The National tribune., 1900-07-19
SOILS AT CAPE NOME.
Reports of the United States Geological Sur
vey on Gold Fields.

The report on the Cape Nome gold field
issued by the United States Geological
Survey bears out the assertion that it is
| one Of the richest and most wonderful
gold deposits discovered in many years.
According to Schrader and Brooks, the
biologists who made the examination for
| the Government, the gold deposits extend
| below the surface to much greater depth
| than has been commonly supposed.
| They came to the conclusion also from
| a study of the nature of the deposits and
| the character Of the surrounding Alaskan
| coast that there was a good reason to be-
lieve that gold in paying quantities might
be found along the entire shore, and that
in all likelihood the deposits were dupIi-
| Gated on the Siberian side of Behring Sea.
| w hIle dccrylng the idea that the entire
| Alaskan coast is a bed of golden wealth.
| these experts do give their approval to the
belief that the gold is widely distributed
| The Government report effectually dis
poses of two common misconceptions as to
| the manner in which the Cape Nome gold
reached its present location Since the
discovery of the rich deposits along the
beach many of the miners have adopted
| the opinion that the gold came from the
sea, and that it has been washed upon the
shore during countless ages by the action
Of the waves. On the other hand, scien-
lists who have not visited the spot, but
| have formed their opinions from the gen.
eral geological situation of the region,
| have held that the gold found along the
| shore was brought down from the noun
| tains of the interior by the glaciers
MIR. Schrader, who formed his opinion
| from observation on the spot, reports, on
| the contrary, that the gold is the result
! of the breaking up, folding and settling of
| the rock in the region itself, and that the
| fine gold found along the shore, as far as
| it has been conveyed at all, has been car
hvyf fh.a nrtin go h. 4
rivers.
One section Of the report concludes:
We wish to emphasize the fact that dur
| ing the deposition of these gravels and
sands the conditions We're not materially
| different from those of today, except that
the land stood at a lower elevation rela-
| tive to the sea. There is no evidence
| whatever Of glacial action in the region,
| and the popular idea that the graveis
were brought to their present condition by
| ice action is entirely erroneous
The Importance of this discovery as far
as its practical effect is concerned, lies in
| the fact that it points to the possibility of
very valuable quartz deposits in the Nome
district. The geolOgists assert that the
| gold has come from a local source. As
placer gold can travel from the parent
! rock only in downhill direction, it is evil
dent that the source of the deposits along
| the creeks and gulches must be sought
While the Government officials are care
full to point out that the presence of rich
placer5 cannot be considered conclusive
evidence of rich gold veins in the vicinity,
| their conclusions clearly indicate that
there is a strong likelihood of finding such
| rich VciIIs in the Nome district.
With the great amount of improved ma
| chinery which has been shipped to Alaska
within the last two months, it is likely
| that the possibility of the region in the
| direction of quartz mining will be fairly
| well determined by the end of the present
season.
Another important and undetermined
question in regard to the Nome deposits is
| whether the sands underlying the waves
along the shore itself are valuable or not
1t is probable that great amount Of fine
gold is located under water along the
shallow beach. How far out from the
shore these deposits may extend is a prob
lem which can be solved only by actual
investigation, but it seems certain, from
the general process by which the gold is
carried from the rock in which it origi-
mated, to the placers from which it is be-
ing taken, that many great fortunes lie
hidden under the waters along the coast.
The life history of the gold located in this
region, according to the Government Off
Gals, is somewhat as follows:
When the nugget is freed from the par
ent rock by diSintegrating agencies, it is in
angular form. 1t is washed down to one
Of the gulches and gradually becomes
rounded. BY some process of erosion the
gulch placer is distributed, and the mug
get, being again moved, and gradually re-
duced iii size, finds its way TO the tundra
deposits. BY the shifting Of the shore line
it Tay subsequently be exposed to wave
action, ground down still smaller and
eventually borne to sea, as fake or flour
gold.
The beach deposits are largely a con,
ccntration of the gold carried by the
gravel and sands to the tundra. The
waves are constantly cutting under the
base of the bluffs that nearly everywhere
bound the tundra on the seaward side. As
the material is thus eaten away the gravel
and sand are carried seaward by the un-
dertow. while the gold, because of its
eight, is sfted to the beach. 1t works
its way downward under the loose sand
near the water line, and may subsequent
y become buried.
CAPE Nome gold has 4 peculiar appear
ance, ard the experienced Alaskan miners
are able to identify it at a glance. In
color that from the gulches and the tundra
is rather dull. and looks like tarnished
brass. The nuggets are usually rounded