Iditarod pioneer., 1916-06-17
LETTER FROM THE TOLSTOl GIVES LATEST INFORMATION
 CONCERNING NEW CAMP

TOLSTOI, June GA movement Is on foot here for the establishment of post office and Commissioner Vlnal Is crculat ing petition to that effect. It has been decided to change the name of the town from Cooper to Tolstoi. The big crowd that was expected with the opening of naVl- gation has failed to matsrlallze, although there have been numerous arrivals, and more are reported cn the way. The gasboat Loewe Victor made four trips from the landing on the TolStoi with merchandise Jack Mutchler brought two horses here from Woodchopper creek. and another party brought three head. Mutchlor intends to use his horses sowing on the river.
 Frank Morgan has arrived with his res taurant outfit and will open up at once.
 The development of this camp is slow, but there has been enough work done to show in the opinion of oll-timers, that ii there is a pay5treak in the district it Is not in the present creek channels. There have been scores of holes sunk to bedrock dur ing the past two months without encoun- tering pay The only ones who are in share to do anything this summer gre Greer & McNultv. cn the fraction Cn Boub and the discoverers Cn Mastodon. Both outfits will be working in small way this summer.
 No new developments are looked fer until drills ere put into u:c here. The Whcl" district Is stakcd. and there is not muc} to induce 8 new arrival to prospect "W,lI- cat for an interest.
 There will be more ground open next f2ll than there is now, as much of it will not be recorded, although stalking it ties 1t up for ninety days Many who have been pros pecting the past two months are preparing to laave as they will have to work the bal ance of the summer to get ontfts,
 While present conditions do not justify a stampede, it is expected th2t next fall fl will be a good place for prospectors. The ground iS deep and frozen to be lrock. and it is a difHcult task to move boiler around in summer.
 Int the p2ystreak is dficul. to locate may be judged from MaGiscn's exG er;ence. He has been prospecting in this Gistric; dur ing the past nine years almost continuously and has been on all of the creeks with the exception of Boob creek, WEich did not lock enough like a creek to be worth pros necting He bedrocked holes on all the main creeks, and the best resrl, he was able to obtain was 17 cents to the foot cn ES peranza creek, where he is working now.
 The Van Or.daio and Edwards Accident
 Ira Van OraGale and Val Edwards were overcome by gas in their shaft on Glen gulch and bad narrow escape from death But for the presence of Arthur Eaton, who was visiting them the accident wolI hare recl.ltaH fat qlly in hath
 Van Orsdale was working in the shail and Edwards was on the windass They had just struck gravel, and evidently en- countered pocket of gas, which overc&1ne Van Orsdale. Edwards descended the shaft and made the rope fas. to Van Ors1al2 and in turn was overcome by the gas
 Eaton pulled Van Orsdaie cut and thrFW some water down the shaft which revived Edwards so that he was ale to fa,ten ths rope around his body ard be hauled to the surface
 Both men have fully racov2rpd but they will be compelled to abandon the shaft, as tLey are unable to get rid of the gas.