Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-27

maj o"hClS VI lhS pIOp6lIlCS Wei q
aliens and therefore not the rightful
owners of the land, hence the title
given by tnem to Lane and others was
invalid and the envious ones sought
to have it set aside
The matter was brought before the
first session Of the Fifty-sixth congress
but Lane won out and some other tack
was necessary.
Smoothe Legislation.
1t is developed that certain political
interests in the northwest were very
much interested in this proposition
| and senators from the extreme north
west and the middle northwest be-
! came very active following the defeat
of the attempt to bring about the desir-
ed results through congressional ac-
ton. Pressure to bring about legisla-
ton on the lines of the Alaska code
bill was brought to bear with the re.
| suit that the measure passed, contain
ing certain provisions that, while in
nocent upon their face, were found 20
have peculiar significance later.
Peculiar Features of Appointment.
The peculiar feature in connection
with the appointment of Moves, who
halls from Minnesota, it is said, was
that his claims for appointment were
notpushedb by the senators and others
alleged to be particularly interested
in the appointment, but by two sena-
tors who really had no interest in the
matter. at all, but who gave their en-.
dorsement and pressure at the instance
| of the senators who desired the ap-
pointment of Judge Moves to be made.
| In this way the real parties interested
in the appointment were able to re-
main in the background of obscurity
while alleged plans progressed swim
mingly.
Too Many Interested.
| However, there were too many lieu
tenants interested in the transaction;
too many pluggers, and some of them
were indiscreet. These indisereet
! ones let out hints and even more than
hints concerning what it was proposed
to do up at Nome when the machin-
cry was actively in operation
Hatched in Washington.
1t is unequivocally asserted by the
Iowa man giving your correspondent
these facts, that the whole scheme was
Matched and matured under the very
dome of the capitol building in Wash,
ington. This Iowa man was in Wash.
ington at the time and knows where.
of he affirms.
Appoints Receiver.
Judge Noyes was appointed; landed
! at Nome; donned the judicial toga
and was ready for all corners. About
the first official act performed by him
was to appoint a receiver for the mines
then operated by Lane and others, and
Alex Mckenzie was placed in charge
| of the property. 1t is claimed THE
was an act unprecedented in the an
nails of territorial or any other juris
prudence. Congress had just passed
upon the merits of the questions in
controversy, yet in utter disregard OF
this, 1t is claimed, Judge Noyes
wrenched the property from the right
full owners and gave it into the hands
of his friend simply, it is claimed, be
cause he possessed the judicial powers
to do so, these powers having beer
/ craftilly incorporated into the Alaska
code bill.
OF course the ostensible reason as
signed for this action was to protect
the property for the rightful owners
whoever they might be. Subsequent
events, however, proved the shallow.
ness of this claim.
1t is a notorious fact that a placer
mine suffers no damage or deterioriza
ton if permitted to remain unworked
1t is sometimes necessary to operate
a deep ore mine to preserve it and
prevent incoming of water. There
can be no possible damage or loss ir
the case of the placer mine if not op
Grated. The gold remains undisturb
ed and is ready for the pick of the mi
ner, today or ten years hence. Yet il
view of this well known and indispu
table fact the receiver" at once pro
ceeded to protect" the property by
working it for all there was in it,
Mckenzie at once put on new force
of men, about double that previously
employed. The mines were worked
by day and night shifts and LITERAL,
Quilted. Instead of working the drifts
in the ordinary manner, taking it a!
1t came and cleaning everything up
the cream of the gold was ''hogged'
and the work rushed.
Iowan Witnesses Performance.
The Iowa man was present durin,
this time and personal witness t
the performance. He says he ha
seen, as the result of twenty hours
work Of thirty men, a half bushel o
clean gold measured up. Making du
allowance for shrinkage, ETC., on tn
basis of $40 per ounce. the value o
that half bushel would approximate,
100000. The miners were paid 81
per day and making due allowance TO
expense the actual cost of the hal
bushel of gold was not to exceed 81
1000. Taken in connection with the
value OF the product the cost of pro
duction is not worth taking into &C
count
Estimated Shrinkase Heavy.
Mckenzie worked the mines tire,
months and it is stated when the &C
counting was made he turned owe
something like $125, 900. The estimate
OF the amount of gold actually takeI
from these rich mines during the tire,
months vary from S1,000,000 to 50, 900
900.
Noyes Put in Jail.
AS soon as Judge Moves annointe,