The Nome nugget., 1902-06-04
FIRST STEAMER 0F
 THE PRESENT SEASON Steamer Elk No. 1, Captain Swan, Sighted at ? O'clock Monday Morning. The ELK Left Port Townsend May6 and Experienced the Whole Pleasant Passage-S;ghted No Other Steamers During the Voyage-The Jeanie, Nome
 City and Portland Left for Nome Several
 Days Previously.

Steamer Elk No. l, of Port Townsend was sighted far out in the rCadstead at 2o'clock Monday morning.
 In an incredibly brief time the news that a steamer was in sight spread along Front street and in few minutes scores of people, some of whom had not yet gone to bed, and many others who had been peacefully slumbering for hours were on the streets.
 In the meantime number of boats had started seaward, while along FroLt street rang the cry, "A steamboat"
 The cry was not delusive one and shortly the smoke of the Elk was plainly discernible on the southern horiZ'.n.
 A NUGGET representative was among the first to reach the steamer. while probably thirty or forty small boats arrived within d half hour.
 Left Port Townsend rlay 6.
 The Elk left Port Townsend May 6, and experienced fairly good weather during the entre trip, although when she struck the Japan cur ent near Dutch Harbor, she was compelled to lay to for three days on account of d storm which ragged with great violence.
 No Steamers Sighted.
 The Elk saw nor spoke no steamers during her trip up She lett Dutch liar bur week ago Monday, and keeping to the eastward met with few dlilichlt- ies, although considerable ice was en- countered Cn the Yukon flats. The steamer was able to to make her way through the ice without difficulty.
 The Elk brought no mail.
 The steamers Jeanie and Portland are some where in the Bering sea ice pack.
 The Portland called at Dutch Harbor on May ), en route to Nome. The Jeanie left Seattle on May l, the Nome City on April 24. The Elk saw none of these steamers the Jeanie or Nome City not having called at Dutch Harbor.
  Elk from the Aleutian islands, having taken passage at Dutch Harbor, says that on May 6 or !, ho doesn't remem- Der which, he saw the Jeunie in OOyak bay, where she had taken shelter.
 l. NJ. Olsen, who is an old-lmer in Nome and who spent the winter at . Unsa, says the Newport arrived while he was at Dutch Harbor, and her cap tain reported the Jeanie in a small bay the other side of Unga.
 It. is thought that the Jeanie, Nome City and Portland tried to make pass age by way of the Siberian coast and thus struck the heavy ice pack, which undoubtedly prevails.
 E. B. BarLhrop, the managing owner of the Elk. who came up on the vessel, states that he had no idea that the Elk would be the first vessel to reach Nome. Very few late papers were brought, and little freight. She brought no fruit of any kind bat has some potatoes and few cases of eggs.
 The ice is out of the Yukon as is evi denced by the hoating ice met in the Yukon flats.
 The captain of the Elk is Chas. F. Swan; who is we'll known in Nome; the engineer is H. w. Durham, and the steamer carries crew of l7 men.
 No Smallpox.
 Mir. Barthrop states that there is little or no smallpox in Pacific coast cities, the ruinors to that effect which reached Nome during the winter being entirely untounded.
 Big Rush to Nome.
 Mir. Barthrop also states that the rush to Nome this sp.Ssk yill be great CT than last year, thus verifying an ex- elusive dispatch published some weeks ago in the NUGGET to the same effect. Candle creek and Council City districts besides Nome district, have commanded great deal of attention. Nearly all the old sour doughs are returning and many cheechakos are joining the spring rush.
 Scotty Allen and Capt. r. N. Sieberg who left Nome for the outside during the latter part of February, reached Seattle in good time. Capt. Sieberg Is returning on the Jeanie or Nome City.
 Quarantine Officer Call boarded the Elk before she had dropped aachur. A clean bill of health was reported, all the officers and crew being in good