THE FUTURE OF THE MINING INDUSTRY
ON SEWARD PENINSULA
The following interesting statements
are taken from Bulletin No. 328 of the
United States Geological Survey. It is
but fair to sny that they are accom
panied by qualified statements to the
effect that they are not much more
than a bold quess, but arc given in the
belief that those who are devoting their
time and money to the development of
the peninsula have a light to expect
some kind of an estimate of the pro
bable life of the placers, from the sur
vey. The total area of auriferous
alluvium is about 210 square miles or
850,490,000 square yards.
Tiie paystreak is assumed to average
three feet in depth, which is I elieved
to be u conservative estimate By this
calculation Seward Peninsula is esti
mated to carry a total of 850,498,000
cubic ynrds of gold bearing gravels.
Although it Is true that the paystreaks
thus far mined have a very high gold
content It Is equally certain that this
gold tenor Is not maintained through
out tlio gold bearing areas, for tho
gravels mapped as auriferous include
considerable alluvium that eariles little
more than colors of gold. A value ot
50 cents to the cubic yard, therefore, is
probably not too conservative, if these
assumptions are correct the gold con
tents of the auriferous gravels of the
peninsula cun be valued at $325,248,000.
it should be borne in mind that it does
not follow that these values, if present,
will necessarily be recovered, for they
may be in part so disseminated, or so
ditlicult of access as not to permit pro
litable exploitation. Another estimate
is bused in part on tiie number of linear
miles of gold beat ing streams. The
total, us measured on tiie maps, is 750
miles If the average width of puy
streun is assumed to lie 15 yards and
the depth about three feet, the total
bulk of the creek gravels would be
about 2o,0U0,0tH» cubic yards, uf which,
probably 800.000 cubic yards have been
worked out. This leaves a total for un
worked creek gravels of 19,400,000 cubic
yards. This compulation takes into
account the well defined paystreak, and
not the areas of auriferous gravels, and
hence the gold tenor will be much
higher than that used in the previous
estimate. Mr. Moffit found the average
gold contents of the gravels of seven
teen streams, on data given to this re
port by Mr. Collier and Mr. Hess and
based on statements by owners and
operators, to be $5.93 per cubic yard.
He obtained a gold content of $5.98 per
yard by dividing the total gold pro
duction from the creeks by the number
of cubic yards of paystreak estimated
to have been mined. The practical
identity of gold tenor of paystreaks in
these two calculations is suggestive,
1 a *-*iti ns
though it may be purely fortuitous In
view of the fact ttiat some of the rich
est have been mined out, it is not safe
to accept the above gold tenor aw re
presentative of all the creeks of tlie
district. It is probable, however, that
a throe-foot paystreak may average
$2.30 a cubic yard nlong the water
courses. With this assumption ttie gold
contents of the creek gravels would In
round numbers amount to $50,000,000.
In addition to the stream placers
above considered there are also the
auriferous deposits in the gravel plains
of which that of the Nome tundra is the
most extensive and in the high bench
deposits The gravel plain stretching
Inland from the coast at Nome, usually
called the tundra, is the richest of this
class of deposits thus far prospected,
but similar deposits, some of which are
known to be auriferous, occur in other
I parts of the peninsula. In estimating
the gold content of the gravel plain
placers, values of 25 io 50 cents per
| cubic yard of paystreak have been
adopted as being conservative. As In
previous calculations the paystreak has
been assumed to be three feet thick.
The paystrenks of the coastal plain
gravels, known to contain considerable
gold, have been assumed to carry 50
cents and the other 25 cents to the cubic
yard Many persons will, doubtless,
take exception to these valuations per
yard, because they are familiar with
some extraordinarily rich deposits
which have been mined. These higher
values are compensated for by the fact
that much gravel is probably included
In the above measurement of the gold
bearing areas whivse tenor is far below
50 cents. The placers of the high-bench
gravels, so fur. found only near Anvil
creek, are almost an unknown quantity
and their gold contents have been put
in as a lump sum in the following esti
mate. Hy these estimates ttie total
values of gravel-plain and of the high
beneh placers are found to be $215.
000.000.
This sum added to the value of creek
placers, gives a total reserve of $265.
000,000, as compared with $325,000,000.
in the previous calculation. The dif
ference lies in the fact that in the
second calculation the stream gravels
lying outside of the 15-yard paystreak
are not considered as gold bearing, i >f
the 750 linear miles of gold honrlng
creeks, only 172 miles represents creeks
which have produced gold in commer
cial quantities, but it must be remem
bered that many have not be.en care
fully prospected and that there are pro
bably other creeks not so marked on
the map which will be found to carry
1 gold.
