Nome Gold Rush 1900 -

Jan 1st, 1900

We had a big time today. Everybody on the river was up also, all the natives on the river. We had a big feed consisting of ptarmigan, venison, corn, cake, pie, Alaska blueberries, potatoes. We had about 35 at the table. In the evening we had a dance. Also a native dance.

Jan 2nd

The day was put in at leisure. Thermometer 22 below. Some of the boys were up. Two Seluvik natives arrived here today. They killed one deer last night near camp.

Jan 3rd

The day was cold but clear. There is nothing new. The Hayne party was over and we had a game of cards.

Jan 4th

The weather still fair but cold. We traded for one dog today. Adolf was up today.

Jan 5th

Our native started this morning for the Kuguruk R. to trade for some dogs. The weather colder.

Jan 6th

The day was clear but cold. Manuel Enos came over from the Kayuk and is staying with us.

Jan 7th Sunday

The weather still cold. We all went down to the Hayne party’s cabin to spend the evening. A report came in that 2 white men arrived here from the Kubuch but proved to be false after going down the river about 5 miles.

Jan 8th

Chris, Jesse, Frank Bray, M. Enos, and Adolf Abrams started this morning with a steam thawer for the mountains on a prospect trip. The weather cold and windy. Bob Barclay (sp.) started this morning with a native and 5 dogs for Cape Nome.

Jan 9th

I am staying alone at the cabin so I took it easy. E. Jacquich (sp.) was up today. Weather cold and some wind.

Jan 10th

Got news this morning that a native woman died last night so we all went down to make arrangements to bury as the natives wanted the white men to bury her. The weather a little warmer.

Jan 11th

Our native got back today and brought another native with 5 dogs and I made arrangements with him to take us to Nome. The wind is blowing hard and very cold. The native woman that died was buryed today by the white men. The two natives went hunting and killed 21 ptarmigan.

Jan 12th

The house was full of natives today making showshoes. There are two natives here from the Buckland.

Jan 13th

Chris, Jesse, Enos, Bray and Abrams got back from their prospect trip today but did not find anything. The weather is very cold.

Jan 14th Sunday

The weather clear and cold. We traded for one dog today.

Jan 15th

We traded for 2 more dogs this morning and the natives left for the Kuguruk and Buckland. Enos, myself and our native started with a 6 dog team for the Kayuk (sp) for a load of dog feed and made camp tonight at the forks of the Kuwalik (sp). Weather cold.

Jan 16th

We started this morning at 7:15 and reached the fishing camp on the Kayuk (sp) at 1:15 p.m. The weather getting colder.
Jan 17th

The native and I went up the Kayuk (sp) about 10 miles and hauled a load of fish to the trail. Went back to the camp and made ready for an early start back in the morning. The thermometer 53 below zero.

Jan 18th

We started this morning at 7 o’clock and made camp on the Kuwalik (sp) tonight at 3:30. The weather very cold. Got several places on my face froze and also my fingers.

Jan 19th

We started this morning at 7:15 and reached home at 10:30 a.m. The weather still very cold. The thermometer 50 below. I froze my nose bad enough to take all the skin off it. We all went down to the Hayne camp to spend the evening. Frank Bray started for Nome today.

Jan 20th

The weather still cold. 56 below zero.

Jan 21st Sunday

Our native went hunting today and killed 28 ptarmigan. Jesse and I went down to Morriarty’s (sp) cabin.

Jan 22nd

I went hunting today and got 20 ptarmigan. Enos came over from the Kayuk  (sp) today. The weather getting a little warmer.

Jan 23rd

We put in the day getting some things ready for our Cape Nome trip. Enos started back for the Kayuk (sp) today. The weather colder. 42 below.

Jan 24th

The native and I went down the river about 15 miles with a 7 dog team for some seal oil. We made the round trip in 6 hours. The weather still cold.

