Gilpin observer., 1900-07-12
Latest News From Alaska.


The steamship San Bias, which left
Cape Nome June 21st. reports that there
were forty-two vessels in Nome harbor
that day. The beach was piled high
for several miles with freight of all de-
scriptions The sea was covered con-
tinually with myriads of barges and
lighters transferring freight from the
vessels to the shore. Hundreds of row
boats and launches We're continually
passing from the boats to the beach.
Nome beach gold is worth more than
Dawson gold. 1t assays $1S.25 per
ounce.
Purser Hayward says the beach
claims have been worked over three or
four times. He is of the opinion that
the creeks near Nome are rich. He
thinks the population of Nome may
reach 10000 before the rush subsidies.
Under date of June 3rd. ]. b. Yin
dars writes to the Dispatch from Cape
Nome: Unless you can afford to blot
out Il year of your existence and lose
the cost of living for n like period, or
you can afford to drop Il thousand or
more for the sake of experience, stay
at home. Under no circumstances
come if you must stake your all. 1t is
true there is an extensive gold belt
here. reaching from Norton bay to the
Arctic. But the creeks in that bay
which contain pay are comparatively
few and far between. The beach,
which is the hope of thousands who,
we are informed are coming. has been
more than three-iifths exhausted by
ast summers work. as far as individ-
ual mining is concerned Some few
rich spots may yet be found, but the
average beach miner Will be paid with
results which will represent only aver
age wages. To him who cherishes the
idea of finding new creeks and becom-
ing the owner of vet undiscovered
claims. | can but say that virtually all
that most of the people here have so
b far done is to stake and locate claims.
and if there be any creek or gulch or
bench yet left unstaked it is IL pure ac-
cident. for which the stampeder would
blush for shame should it ever be
brought to his knowledge. For men to
find claims at this late day they must
be prepared to lend themselves to n
year of hard tramping and more wear
ing work than most of them have been
accustomed TO. with the chances ten to
one against them. And to augment all
those difficulties there are still others
TO be considered-the cost of getting
here, for passage and freight; the al
most entire absence of food and shell
ter; the shortness of the working sea-
son, virtually only four months. Dur
Ing the eight months of winter none
but deep diggings and tundra claims
can be worked to any advantage, and
as far as other mining is concerned,
this period can only he devoted to the
preparation for the next seasons run
The Alaska Commercial Company's
steamer Portland from Cape Nome
brought passengers and gold. The cap
tain reports n general and continuous
row along the beach at Cape Nome be-
tween conflicting claim owners and
their agents There is the usual report
of considerable gold being taken out of
lopkuk. and the papers have alluring
pictures of men with their pants tuck
ed in their boots. carrying big bags,
presumably full of gold 1t is estimat-
ed that there are 10000 people mt Cape
Nome. The lawyers are all busy.
| The exodus from Cape Nome from
Dawson. which has been comparative
ly steady. had been superseded by the
rush to Kyuoquot country.
The Cape Nome Gold Digger of June
18th says: "rhere is not a man on the
beach line but knows he should he
pitched incontinently neck and heels.
from his roos,Ing place. Each and all
of the men have been expecting to be
thrown off and are wondering why
they are not The value of tens of
thousands of dollars worth of proper
| ty is involved. and the highways and
landings are obstructed. There should
be no temporarizing with the question.
Mining and Scientific Press.