Mr. Mofllt’s computations indicate
that those parts of the creeks which
have been worked out, carried values
averaging probably $500,000 per mile.
Some of the richest creeks have yielded
more than double this amount, but the
yield of others is very much below It.
These values are low compared with
those In the Klondike, where, according
to an estimate by McConnell 50 miles
of paying portions of creek carry gold
aggregating $95,000,000, or $1,900,000
per mile. According to Hammond,
some of the nnclont river channels of
California have yielded $2,000,000 to
13.000. 000 per mile. The deep leads In
Victoria, Australia, have yielded nearly
$2,000,000 to the mile
it Is probable that not more than
60,000 to 80,000 miners Inches of water
may eventually bo made available for
hydraulic mining In Seward Peninsula,
but this estimate Is little more than a
guess Purtngton has shown that be
cause of the low stream gradients and
for other reasons the duty of an inch Is
very low in Seward Peninsula The
average of his table Is 2.76 cubic yards
per 24 hours, equal to nbout 300 for a
season. According to these figures
16.000. 000 to 20,000,000 cubic yards of
material could be moved in a season,1
but certainly not more than 5,000.(100 to
4.000. 000 cubic yards would be pa> -
I streak. If double this amount of gravel
were excavated by mechanical means,
the total maximum volume of pay
streak which could he exploited in a
single season would be 15,000,000 to
24.000. 000 ruble yards If there are
(150,1100,000 cilbir yards of gold bearing
gravels in the peninsula, they could
not be mined at this rate In less than
twenty-five to forty years. As n mat
ter of fact, however, this maximum
volume could be reached only after
years of preparation and may never be
attained This is emphasized by the
fact that during the last six years tin
average amount of pay gravels handled
has probably been less than l.OOu.onO
cubic yards annually These specula
tions as to the life of the placet of
Seward Peninsula, are too Indefinite to
have much value, but they suggest, at
least, that the gold production will
probably Increase rather slowly and
that the outlook Is favorable for a long
period of rather uniform output.
(Send your friends on the outside this
paper after you have read it and help
advertise Nome.)
THREE RAILROADS TO
ADVERTISE ALASKA
SEATTLE, Jan. it).—Through the ef
forts of the Seattle Commercial Club,
three transcontinental railroads have
agreed to use in the literature the)
scatter broadcast throughout the Unh
eal States each year a large number of
photographs depicting the scenic
beauty of Alaska. The value of this
advertising cannot be underestimated,
particularly at this time, as 11*15 is
destined to see the heaviest tourist
travel in the history of the country
owing to the European strife. Thou
sands of persons who annually go
| abroad for their summer recreation
will visit the Pacific Northwest and
Alaska next year instead of Europe.
The Alaskan photographs supplied
to the Northern Pacific, Great Northern
and Milwaukee roads show In no smnll
way what a wonderful country Alnska
really is, and will no doubt be the
means of prompting many persons t-.
visit the Northland. Officials of tin
above mentioned lines have written to
the Commercial Club, thanking the or
(Utilization for the photoyiaidia and
giving aasuiance thut they will be used
in literuture that is n«*vv m course of
compilation.
Begin the New Year right by sub
scribing for the Nome Daily Nugget.
For first class work and prompt do
livery phone Mein 151 and the People's
Steam Laundry will call and get your
laundry.
W. J. WILLIAMSON, Prop.
AT THE NEW EAGLe.
Old Lewis Hunter Rye and the Fa
mous Atherton Bourbon whiskeys, Dis
tilled spring 1904-1905, bought In bond
and raduoed to 90 per cant, by U. 8.
government by tho bottle or gallon.
FLOUR IS CHEAP.
Bread only 6c. North Pol# Bakery
and Anvil Bakery.
♦+♦++++++++++ In'-HtvT-j - +H <
I “BARREL BAR" ]
i* M A Ml) I IN (j
OLIVER’S
PRIVATE S1GCK
II
1 » bourbon M* rlunj Pure K/e
i t Straight and double stamp whia
;; Ki«*.
J* Sole Agent*, for ANGFLFr
i - 8CER %
J | "Barr l Bar
• > Phone. Main 44 Front Htroet
I > l k»»l r i
BOWLING
ALLEY
i Jack’s Place.
f
;r THE OLD EAGLE BUlLDINi.
