The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-10-25
Rumors and (agey Silence
 Abound in New Strike Area as
 Boom and Nuggets Get Bigger
By JACK DAUM
News Miner Staffer


 FISHWHEEL, Alaska, Oct. 25- lR-Rumors that more nuggets had teen found along the banks of the fabled Yukon River swept periodic ally through this booming gold rush camp today. But attempts to trace the finds met with a wall of cagey silence.
 Prospectors eyed one another suspiciously, unwilling to talk about their luck in banning the stream until they have filed their claims.
 Although the temperature is 15 below and stifl falling, many of the early arrivals have begun banning for the precious stuff all men dream about.
 From their results we may know soon whether this gold rush is des- tined to be remembered along with the other famous ones of Alaska history. That is the opinion held by veteran gold seekers who impa- tiently await each dawn to renew their hunt for the yellow metal amid the Yukon sands.
 Feverish activity up and down the river from last weeks discovery site 20 miles southeast of Fort Yukon heightened it's tempo as a report trickled through Flshwheels mushrooming tent city. The word was that a three-eighth inth mug get had been found.
 NUGGETS FOUND
 The nugget was said to have been accidentally pulled up in miners bucket from the cotton of water hole on the south bank of the river one-quarter of a mile from tke original strike.
 Earl Hurst, veteran Alaska pros pectcr, admitted his saw the nugget, which he described as good coarse gold"
 A trapper from Eagle, Charlie Biederman, also said he examined nuggets banned half mile up- stream from Discovery Island, or which Clifton Carroll first found pea-sized nuggets as he dismantleo his water propelled fishwheel.
 In neither case was it possible tc learn accurately who made the later discoveries.
 With aircraft streaming in from Fairbanks and Fort Yukon, scores of new prospectors arrived daily lured to the rim of the Arctic by the age-old hunt for gold.
 A second landing field was estab- lished yesterday about five miles upstream from Discovery Island Bush pilot Jim Magoffin paced it off and dubbed it Yukon Ice airport
 TOWN" BOOMING
 The influx of gold seekers has doucled this mining camps popu- lation from last Saturday nights 75. More than 60 plane trips int the area from Fairbanks were log ged yesterday, compared to 50 Sun day and 20 Saturday.
 Even heavier aerial traffic is ex- pected with two landing strips available. Heretofore, small air craft bearing bearded prospectoIs had only Discovery Island sand bar on which to put down.
 It is easy to separate the profes- sionals from the amateurs.
 Oldtimers-veterans of strikes at Chandalar, Pedro, Fairbanks and Firth River-go methodically about the business of setting up camp, storing grub and kindling their stoves.
 Then they find color in the river mud with a few Swishes oi their battered pans. Finally they begin stalking out their claims Color consists of minute gold flakes without commercial value.
 Newcomers usually are over equipped and are garbed in Arctic clothing with the unmistakable look of recent acquaintance with store shelves.
 NEWCOMERS OTHER
 They invariably dash toward the first group of men they sight, ask directions and then plunge off across the ice toward the tail ends of Fishwheel town-either up or downstream-in ceaseless search for unclaimed ground which may contain gold.
 Last night I saw men-some with sleeping bags too short for them, some with parkas, some with overcoats, some with pitifully in- adequate clothing-sleeping in tents and in the open as the tempera- lures dropped to IS below zero.
 Things are easier for the veterans who brought stoves and proper bed ding
 Many others are seeking more permanent shelter at Fort Yukon to which the taxi" fee by air from the strike scene is $10 per trip.
 HAUNCC VUcITAR