Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-08
Report to Geological Survey of Expe-
dition of 1900.
NEARLY FIVE MILLIONS HARVESTED
Advanced Mining Methods Prove
Generally Improbable.
DANGEROUS SERF AT NOME

4 comprehensive statement of the OBJ
servations made in the Cape Nome and
Norton bay regions of Alaska by the party
sent out from the United States geological
survey in 1900 has just been published and
issued for distribution. The reconnois-
sances together with copious notes on the
geography geology and plant life of Alas
ka fill a large volume of over 300 pages
and many illustrations. The Investigations
reported were made by Messrs. Alfred H.
Brooks George B. Richardson, Arthur j.
Collier and Walter C. Mendenhall
A brief history of Alaska as a Russian
possession and as an American possession
before the current gold workings there
precedes the body of the report.
Development of Nome.
The report then reads In part as follows:
In the fall of 1898, when the discovery
of the Anvil creek piacers was made, a
few Eskimo tents were scattered along the
beach between Snake and Nome rivers. On
Anvil creek itself there was a small log
house, which had been built for the herd
ers of the government reindeer, ana TINS
might be said to be the only permanent
habitation for many miles along the coast
A few prospectorS built driftwOOd houses
near the mouth of Snake river. on the
present site of Nome, and spent there the
winter following the discovery, thus estab-
fishing the first settlement of whites be-
tween Goiofnin bay and Pert Clarence.
During the winter few more miners, who
came from the Yukon camps, established
themselves near these first habitatlons. and
the place received the name of Anvil City.
The gold seekers who had their first
view of what has since become a famous
mining camp from steamers which arrived
from Pacific ports in the early summer Of
1899, saw few driftwood houses the
beach. with a score or two of tents. The
return of these first steamers to Puget
sound led to a stampede. for the news Of
rich pacers was confirmed and the outside
world was convinced that rich finds act
ually had been made. On their second trip
TO the gold fields the steamers brought
of building ma terial, with fuel and supplies
of all kinds. A post Office was established.
and Nome became the official name of the
new camp.
Is Now City.
'In September of that year it already had
a population of 1900 or 1900 and contained
many substantial buildings. The rich beach
diggings which We're free for all. had made
times prosperous. and Nome had all the
characteristics of typical mushroom min
ing town. Prices were high, as nearly ev-
erything except gold was scarce. Money
was easily earned and quickly spent. A
city government had been established by
the miners. sand fairly good order was pre-
served by the local officials elected by the
miners, with the cooperation of the Off
GERS of the army and of the revenue cutter
service. An epidemic of typhoid, often
complicated with pneumonia was raging,
which, because of lack of facilities for TAX
ing of the sick, proved widely fatal.
In June 1900. the writer reached Nome a
second time, and found d city. with a pop
ulation of l5,000, clustered in buildings of
all kinds, and In tents stretching out for
miles along the beach. Nome had become
city, with many of the luxuries and all
of the vices of civilization.
To BE Further Improved.
Nome can now boast of good hotels,
large stores, newspapers, banks and many
other adiuncts of civilization. During the
open season, which lasts from the middle of
June TO about the end of October, it re-
ceives weekly mails. and can be reached
from Puget Sound ports in ten twelve
days. In winter communication is kept up
with the outside world by dog and reindeer
sleds by way of Yukon river. 1t is pro-
posed to establish shorter mail route from
some port on Cook Inlet, which remains
open during the entire year. Nome is con-
nected with ST. Michael by cable, and
military telegraph line is now in process of
construction from st. Michael to the Upper
Yukon, which will give Geographic connec-
ton with Skagway, in southeastern Alaska.
narroW-gause railway has been built
from Nome to Anvil Creek, and many wag-
on roads have been established between the
placer mines Telephone lines connect
Nome with many OF the mine workings and
extend along the coast far Port
Safety.
The greatest drawback at Nome is the
fact that there are no harbor facilities, and
all passengers and supplies have to be land
ed through the surf. During the months of
June and July this is accomplished without
mach difficulty. Later in the season, how
ever, stormy weather prevails in the north
Boring sea, and the landings through
the surf are attended with much danger
Vessels are forced, on account of the shall
lowness of the sea, to anchor half mile
to mile from shore. and all goods are
taken ashore in lighters in small boats
During the two seasons in which develop
ment has been going on in Nome most of
the lighters that were used have been
wrecked on the beach, many of them while
they We're loaded with valuable cargoes
When stormy weather comes the ocean-go-
ing vessels stand out to seek shelter
behind Sledge Island, but the small steam
ers and lighters are usually hauled ashore
and are quite frequently destroyed by the
surf. An attempt was made last year to
use wire rope and bucket tramway for
landing supplies. but before it could be put
to fair test storm arose and the ex-
p. nsive equipment was entirely destroyed"
A Rich Yield.
\ table is presented giving the placer
gold output from Seward peninsula in 1900
The largest washings We're as follows:
Anvil Creek 81. $50. po0; Glacier Creek, in
Guiding Snow Gulch. $50 600: Dexter Creek
S:o1"@; high-bench placers near Nome
sl45ooo; Nome Beach. s35o0O0; Topkok
Beach. S6O0,0Go Daniels Creek. 5000, 900;
Ophtr and Sweetcake Creeks. 500 200: Ku-
gruk, $4,000; Bluestone, $1,000; miscella-
neous and undetermined about $500 600.
Total, 81 7265OO
Anvil creek has proved the richest thus
far developed in Seward peninsula. This
creek was the seat of the discovery in the
Nome district and was staked by the pion-
GERS in September. 1898. 1t is estimated
that the creek has yielded $4,000 900, of
which about s1,1W.0OO was the output for
1900.
Anvil creek gold is both coarse and
fine Nuggets up to $500 in value have
been found, and 50 and So nuggets are
very common. 1t Is irregular generally
chunky rather than fiat, and has a dark
yellow sometimes almost brown, color The
fneness of the gold. according to Dr. CabelI
Whitehead. is O.s9O. or 1888 per ounce
Quartz and fragments of a schistose rock
are often found attached to nuggets
Among the heavier minerals In the con-
centrates magnetic and garnet are most
common and occasionally scheelite is found.
The beach sand. from Cape Nome to
Rodney creek, distance of about thirty
miles, nearly everywhere carries colors of