The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-21
Daniel Jones Contradicts Hard
Luck Stories From Nome.
SMALL Pox is EXAGGERATED.
Camp IL Overcrowded with Idiers,
LinderberE sends Out Word That
This Seasons Output VIII He
$4,000, OOO-Government Aid Re-
Quired to Prevent Suffering.

Among the passengers returning from
Cape Nome on the United States trans
port Rosecranz. which arrived on the
Sound yesterday, was Daniel Jones He
left here a month ago on a tour OF In
spection OF the far northern gold camp.
and during his three weeks stay there
gave much study to the conditions.
I'VE left Nome July H." he said last
night. and on arriving here I can only
say ] am surprised at the stories that
have been printed about the district, and
which are given GU, as facts by returning
contingents. Now. II Is true that Nome
has too many people. The country Is
undeveloped. and will not support more
than = per cent. OF the 2G.o0 now In the
camp. There are a great many there now
without means They went there with
little more than passage money. not for
the purpose Of taking gold out of the
ground. but 10 rake In money from those
who are successful at mining. They have
not been successful al this. and are now
beginning TO come out with hard luck
stories
1T Is my opinion that more OF these
reports will come from Nome than were
ever received from the Klondike.
Reports Arc Exaggerated.
There is another class Of people who
went up expecting TO reap harvest by
chinery. While II was probably no fault
OF the men who came out with glowing
reports last rali, tney were not long
enough in the country to thoroughly UNI
derstand IL, and therefore this machinery
was taken In under misrepresentation
The beach. TO great extent. has been
worked out, and the machinery Is not
adapted to working the tundra. This por-
ton OF the shore Is frozen, and. II gold
bearing, must be worked on the same
principle as In the Klondike.
"As for the disease reports from Nome,
can say they are greatly exaggerated.
BEFORE leaving. had talk with pr.
sick for Gen. Randall who Is In charge
Of the tbwn. He informed me that up to
that date there had only been fifteen
cases Of smallpox since his arrival there,
There have been a large number of deaths
from pneumonia, but when you under
stand that hundreds of men who have
and on damp ground. along the shore.
this II not surprising. There will be
much suffering there. however. on &C,
the government will be compelled to
bring thousands away before winter sets
In.
Estimate Of output.
AS ! say. the. country Is undeveloped,
but, | believe. will make "A good showing
this year, and eventually prove to be
rich. IL may be able to support 5000
people this season. and probably more
folly for SO many to go there.
just before leaving, ] had a talk with
MI Linderoerg. and ! asked him What
would he this year. lie told me that he
thought 100000 would be n conservative
estimate OF the seasons cleanup He
told mo that he was taking 81. 900 day
cut OF his Discovery and Anvil creek
irines There has been plenty OF water
TO wash up with I'm these creeks. which
Is not the case on many others. | have
no reason TO doubt his word. for they
are shoyeilng tho dirt In the boxes and
washing out gold. Other claims In the
same district are doing the same
ION some of the creeks In the Port
Clarence district, they are getting 10
cents 10 s. to the pan, on the creeks
that are dry. they can do nothing until
they get water
"rhere IL no one who can say Just now
what Nome Will develop. When the pros
pectors and mining men who are there
get out on the numerous creeks and thor
qughiy explore them, then something
definite will be known and TVS cannot
be Zone until after rainfall The people
who have claims they can work are well
satisfied and with this as an indicator
thare IL every reason 20 suspend Judg-
ment on the district until after II has
been thoroughly prospeeted"