Front street
• Bowling alley n jpen from 1. n
•i Ladie* Day Wednesd •
Phone Mam 182.
Jack Douglas. Prop
4
• • * •
t L SI.
| “VIOLET DULCE” I
i The perfect
i I rileuin Powder
V T
At the Rexall Store Only ^
j BUTLER- WO 8 CO i
*♦*+•! ♦-. + + 4- 4* 4- + 4. + 4. %
• ' ** " * * ' ’ ’ ’ ’
! Chas W. Heed
; Machinist r, Blacksmith
4
♦
♦ iia.«oline l:nifinr> Hoist?,
j Boilers. Pipe am! Pipe
Fittings
l
1
i No. 5 Front St.
■'hen .n Seattle Stop , 1
V « Pin 3 for ] >
> ' 'N3 |:
> 1 ,! <Jt convenient %
Pet Day and Up <>
HOTEL BARKER i|
Corner Pit* and Sixth ]>
<[ !us eta . Boats < [
% and Trains *,
> C O Walston &. Conrad Freeding |>
\ Proprietor* (1
ALASKAN SOURDOUGHS ]!
YfV AiWAiW'AA^AA^^VWVI l
+ -!■•+♦ + + + 4 + + + + 4-i.
; WHEN THE MAIL ;
I comes ;
+ It IS appropriate to answer on the A
4. EATON CRANE PIKE CO.’8 X
STATIONERY X
4. 1 he quality uf the paper, it* re- X
4 finemant of texture, ite smsrtneee T
^ of size and style. A very com- if
plete line at T
+ HiH$ Pharmacy |
+ Vf tlt-'iver the goods all the time J
+ 4- 4- 4^ 4* 4* -p + •+-:-4H-+-;-+-.-+
l BOARD of TRADE ij
Restaurant |
and !;
> LUNCH COUNTER ||
^ F. A. Daniels,
j fUifo’s j|
Cafe ;
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
l - !!
Next Door to Pacific Cold
Storage ,'larkct
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K Facts AboutINome for Tourists V
/ W
The population of Nome is in winter
about 5,600 nnd In summer about 6,000
Nome Is tho Northern metropolis of
Alaska, and tho distributing point for
all of Seward Peninsula and sends
many supplies to Siberia and the Arctic
Tho grommer nnd high schools of
Nome are up to standard grades such
as are found In tho states.
A Catholic church with Father Post.
S. .1.. in charge.
A federated church, Methodist and
Congregational combined, with Rev. P.
B. Bauer in charge.
There is also a sisters’ school in con
nection with St. Joseph’s church.
We have an up-to-date hospital, Holy
Cross, in charge of the Sisters, which
is equipped to meet and take care of all
demands made upon such an institution.
Nome has an efflicent fire depart
ment under the management of Chief
James Haughey, with a pumping plant
capable of furnishing sufficient water
to extinguish any blaze with dispatch
Nome has a modern telephone system
connecting by long distance all the
principal points on Seward Peninsula
The government lias a wireless sta
tion which keeps Nome in dally com
munication with the world.
The Moonlight Water Company sup
plies the city with pure mountain
spring water, as it eomos bubbling
forth from tho foot of Anvil mountain
six miles away.
A modem electric light plant fur
nishes light nnd power to tho city and
surrounding country.
Several large machine shopn equipped
to repair arui turn out nil work required
by tho mammoth drodges.
Nome lias a transfer oonapan> with
sufficient rolling stock and horses to
handle anything from a satchel to i
dredge and walk off with the sane
There is n narrow gauge railroad to
the interior for the transportation of
freight in the Nome district i
I-omen Bros, in photographic work,
havo a largo equipment for taking care
of that lino of work. Everything in the
way of supplies, also in development
work can be. had hero with equal qual
ity and workmanship as in studios of
tho States
There is a modern daily paper- The
Nome Nugget—which furnishes th,
news of the world daily to its ntanj
subscribers. There is also a labor paper
published here in the city.
Nome has several large wholesale
and retail grocery stores, capable of
supplying the demands of the opera
tors, and it has been proven that it
does not pay to ship in supplies Tie
local merchants can supply the same
cheaper than individuals can ship the
«amp to Nome.
There Is nothing with tho exception
of street cars in a modern up to date
city In the thickly populated portion of
the country in tho states that is not to
he found her In Nome
After you have road this paper pass
it on to some one else that is also in
terested In Alaska. You will he doing
them a favor as Nome Is destined to be
one of the large eltles of Alaska.