Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-09-06

that region was w. II. Carter OF
Chicago, who lett that ciLy about
April 20. Mr.. Carter was with the
Chicago City Railway Company forI
eight years while that corporation was
under the management Of VI. K.
Bowen, and last year was the manager
Of Sans Souci park, corner OF 6Ist
street and Cottage Grove avenue, one
OF the most famous resorts OF its kind
III the west.
Mr.. Carter is an intimate friend oil
Joseph CIegg of the GroVes-Barnes
Music company of this city, and writes
him, under date Of Aug. 8, very enter
taingly, his observations and con-
illusions about Nome. He says:
AS | promised in one OF my former
letters to give you, as near as possible
for me TO 40 SO, description OF Nome
and this portion OF Alaska, l viii now
attempt To 90 So AS l have noticed in
some articles on this country, | would
first describe Nome, as CRATER )
paradise Sharpers, ohyIocks and
tin-hOrn gamblers constitute the ma
jority Of The legitimate population OF
Nome today, and more anxious lot oil
people you never saw. The large cont
merciaI companies that obtained a
footing here last year attempted, and
certainly very nearly succeeded, in
c0rralling everything in sight. Town
property, which could only be held by
sQuatters right, was held for them by
menialS III their employ. When the
last boats had come in last fall and no
possibility OF more supplies being re-
ceiyed, they Immediately raised the
price on all kinds OF provisions, and
their excuse for 50 doing was that
there was d limited supply OF pro
visions in the market and they merely
took a commercial privilege and adj
vanced prices accordingly; yet, this
spring, when other parties began 10
arrive with stocks of merchandise,
their stocks We're large and they at.
once put prices down in an effort to
keep competition at disadvantage.
This no doubt is legitimate in trade,
but their grasping greed did not end
here Having control of the greater
portion OF available real estate it was
impossible for a new conner to get
enough ground on which to establish
a business, without paying ridiculous
prices for the privilege. Lots with 90
feet frontage sold in some instances
for from $4,000 10 $4,000.
The commercial companies were not
the only grafters, however, as the
sour coughs who remained during
the winter had the same lofty am
bitiou. Tney were holding town lots
as q speculation, expecting to realize
enough of OF the new corners 10 go out
and live III luxury the balance OF THEN
natural eNistance. Those who sold
quick realized enough to amply justify
their sojourn here, but the more
greedy, VINO held for still higher prices,
were doomed 70 appointment, us tne
'chechaeSs,' us the new conner is called,
soon tumbied to their liLCle game, ana
positively refused to be robbed, bat
pitched MS tent along the beach anu
was soon doing a thriving business.
The CRATER soon realized his mistake,
but TOO late, as portion OF the bust
ness had been diverted, and lots along
the beach were soon about as valuable
rs those along the main streets OF the
town. Real estate prices soon dropped,
and now lots can be bought for SI0O 20
$500 that thousands were asked for 4
month to six weeks ago. So the graf
ter ald real estate specuIator is sad,
but consoles himself with the hope
that things will soon look up and
people will soon appreciate the per-
nancy and Importance OF Nome as a
mining camp.
The miner, and those who came
expecting to make mining a business
soon found that they had run up
against as tough proposition as had
the business man. The large COM
panies had had men employed during
the entire winter stalking claims Oy
proxy and OwerS-of-attOrney until not
portion of creek, gulch or tundra
was lett. | have been informed that
some parties own as many as 400
claims, and that one military officer at
St Michael made use of 100 pOWers-of-
attorney, also using his office as a
means Of Kidding some Of his claims Of
Objectionable intruders. While this IS
laws in force, the present regime
merely smiles and WinkS the other eye.
There were, early in the season, and
now, lots of claims for sale at low fig
ures, but they were unprospected and
on creeks without a reputation, cOnSe-
quently few OF them changed hands.
People began to look on the claim
owner as 3 fake and CRATER, and nc
matter how honest a man was or how
good claim he had for sale he was
looked upon with suspicion. When the
large holders were approached fol
lays all they could offer was an un-
prospecJed claim and from 90 per cent
to rs per cent. of all that was taker
out This meant that their prospect
ing and assessment work, which in
majority Of cases must be done thi:
summer, would be done at some othe
mans expense. Miners soon ap
preciated this, and the result was tina
very few lays We're let and the grea
majority Of creek claims remain in tn,
same condition they were in THU
spring. The claim holders will now b.
compelled to have their assessmen
work done, which is supposed I.
amount to 800 on each claim, and, as
said before, must be done this summe
or before Jan. LIST, 1901; otherwise the
are open for relocation. A great man
who intend to remain in this winte
are Shaving with that object in view q