More Discoveries
In FishwheeKs
Gold Strike
(Continued from Page One)
to 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 handing field was es
tablished yesterday about five
miles upstream from Discovery Is
land. Bush pilot Jim Magoffin
paced it off and dubbed it “Yukon
Ice” airport.
The influx of gold seekers has
doubled this mining camp’s popu
lation from last Saturday night’s
75. More than 60 plane trips into
the area from Fairbanks were log
ged Monday, 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 prospectors
had only a Discovery Island sand
bar on which to put down.
It is easy to separate the pro
fessionals 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 of
their battered pans. Finally they
begin staking out their claims.
Color consists of minute gold
flakes without commercial value.
Newcomers usually are over
equipped and are garbed in Arc
tic clothing with the unmistakable
look of recent acquaintance with
store shelves.
They invariably dash toward
the first group of men they sight,
ask directions and then plunge off
across the ice toward the tailends
of Fishwheel town—either up or
downstream—i na ceaseless search
for unclaimed ground which may
contain gold.
Last night I saw' men, some with
sleeping bags too short for them,
some w’ith parkas, some w-ith over
coats, some with pitifully inade
quate clothing—sleeping in tents
and in the open as the tempera
tures (propped to 15 below' zero.
Tlvngs are easier for the veter
ans who brought stoves and pro
per bedding.
Many others are seeking more
permanent shelter at Fort Yukon,
to which the ’’taxi” fee by air
from the strike scene is S10 per
trip.
MS Lothrop
Not Molested
TACOMA, (A3) — Docking here
Monday from her first round trip
to Alaska, the M/S Asa Lothrop is
being guarded by city police offi
cers to insure peaceful unloading
and loading operations.
However, no pickets have ap
peared nor has there been any
hint of their returning.
The Asa Lothrop sailed on her
first trip about two weeks ago. A
brief clash between CIO pickets
and an alleged goon squad and
AFL longshoremen on the evening
of Oct. 3 was quelled when police
arrived on the scene. Superior
judge Bartlett Rummel issued a
restraining order and the ship
completed its loading without fur
ther incident.
The motorship is in the Tacoma
Alaska trade under the firm name
of Alaska Ship Lines, Inc.
'Seattle’s Basement
‘’Gold Strike”
Continues to Grow
(Continued from Page One)
tered old grips in Jolin’s basement
room in a shabby rooming house.
Corkery said the gold found
Tuesday is worth about $1,400. It
makes a total of 369 ounces of
gold and amalgum discovered to i
date, worth altogether about $10,
000.
With Union Oil company and U.
S. bonds found in the box along
with the gold Tuesday, the estate’s
value has now risen to around
$28,000, Corkery said.
Three of the pokes found were
made out of women’s long-sleeved
gloves—a frequent device of old- i
time prospecetors when they could i
not obtain enough chamois-skin '
pokes, said Corkery, himself a
prospector.
The safe deposit box was dis- 1
covered by persistent searching.
Corkery and Walker received
from the coroner the dead man’s
keys. Two of them looked like box
: keys. A locksmith identified them
i as those to Seattle Trust and Sav
ings Bank boxes.
Corkery said all the gold and
other assets will be turned over to
the Bank of California, named ex
ecutor in John’s will. He be
queathed it all to a sister in Swe
den.
John liver a very frugal life.
Corkery said.
■ ' ■ —•. . .
Col. M. Marsteti of the Alaska
National Guard, returned from a
trip to Barrow and states that the
village is bustling with activities
as fifty homes are being construct
ed. The beach is piled with lumber
nil of which he learned had been
paid for by the natives.
The natives do not have the nat
ural gas which has been found
there, piped into their homes this
year although the navy buildings j
’ are now using it.
I
“Very Colorful**
Says British Writer
About Fishwheel
(By Jack Daum)
FISHWHEEL, (y<P)—The town of
Fishwheel—nothing but just that
a week ago—now covers more ter
ritory that Fairbanks, the metrop
ois of northe central Alaska.
Fishwheel, as this strung-out
line of tents is known in this gold
fevered Yukon River area atjthe
Arctic Circle, extends downstream
three miles from Discovery Stake,
and upstream six miles.
Prospectors who have been
rushing into the area by airplane,
are now spread out on both sides
of the river, with claims mush
looming on the north bank as well
as the south, where mos activity
had been concentrated until today.
Even now, when there is still a
50-50 chance that the gold content
in the area may be highly over
rated, aspects of boom- town
growth and evident everywhere.
Fishwheel now boasts four air
plane landing strips—more than
any other community in Alaska,
including military centers.
Fish wheel was visited yesterday
by George Ward Price, correspon
dent for the London Daily Mail.
He's stripping over in Alaska en
route to Australia.
Wearing a natty striped business
suit, “Little Abner” felt shoes, a
waistcoat and four-in-hand neck
tie, Price represented a contrast
ing appearance among the parka
clad prospectors among whom he
strode along the Yukon. He in
spected pot holes and panned
tailings where nuggets and colors
have been found.
“Very colorful” opined Price in
his clipped British accent.
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Downs, teach
ers from Solomon, were in town
on business and to have their!
blasses repaired. They returned to (
their school late yesterday.
Old-Timers “Pro
And Con” Strike
ANCHORAGE, f/P>— Some An
chorage people have set out for
the Fort Yukon area, but the old
time gold hunters here are view
ing the nugget reports coolly.
Experienced prospectors express
the belief that most of the prom
ising claims already have been
staked out in the area where a
fishwheel came up with nuggets
frozen to the hub. Some say the
country there is too flat for a good
strike and the report that bedrock
is 200 feet or more down is dis
couraging.
The Anchorage Times said
there was no basis to reports that
frenzied gold seekers were char
tering taxicabs to rush to Fair
banks, the jumping off spot for
the flights to the Fort Yukon area.
The reports were that the taxi fare
had been boosted above $400. The
newspaper noted that the Anchor
a g e - Fairbanks train fare by
Streamliner was only about $25
and an airplane flight about $35.
Mrs. T. Peterson of the Teller
Commercial Co., is visiting in
town tor a few days while having
dental work done.
Lower Prices ()n
I nna ami Sardines
(By Harrison Humphries)
WASHINGTON, (A3)—1The fish
and wildlife service predicts mar
keting difficulties and lower
prices for the West Coast tuna
and sardine fisheries the rest of
fhe year.
The unfavorable outlook for
tuna was attributed to heavy do
mestic production and increased
imports.
In a report compiled by Ralph
Russell, fishery marketing special
ist, the service said:
Marketing of the large volume
of canned tuna will be difficult.
Although the sardine ‘pilchard*
| season has just opened up, a sub
stantial pack seems probable.
A somewhat sluggish demand
also is expected for the larger
pack of salmon in Alaska and the
Pacific Northwest.
Supplies of frozen salmon are
heavier than a year ago, and there
will be more for distribution in
frozen form this year.
-.
Bob Caldwell, who has been
with the U. S. Weather Bureau
here for the past year is now in
charge of the station.
SERVICE BARBER SHOP
SHINE AND BATHS
JACK LENCER
W atchmaker
Box 625 Nome, Alaska
Scouting
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