Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-03-22

Boring Sea separates North America
from Asia and where the thermometer
varies from zero to 20 degrees below in
winter. He had heard from Eskimos
In a settlement about 100 miles from
Cape Nome that gold had in former
years been found in several creeks near
the Cape. The missionary impaired
this news to some prospectors. This
was in October. 1893. The miners were
eager to get to the scenes at once. Dc
spite the bitterly cold weather, the deep
snow and the forming ice. the party,
which comprised five ScandinIvians,
made the journey across Norton Sound
and explored several creeks around
Cape Nome. In a freezing temperature
the men made several hundred trial
paintings in different spots along creek
branches and some remarkably rich
gravel was found The finders decided
that it would not do to leave such
claims for others to occupy so they de-
cided to remain there all winter. But
in some way the news Of the rich find
ings spread along the western coast of
Alaska and hungry prospectors, in spite
of the terrors of the winter season,
started on foot 300 and 400 miles for
the new diggings. When spring came
500 men were camped along the banks
of the many streams that flow into the
sea about Cape Nome.
When navigation reopened on the
Yukon River and travel was resumed
In the spring the story Of the discovery
of gold spread faster and faster. A
general stampede of Alaskan miners
and prospectors was begun for the new
EldOrado. By June 1000 people were
at the new gold camp, a month later
there were 5000, and by August the
population reached 1000. The same
scenes that have followed the springing
up of mining towns in the West were
enacted. Gambling dens started, dance
halls were opened. BY August the
town had main street, city govern
ment with a mayor and two marshals
and several general merchandise stores.
Any one of the buildings could be
duplicated in the States for 5000. AZ
first the miners gave their attention
getting gold from the banks of water
courses among the hills back of the
seashore, until a, st. Louis miner, John
W. Peters; noticed the peculiar blush
t. color of the seashore. PANIED some Of
the sand and found it rich with gold.
He kept his find secret and took I'D
a claim along the surf, to the ridicule
Of the other miners. Within two weeks
every foot of the sand for ten miles
north of Nome was staked out. BY
October every inch of the beach for
thirty-three miles northwest Of Nome
was staked and the limits of the area
claimed for placer mining were being
pushed onward six and eight miles a
week.
Prospectors Make Fortunes.
Several big fortunes have been made
by those who secured good claims.
Rev. Joseph Anderson. who first direct
ed the miners to Cape Nome. has made
fully 100000. Gabriel Price. young
Californian. is the richest man In
Nome. although less than 30 years old.
He went to the diggings about year
ago. enduring severe privations. He
has located three claims. bought and
sold others, and also bought real estate
for song that he has sold for fabulous
prices. John Brindensen, one Of the
five Scandinavian discoveries of Cape
Nome, has $4,000 In a Seattle bank
and two claims which are good for al
least $4,000 for almost decade. He
has also an interest i'm two other ricl
claims. Edward NJ. Bottume. brick.
maker Of Rochester. N. Y. has made
$4,000 out of a small part of his claim
on the beach. while Carl Winkler. who
was porter In Los Angeles Hotel q
Souple Of years ago, has claim that
has yielded him over $50. 900 since May
The beach sands yielded about $1,000,
600 from July to October, and they
have scarcely been touched. There
are dozens of square miles of the beach
remaining which are likely to contain
wealth beyond the widest dreams. Tn,
interior country has been but little ex
plored. and no one has the faintest ides
how much gold is locked up there. The
cost Of living in Nome is high. and thu
winter climate too rugged for any bu
the most rugged constitutions.
II n believed that the season OF N