The Nome nugget., 1901-11-27
treat Activity Prevails in the r-Tcinity of Nome.
SYSTEMATIC WORK
An Anvil Bench Claim That Is Being Opened Up. in Thorough Tanner The Indications Are That Big
 Cleanup Will Be Made Next Spring.

If anyone doubts that the era of winter mining has fairly dawned in ohis district, he has but to make trip .o the neighboring hills and benches which adjOin the creeks within a short distance of Nome. He will find the travelling fairly good. although a few additional inches of snow would greatly improve it., Nevertheless, the trip is not an unpleasant one now, and the man whose mushing is confined to the town will find greatly improved ap- petite after he has returned from . tramp over the tundra and hills.
 The trail between Nome and Anvil follows tortuous course, and the north wind nips nose and ears sharply, but that is small matter, after you get used to it. If you are afoot you can keep warm, and if you travel with 8 horse or dog team you may get out and run, just to ''keepup the circulation" ."
 Along the different creeks you will SSG IbabN oiEhc oi iiUDieIpioh sAA column of smoke rising here and there often from what looks like a hummock of snow, but it is either tent, sod or board house, partially or wholly covered with snow.
 It was Sunday when a NUGGET rep resentative paid visit to Anvil creek, and scanned neighboring creeks as he went, in company with Philip De Fon- teille, who is doing what is without doubt the most systematic winter mining in Northwestern Alaska. Mr. De Fonteille is practical miner. He was born in, Normandy, France, and about IS years ago he came to the United States, and for years was en- gagged in mining in Nevada and Cali fornia. There he became acquainted with the 'Old river channels and the knowledge thus gained he has put to good use. It is largely through the prospecting that he has done in this section that he has established the fact that an old river bed runs on the left limit of Anvil creek, and wherever it has been located rich pay dirt has been found.
 Mir. De FOnteille came to Nome last spring from the Copper river country. He went into that section in 1897. and. by the way, he has unbounded faith in the Copper river region, as copper vnuC5po;,fr In al ,n1, q ( large town will grow up at Valdes.
 Last spring, after his arrival in Nome, MT. Fonteille began prospecting on Anvil benches, first securing options. Soon he was convinced that an old river channel extended from the Hattie claim westward. On Specimen gulch the ancient channel was struck. Mir. Fonteille interested E. w. Backus, of the Minnesota and Colorado Mining Company, in the claim, and an open cut was run and paystreak 75 feet wide and , feet deep uncovered. Although some 20 feet of dirt carrying no gold at all had to be removed from the top oi the pay gravel, $6O,O00 was taken out last season. The mine foreman was certain that he had found only 8 "pot hole," but subsequent develop. ment proved this to be fal. lacy. It is an ancient river bed Boulders weighing several tons each have been found in the paystreak, most of them we'll worn by the action ol water and by attrition. Where the bedrock was smooth the best pans Tar not more than 50 cents, where it wal rough, or ''rifiied," pans running from $2O to $40 were not infrequent This claim is not being worked thi. winter, for the reason that MT. Baeku. thought it would be too expensive.
 Mir. Fonteille claims, however, tha, these benches can be worked more cheaply in winter than in the summer season. Therefore, he secured lease on No. ? bench, adjoining No. ! Anvil fr%i Dr. A. N. Kittelsen and Dr. A. k S"A~~ >Interested with Stn alst are E---y.,xseil <! ard and l.. A. Larimore Six weeks ago they began running { tunnel from the creek. Wash grave was encountered at the start, but rocl followed, and the tunnel has been rut . distance of 19j feet, at the rate o about 9 feet daily, with three shifts a work.
 Alr. Fonteille figures that the ol' channel will be struck in another 40 O 60 feet. That the paystreak will b struck is manifest from the fact that shaft was sunk last summer on tn claim, a distance of B feet. Littl timbering needs to be done. A line c rails has been laid, and as soon as tn body of pay dirt is struck horses will b used to pull the cars laden with grave