Iditarod pioneer., 1917-01-20
REPORTS FROM TOLSTOI
 OF NEW PAY BEING FOUND

Information recently received from the Tolstoi IS to the effect that pay has been found on a new creek. Details are lacking but it is said that three holes were sunk and that $250 was taken from the bottom of one of them. The creek is named Flat which is tributary of Esperanto, the latter being tributary of Madison.
 Whether this information was responsible for the fact or not, the early part of the present week developed what to all appear naces was another stampede to the new district. Many dog teams left on Tuesday and Wednesday, and there was considerable speed apparent in preparations for the trip. Some were of the opinion that the nushers were on their way to Beaver creek, Tn the Innoko, from which most encouraging re- ports were received recently. However, 1t transpires that nearly all of the travellers had business entirely independent of any stampede
 The fame of the Tolstoi is being noised abroad Travellers from that section are eagerly interviewed by the coast newspapers Besides the glowing account attributed to Dave Edwards of Ophir, which appears in another column, the following from the Sew ard Gateway of December l6 will be read with interest:
 Ira Van Orsdal, one of the original dis coverers of the Tolstoi camp, who is now in Seward, brings word of recent discovery on one of the creeks in that district which is enough to cause anyone acquainted with Alaska mining to believe that the chances are good for one more great placer camp in the territory when all hope of such a possibility had about fed Mir Van Orsdal arrived over the trail couple of days ago, and is waiting to go out on the Alameda. He was in the Tolstoi district a month ago, and at that time got his information direct about the new discovery, The pay was found on Madison creek, which Is about seven or eight miles from Boob creek and the remarkable fact about the discovery IS that the pay was found in the second tier benches and is located in manner that show the possibility that 1t is of great extent On election day Mir. Van Orsdal was on the spot, and Wilson, the discoverer, banned some of the dirt for him, and by little banning showed s.
 Boob is the original creek of the district where Mir. Van Orsdal and the others made the discovery. It has five claims and fraction now on which pay has been deve- oped The difficulty of prospecting the country is illustrated by the name of the creek, the discoverers having given it that name because apparently no one but boob would ever think it could contain pay. The creeks run through low mud divides that are almost glaciers, and run through flats. These facts will show any old-timer that the discovery of pay on the second tier benches promises extraordinary developments. Van Orsdal also says that numerous creeks in the district have prospects that could be made to pay if any means of transportation were available One of the paying creeks in there now was crosscut some years ago, but It WAS abandoned The discovery of pay now is one more illustration of the old lesson taught Alaska prospectors lesson that only a thorough prospecting can be de pended on to locate the paystreak."
 In reference to the above interview, 1t may be said that the substance is substan tially correct, with the exception that the strike was made on the first bench instead of the second as stated by MT. Van Orsdal. The news of the find was kept concealed for obvious reasons MT Van Orsdal was in Iditarod before leaving for the Outside, and was careful not to mention the fact that the find had been made on the Madison creek bench.