Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-07-04

at Nome We could not leave the
station, as 1t was necessary to be
promptly on hand when she did arrive.
Nature waits in the Arctic the com
ing OF the epoch in the fuliness of
time when all her secrets will be re-
vealed; and meantime man waits on
nature. The owners of many Of the
richest mines in Nome district are
able to work their claims only four
months In the year. and the ether
eight are spent in waiting.
The shambling bear, the prowling
wolf the circling gulls, even the
grinding ice foes themselves confess
to an incompleteness. and a general
air of expectancy is characteristic of
the region. Away at the top, where
the frost of ages has never recorded
the imprint of the foot OF man, the
virgin snow fields await the coming
of him who shall conquer nature at
her worst. and plant a standard of he
roic achievement at that goal which
has cost the lives Of many who have
sought to penetrate the icy yastness.
es by which its citadel Is surrour ded
Nature seems to have there reared
impassable barriers to warn back the
curious traveller and to guard jealous
ly the secret OF the north pole. Mean
while nature waits.
And so we waited The new com
pany agent Mr.. Barber was pleasant
gentleman and assisted by his amiable
wife did all in their power TO make the
,g. a,at
during the tfip we were given supplies
from the store as though we were en-
titled to thcm.
On the thirtieth of October the Man
anense arrived. The serf was rolling
at the time but some lightering was
undertaken, and we received our
mail
In some OF the papers smuggled
ashore was the story of the landing
OF Nelson in irons, which happened
upon our first arrival in Siberia. We
learned that on the return of the ship
20 Seattle the Russian officers who
we're dissatisfied with the company
had told of the incident, and the Dan
lsh consul had ordered an investiga-
hi'hs us 'h' oh'p 'hi''h hhN Ian
ish flag. The United States had be-
come interested, and as.the company
were forced to admit the truth of the
story. the government had placed
them under sl5.900 bonds for the safe
return of the man to America.
Having thus secured the eye of the
administration upon them, and being
dependent for their success on the
sale of more stock they were natur-
ally anxious for as favorable a report
as possible to be sent ont, or at least
to prevent the circulation of an evil
report The officers who had treated
MS almost as beneath contempt at
times were now as suave as possible.
In the evening after the ships arriv-
n circular letter was drawn up, and
The signatures of all the miners were
requested. The general tenor of the
letter was to the effect that we had
al all times been treated with cour-
tesy and respect; that the stories pub.
lished were lies, and that we had no
earthly complaint to make against the
company In any way. We were call
ed into the room one at time and re-
quested to sign.
Agent Beeber was alone in the room
when | entered, and he showed me the
papers and asked ME TO sign as per
sonal favor to himself
MIR. Beeber.' ! said you have
been courteous to me. but You are the
only one OF the companys employees
that has been. Manager hosene left
me here without contract, and the
omission was intentional on his part,
| believe He and the mining agent,
Capt. Armstrong, both promised me an
order on the store for supplies. This
was never given me. and the agent
who preceded you positively refused
to furnish me anything. | was prom
ised the use of guns from the agency.
provided | would pay for my own am
munition. This promise was given to
me in Nome. The agent here refused
to even consider the matter. ca the
ship on the way over | was told by
Purser MCGOWAN that "A trough was
good enough for me to eat from The
canned goods among the supplies in
tended for my partner and | were
taken by Capt. Armstrong. ! do not
call such treatment courteous nor do
| intend TO sign paper stating that
| have no complaint to make. That |
have fairly well enjoyed the summer,
thanks to the help supplied our larder
by the abundance of fish and game.
in no way alters the case, and | can
not conscientiously sign the paper"
Other miners adopted the same
course. and very few signatures were
secured
The next morning | was awakened
by a noise on the beach near our tent
and on looking out, saw that boat
was about to put out to the ship with
Capt Armstrong and Peter j. Mel
son. the man who had been landed
naked and in irons, and who tie com
pany were under bonds to return. My
distrust of the company was such that
1t Immediately flashed through my
head that the ship WAS going to Nome
with only these two on board. and
that the rest OF u.s. some of whom had
signed the circular letter, were to be
left for another year, and that the let
4 -. hat