Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-20

Capt. A. p. Garden returned from
| Alaska last Saturday, and spent sever
al days at home in Ohio county, in Sc
curing much needed rest. He went tc
Cape Nome several months ago, to look
after the interests of some eastern par
ties, and was detained ten days by
the quarantine regulations before be-
ing permitted to land. He set foot on
Cape Nome on June oath, and left
August 4th. There are no docks for the
ships to land, and passengers and mer-
chandise are conveyed By fat bottom
ed transports. The trip from Seattle
to Cape Nome was made in six days
on the steamer Ohio. About the time
or Capt. Gardens return, a report was
circulated by naval steamship agency
That on account OF the war in CHINA.
the government had seized merchant
vessels at the Paclnc coast to be used
as transports. This had the erect OF
influencing Capt. Garden and many
others TO take passake on tae Centen-
NAL, which required twelve days to
reach Seattle.
Capt. Garden and three others in his
party were very comfortably situated.
They had hospital tent, with wood
en- floor, in which they cooked, ate
and slept. There was some distress,
however, on the part of some prospec-
tors who exhausted their means in
reaching Cape Nome, and were oblig-
ed to apply to government authorities
for relief. Some 5000 or 1900 of them
will be sent back to the States this
fall.
cape Nome is not poor place to
invest just now, said Capt. Garden,
for the reason that the titles to prop
erty are all involved in litigation.
think, however, that when the courts
have settled these points 1t will be an
excellent camp, and the search for the
yellow metal will prove profitable. The
beach was all worked over last year.
There were 1920 people there with
rockers. 1t was worked over again
this year. After the season closed, re-
ports were circulated in Dawson City.
which led 1900 people to travel 1900
miles over the ice and snow TO Cape
Nome. They were disappointed to md
that all the property had been located.
They staked claims over as high as
four times. The country is all staked
for distance of 100 mnes from Nome.
1t was a dry season. There was no
rain up to August LIST, the small streams
were dry, and there was no chance for
prospecting on account of no water.
1t is all placer mining in that districf.
The nuggets and coarse gold are found
in the streams On the seashore it is
like rough corn meal"
Capt. Garden met several Wheeling
people in Alaska. George r. Tingle,
formerly of this city, is managing a
big company store. The Niebur boys,
who have since returned were also
there. 1nere are from $4,000 to 10000
people around Nome, the settlement ex-
tending for thirty miles along the sea-
shore There is no municipal govern
ment Everything is under military
regulation. The people are orderly,
but there are many persons who are
recognized as desperate characters, and
during the dark season it is feared that
there may be great deal of crime.
Provisions are comparatively cheap
now. Capt. Garden says that when he
arrived at Nome, bread was two bits,
or twenty-five cents a loaf. Now il
sells at twelve loaves for a dollar, and
good meal can be secured Tor seven
ty-five cents. Liquor sells at % cents
drink and beer at rs cents glass
Many miners and prospectors took their
wives with them, but as matter OF
course there are large numoer Of dis
solute women there. The community
has two theatres, which are well pat
ronized.
1t is not as cold at Cape Nome as
most persons imagine. The tempera-
ture ranges from 40 to 65 degrees in
summer. Overcoats are a necessity in
the evening, but Capt. Garden states
that he was about in his shirt sleeves
one day, and was very comfortable.
Capt. Garden came east from Seattle
by easy stages, stopping at number
Of points of interest in the west II
talked with hundreds of people
throughout the west, and it is my i'm
preston that instead Of losing ground,
Bryan will be stronger - that section
than he was four years ago. did not
meet a single man who voted for Bry-
an four years ago but is supporting him
now. On the other hand. | met many
former Mckinley supporters are now
openly for Bryan"