-The Pre-
vaiIfng Prices in Restaurants.

An interesting report has reached the
State Department from United States Con-
sui Smith at Victoria, B. C. The report
says in part:
The indications are that there will be
great rush to Cape Nome next spring,
something like that to the Klondike in the
spring of 1898. 1t is evident that num-
bers will go there from Victoria and this
province in preference to either Atlin or
the Northwest Territory. The transpor-
| tation companies here and on the sound
are all actively engaged in preparing
steamers for the long trip
''The distance from Victoria to Cape
Nome is $500 miles, entirely by water.
But. notwithstanding that fact the trans
portation companies have already booked
all the passengers that can be carried on
the first trips, on every vessel that can be
secured. At recent meeting of represen-
tatives Of the companies it was computed
that 65, 900 persons desired to go to Cape
Nome as soon as possible.
THE reports that had been circulating
last season in regard to the gold discov-
cries at Cape Nome were quite generally
ulSpuleu mere, tue OplulOu uSlus luib TIC
Atlin and Klondike countries were more
promising and also easier of access. But
the last two steamers from the North
effectually dispelled all uncertainties. the
passengers bringing with them indisputa-
bile evidence that all along the beach in
the vicinity of Cape Nome gold in paying
quantities can be had for the digging.
"A number of these men have called at
the consulate. exhibiting specimens of the
roIl dtu
the waters edge; that men with only hand
shovels and the simplest and rudest of pans
cleared from $50 to $1G0 and even 5000 per
day, while sometimes a clean up of from
81. 900 to 81 500 has been reported. Mug
gets worth from $500 to $400 were found
near Anvil Creek, and it is believed $780,
900 TO S400, 900 were taken out of Snow
Gulch last summer; one man, ii is said,
| took out $3.50, 600, while another claims still
more.
Every one of the men who came down
expressed his resolve 10 return in the
spring-some even engaging return passage
on the steamers on which they came down.
According to their statements the gold
does not extend TO a great depth. five or
six feet being as low as any have yet found
! paying dirt
Complaint was made by some of the re-
| turning miners that claims-twenty acres
! each--which stretched for miles around
| and virtually embraced the whole shore
! from Cape Nome to Cape York, some forty
miles distant, had been staked. This, how
| ever. has been much changed by the deci-
| sion of Commissioner Hermann, which is
understood TO mean that no land below or
! dinary high tide can be disposed of to in
| dividuals or corporations, but is open 10
| the public TO operate on; that the right 10
! l. Il ., f~Na hn
right to fish in the adjacent waters and
that anybody may wash gold out of the
| sand between high and low water while
| no authority can give any person an ex-
| elusive right to do so; so that the land
cannot be obtained by corporations or syn
| dicates.
Some apprehension is felt that there
may be a Clashing of interests on that
point, and it is generally desired that the
| Government establish regulations and
| have sufficient police to enforce them.
| Anxiety is expressed here regarding the
| establishment OF port of entry at Cape
| Nome. Captains all agree that there is
| practically no anchorage OF harbor at the
| cape itself, but that at Port Clarence dis
| tant only a few miles. there is a har0or,
safe and commodious.
There are now between 5000 and 5000
people at Nome City, Anvil City, Cape
York. Port Clarence. and vicinity. The
buildings are of course. of the most tenn
porary character. \ large number are on
the beach below high-water mark, which
does not tend to promote health although
the extreme cold of six months Of the year
precludes epidemics. Two newspapers are
printed there from which l take the fol-
lowing market quotations, current last
fall:
Beef. 70 cents to 81 per
pound; wood, $35 to $50 per cord;
flour. SO per hundredweight; but
ter, 81 per pound; canned milk,
so cents per can; canned meats and fruits.
about 80 cents; maple syrup. 81 per gallon;
potatoes. SO TO SIS per hundredweight;
onions, so to SIS per hundredweight; to-
matoes. So per can; coal, SO per ton;
shingles, $3.50 per bunch; lumber, $3.50 per
LOCO feet.
Ruling restaurant prices are as fol-
lows: Steaks, $3.50 to So; reindeer steak.
81; pork chops, s1.50; mutton chops. $780,
boiled mackerel, $3.50; coffee and dough-