The Nome nugget., 1925-07-25
DIR. A. N. kITTILSEN
 APPOINTED CLERK [. s. DISTRICT COURT NOME

l newS Of which reached NoE'e froir
 seattle last saturday afternoon. Nh kittiIsen's bond was approved or
 Monday last and he imm adiately took over the reins of office. The now clerk is one of the oldest ol
 Sourdoushs of the Nome section
 having interested himself in mining
 activities during most of the time,
 of late years he. has been managing
 8 dredge mining concern on Dexter
 creek of which he is interested in We quote extracts from l. z. Harrison Souvenir Edition of
 Nome and Seward Peninsula print
 ed in 1905, which gives vivid
 description of Mr. Kittilsens earl:-
 activities. as follows
 "Dr kittilsen was the frs. re :
 corder ot,the Nome Mining District
 He is one of the pioneers of Ncr.h-
 western Alaska. After Dr. Sherion Jackson had succeeded in secur-
 ing the cooperation of Congress in the undertaking of introd l,,in :. domestic reindeer in Alaska, an, after the experiment had proved successful. further Governmen: aid was obta ned to the extent of pro- curing reindeer herders from Lap land to teach the natives how to take care of the reindeer One ot the terms of the controct. between the United States Government and the Lapland reindeer herders, spec provide a physician who would he available in time for need. Dr. Kittilsen was selected for this job. He was of Scandinavian ancestry and sufficiently familiar with the language of the Laplanders to ie able to communicate with then: He accordingly came to N,rth- western Alaska in the spring f 1S96 and besides practicing his profession where his services were needed. he filled the position of as- sistant superintendent of the rein deer station. During the second year Of his residence is Alaska he was acting Superintendent of rein deer
 "The reindeer station was first astablshed at Port Clarence. but in December, 1897. it was changed to Dr. Kittilsen was at his station when Libby. Melsing, | Blake ard Mordaunt were prospect | ng on Ophir Creek during the sum ne; of 1898. Three years prey ous to this date man by the , oame of Johansen had discovered | gold near the headwaters of the | Neukluk. and had whipsawed lum- f per and made sluice boxes with { which to work the claim when he l 'eceved a letter from some friend | ,r relative on the Yukon informing lim of a strike which induced him 10 abandon his plans and leave his part of the country
 "Dr. Kittilson is familiar with all the circumstances connected | with the discovery of gold On Sew ard peninsula. He knows the | story of the trip to Sinuk river in | July 1898. This trip was made by John Brynteson, J. L. Haglin H. L. Blake, NJ. Porter, Chris l Nimber and NJ. o. Hultberg The 7arty started from Golovin Bay in a small boat to investigate the iiscoyery of gold in the beach near he mouth of the Sinuk river. re- aorted natives. A storm coming up forced the party to make q landing at the mouth of Snake river. and while waiting for the storm to abate they went up the left limit of Snake river prospect ing the country for gold. They 'ipofCh EhHNi 1T Nitth di.u lOuuu tOl- ors in the stream but did not stake. Returning to their boat they con tinued their trip to Sinuk but did not find anything at this place
 "The party lived in a tent on Specimen Gulch until November 10 by this date the season was so far advanced that it was impossible to do any more mining and they re- turned to the Sandspit on the west bank of the mouth of Snake river,
 where they waited for missionary Anderson and a Laplander to come
 after them with a clear team ac- cording to .promise. but which did
 not arrive as expected.
 ''Dr. Kittilsen is native of Wis
 consin. and was born in March,
 1870 His father was Norwegian
 and his mother was the first white
 child born in the town of Christ
 iania, Dane County. Wisconsin. He
 was educated at the University of