The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-07-05
CAPE NOME IS LIVELY
Many Claimants for All Kinds
of Property.
$500, 900 BROUGHT BY PORTLAND
AshOre-Return Of LieutsnanA
Heron From Interior.

San FranclSco, July 2-The steamer
Portland, which arrived from Cape
Nome, reports that the steamer Rose
Grams, formerly the transport Missouri,
has gone aground about 60 miles south
of Cape Nome. While her situation is
not considered perilous, it is thought
she will have considerable difficulty in
getting off. The Rosecrans has cargo
of governments supplies on board.
The Portland brought five passengers
only, according to Captain Lundquist.
The steamer Charles Nelson had q
hard time of it. She returned to Una.
laska June 18. While trying to find an
opening in the ice her provisions gave
out. She was to have sailed again for
Cape l1ome shortly after the Portland
left Dutch Harbor. The captain of
the Corwin was holding the wrecked
barkentine Catherine Sudden at Nome
for salvage. Captain Lundquist.
speaking of the conditions at Nome,
said:
"What man gets hold of up there
he keeps, and in many instances he
keeps it at the point of gun. Restau-
rants. lodging-houses. saloons, stores,
barber shops, and in fact all kinds of
business was left in the hands of agents
last fall. These agents have sold the
places and cleared out with the money.
Now the original owners are appearing
on the scene, and there are 'razors in
the air.
ION the beach it was just go per
cent worse than up town. In the town
as q general rule there was only about
one claimant to other mems property
in each case, but on the beach there
was never less than six. Agents sold
things right and left, and in conse-
quence there will be endless litigation
before things are Strengthened out. No
wonder all the big claim owners took
up lawyers with them."
The Portland brought 10 boxes of
gold, aggregating $500, 900, belonging
to the Alaska Commercial Company.
Port Townsend. WASH. July 2.-The
steamer Al-Ki arrived from the north
tonight. bringing SO passengers and
$3.50. 900 in dust from Dawson. which
had been brought up the river on the
steamre Sybil. Among the passengers
on the Al-Ki is Lieutenant j. S. Her
ron, of the Eighth United States cav
airy, who year ago started from Cook
Inlet with small command and
crossed a hitherto unpenetrated coun-
try leading for hundreds of miles over
mountains, valleys and plains to the
mouth of the Tanana. The expedition
was deserted by Indian guides, and for
some months fears for the safety of the
party were entertained, but on Decem-
ber IL the party reached the mouth of
the Tanana, where orders were received
to remain until spring. The object OF
the expedition was to ascertain the
feasibility of the route through Alaska
and to obtain information as to miners,
timbers and general data of that Sec
tion of Alaska between Cook Inlet and
the Yukon river. For nearly a year
the party was without news from the
outside world. Lieutenant Heron is
on the way to Seattle for orders.
Colonel E. d. Wiggin, land commits
sioner at Rampant, is among the pas
sengers ON the Al-Ki, bringing the
first news from that section. He says
the camp proved itself better last
winter than ever before, and creeks be-
fore considered worthless turned out
to be big gold-proudcers. He estimates
the clean.up at $4,000, 900.
Rampant was deserted the early part
of last winter, only 400 or 500 people,
who were not rich enough to 60 to
Nome, remaining. They comprised
steamboa hands and unfortunate min
ers. When development work COM
menced it was soon proved that Ram
part Greek was rich, and those who
were at first out OF luck are now on
the high road to fortune, and Rampant
bids fair to rival the Klondike as q
gOld-prOducer.