256 GEAVEL AND PLACER MINING IN ALASKA. [bull. 263. 
Furthermore, the man who locates for others, if he does not repre- 
sent persons living altogether at a distance, is frequently sent out by 
men whose interests are entirely inimical to the proper development 
of the region — namely, saloon keepers, nonproducers, "tin horns" 
(gamblers), or other riffraff such as are generally found in the new 
American mining camp. They have rarely the intention of operating 
the claims located in their names and thus producing gold. They hold 
the claims in the hope that the camp will boom, that inexperienced 
outsiders will come in, and that in the ensuing excitement they may sell 
at a figure based on the supposed value of the unprospected ground. 
In the Fairbanks district portions of 3-mile stretches on three creeks 
are producing gold. Other portions within this producing area, as 
well as lengths of from 3 to 10 miles on six other creeks, are hardly 
prospected, are not producing, and are entirely withdrawn at present 
from exploration or exploitation through the process of the empowered 
staking above referred to. It is estimated that 2,000 persons will 
spend the winter in the district. Of these at least 1,200 will be able- 
bodied workingmen. The operations will afford work for possibly 
600 men. One-half the remainder at least would prospect and develop 
new territory were it not for the nearly insuperable difficulties. The 
provisions of the present location law are, in my opinion, largely 
responsible for these difficulties. 
In the portion of the Alaska interior lying between Yukon and 
Tanana rivers the auriferous gravels occupy a wide area. The over- 
coming of the purely physical obstacles to exploration is arduous, 
and many miles of creek valleys will be located as means of commu- 
nication become established. If this large area and other areas yet 
to be explored are allowed to be progressively withdrawn from pos- 
sible gold production, the result will be a distinct detriment to the 
development of Alaska. 
A confirmation of the annoying and injurious effects of the law is 
afforded by the early history of the Nome gold district of Seward 
Peninsula, where the conditions were as follows: 
Nearly every individual located not only for himself but also for his many friends 
by power of attorney. To such an extent was the power of attorney here abused 
that more than 7,000 acres of ground were located, so that the several thousand 
Americans who arrived later, finding no unstaked ground anywhere in the vicinity, 
justly raised a somewhat bitter complaint. « 
The practice of exercising the power of attorney is increasing in 
Alaska at present, and its abuse warrants the summary suspension of 
it if this be possible. 
In September I visited the principal creeks on which gold-mining 
operations are being prosecuted in the Nome, Solomon, and Council 
aSchrader, F. C, and Brooks, A. H., Preliminary Report on the Cape Nome Gold Region, U. S. Geou 
Survey, 1900, p. 32. 
