Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-06-21
THE ALPHA LANDED
Had No Trouble Getting to
Cape Nome May rs.
DID NOT TOUCH AT ST. MICHAEL
Brought Back Four Passengers WI"
u Quarter Of Mil1to"-C'"'ms
Richer Than Reported.

Vancouver, B. c., June l9.-Ihat
the gold fields of Cape Nome are rlcher
aud more productive than has yet been
represented, is the story brought down
by the steamer Alpha, which arrived
from the North tonight. From single
claim, worked by 20 men in the employ
of Jack Brady, $4,000 was taken out
in one week and the same claim panned
out $3.50, 200 within month. AS an
earnest OF Cape Nome's golden pro-
ductiveness, the Alpha brought down
$3.50, 900 in gold dust. There We're
five passengers on board, and the dust
belonged to four OF them, in the fol-
lowing amounts:
Jack Gill, OF Seattle. xl45, 900; J. G..
Monaghan, of Denver, $500 Frank
Green, OF Kansas City, $50. 900; Glen
Tinsley, an old Dawson miner, who
went to Nome last year, $35, 900.
Unusual interest has followed the
Alpha's trip, not only because she was
the first steamer to sail for Cape Nome,
but more especially on account OF pos
sibility OF international complications.
the Alpha being a Canadian bottom
and lsome not being a SUPPORT OF en-
thy. But the skipper had no trouble
with the customs regulations. lie
sailed from Vancouver on April .,
clearing for St. Michael. He says he
was so menaced with icebergs AS he
approached St. Michael that he pro.
ceeded directly to Nome, landing 1873
passengers and their supplies on the
beach on May %. and 81 ing for VAN
couver on May 30.
The Alpha was carried by the ice to
the Siberian coast, and for five days was
packed in the ice unable to move.
She finally made Nunivak island wher
she found the San Francisco whalers.
Alexander and Jeanette, with about
100 passengers each, also trying to
reach Nome. After spending three
days more in very heavy ice near Pri.
byloff islands, the Alpha finally made
Nome, whittier the Alexander had pre-
ceded her two days. So overjoved
were the miners at the double arrival
OF the Alexander and the A lpha that a
civic holiday WAS declared. and the
Canadian boat was received with sa.
lutes. all the customs regulations being
waived, although as she had cleared
from Vancouver for st. Michael the
discharge OF her freight was in direct
contradiction OF the custom laws.
Nome was rather dull during March
and April, work being entirely sus-
pended on account Of cold weather.
Several times during the winter the
settlement Narrowly escaped total de.
struction by fire. All the buildings
are said to be timsey structures. and
no fire protection is afforded.
The extent OF the gold. producing area
of Nome seems much greater than WAS
at first supposed, and all over the coun.
try mec are reported to he washing
from Is to % cents to the pan in gold.
Golden Gate and Mascot creek are
turning ont we'll. Topcock is the big.
gets find OF the season, where it is con-
sidered nothing remarkable for miner
to make $50 day on many of the
claims, although the gold is found in
intermittent streaks. 1t was Oh Top.
cock creek that $56. 900 was cleaned up
in 80 days. Topcock is l5 miles from
the sea, and 30 miles south OF Nome.
One thousand people are working there
now, and there have been clean ups
from $25, 900 to $4,000 on lOO.ioot
claims.