Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-26
Discovery Attracting Big
Crowds of People to
Manitoba.
NUGGETS IN TURKEYS
Six-OunCe Chunks of Metal Are
Unearthed Only Two Feet
Below the Surface.

Winnipeg, Man, Jan. 26.-Men, wo-
men. and even children, are tlockinS
to Minitonas. a little town on the Can
adian Northern railway 26S miles west
of here. Gold has been discoverd
there. and if even only small percent
age of the fabulous stories being told
are true it is the richest find in the
history Of western Canada and rivals
the Yukon fields.
For Christmas George Elliott, a
farmer, took into Manitonas several
turkeys. When dressed particles of
gold were found in their crops. One
had several small nuggets. The dis
covery was kept as quiet as possible
while several went prospecting, but
without success. Then others heard of
it and traced the turkeys to Elliott
and there began prospecting. Last
week several small nuggets were found
and claims staked, but it was not un
til this week that the finds were taken
seriously.
Two days ago several drills were
put to work. Yesterday gold in pay
ing quantities was struck. Today five
drills are at work around the town ant
each has struck gold in seams onl.
two feet below the surface. Georg'
Helroyd, a Yukon miner, began worl
this morning with a pick and shovel
At noon he found nugget weighing
more than seven ounces. At the mex
shovelful he dug up four and thre'
and a half ounce nugget.
SIMILAR TO YUKON BLACK EARTH
Alex Mackenzie found two nuggets
each weighing five ounces, and man,
other finds have been reported in al
directions from town, until it become
bed of gold-bearing black sand simila
to that found in the Yukon.
Three feet of snow covers the groun
and makes prospecting extremely di
ficult, but the thousands who hav
rushed to the gold fields from all part
of western Canada do not mind, an
madly shovel 1t away to get at tn
pay dirt underneath. Every one in tn
town is gold mad. Business has bee
suspended entirely, for every man an
woman, and many children, are dis
ging and scratching for the yello,
metal.
Women in overalls are at work wit
men of all nationalities. Train crew
have deserted to join in the hunt fo
] gold, and people are driving in froI
all directions. Two trains arrived &
. Minitonas today, and each coach wa
q packed to the doors. A special trai
9 left Winnipeg this afternoon for Min
: tomas carrying nearly 500 men. 1t
n probable the Canadian Northern wi
: run another special out late tonight.
S CLAIM JUMPING FREQUENT.
G Special police are being sent I
y maintain order, for claim jumping
n frequent, and there have been sever,
n serious fights.
) The recorder insisted upon a SCI
= bond being given before he would giI
l. a claim deed. Hon. Robert Roger
8 minister of the interior, was appeale
e to and the bond guarantee was n,
enforced. Last night report reache
Minitonas of a richer find on F1ave
creek, six miles north, and a stamped
II started in that direction at nightfa
Every man arriving in the town h;
s. some tale to tell of wonderful disco
l. cries and many support their stori,
y by showing nuggets.
at noon more than 900 claims he
y been filed at the dominion land off,
II at Dauphin and there will be as MAJ
II more in the next "a hours.