Jan 25th

The thermometer was 57 below zero this morning. I went hunting today. We all went down to the Haynes cabin to spend the evening.

Jan 26th

The weather getting warmer. The native went hunting and got 2 ptarmigan.

Jan 27th

The weather warm. Thermometer zero and snowing. The native went hunting and got 6 ptarmigan. Oxel Schibsby got back from the Mission and got 8 dogs. The Haynes party was over this evening.

Jan 28th Sunday

We got things ready to start for Nome. Went down to the Haynes cabin tonight. Wind blowing and snowing.

Jan 29th

We started for Cape Nome this morning at 10 o’clock and made camp at the forks of the Kuwalik (sp) at 2 o’clock this afternoon. The weather windy and snowing but warm.

Jan 30th

We started this morning at 7:15 and made camp this afternoon just over the divide at 3:15 on the Kayuk (sp) side. A heavy wind blowing today and snowing some. Weather warm.

Jan 31st

We started this morning at 8:45 and made camp at Enos’s on the Kayuk (sp) at 1:30 p.m. The weather warm.

Feb 1st

We layed over today to feed up the dogs. The weather clear and cold.


Feb 2nd

We started this morning at 7:15 and made camp tonight at 1 o’clock at the foot of the divide. Weather warm.

Feb 3rd

We started this morning at 7:45. Crossed both divides and made camp on the Fish River side at 3:45. The weather cold and a heavy wind blowing tonight.

Feb 4th

We started this morning at 7:45 and made camp tonight at 2:45. The weather cloudy and blowing some snow.

Feb 5th

We started this morning at 7:15 and made camp at the Indian village on Fish River at 4 o’clock. The weather snowing and wind blowing. We met two dog teams and 6 white men going up Fish R. to prospect.

Feb 6th

We started this morning at 7:45 and made camp tonight at 4 o’clock on the headwaters of Fox River. The wind blowing and snowing hard. Killed 9 ptarmigan today.

Feb 7th

We started this morning at 8 o’clock and made camp at 3 o’clock on the coast. The weather cloudy and wind blowing. We got 12 ptarmigan.

Feb 8th

We started this morning at 8:15 and stopped at a native house at 11 o’clock and put in the rest of the day catching fish for the dogs. The native went hunting and got 8 ptarmigan. Weather warm.

Feb 9th

We layed over today to catch fish for our dogs. The wind blowing hard today.

Feb 10th

We started this morning at 7 o’clock and reached Sinclair’s cabin at Port Safety at 1 o’clock p.m. We met McCewn (sp) of Watsonville on the trail and seen Frank Lewis also of Watsonville at Port Safety.

Feb 11th Sunday

We layed over today at Sinclair’s and staked out one town lot. The weather cloudy.

Feb 12th

We started this morning at 7:45 and reached Nome city at 2:30 this afternoon and put up at Eubank’s cabin. There was quite a few of our Kotzebue friends over to see us.

Feb 13th

We moved over to Wordell’s cabin today and put in the rest of the day taking in the town and calling on our friends.

Feb 14th

Jesse and I went up the beach about 6 miles to see W. Ridgeway and Chas. Brills while Chris put up some bunks in the cabin. Our native sold $25 worth of ptarmigan. Chris, Jesse and I went over to Soyard (sp) and McCann’s cabin to spend the evening.

Feb 15th

We put in the day buying our provisions and getting ready for housekeeping. We sold two of our dogs today to Wordell for $50. The weather getting colder. There was an election in town today for city treasurer.

Feb 16th

Jesse, Wordell and I went out to Snow Gulch today to see if we could get work but there is not much doing. The weather warm and clear.

Feb 17th

There was a heavy wind blowing today so we stayed indoors all day.

Feb 18th

The native and I went out hunting today and got 15 ptarmigan which we sold for $14. Chris went up the beach about 7 miles to see some friends.

Feb 19th

The wind was blowing hard again today and very cold.

Feb 20th

The native and I went out hunting again today and got 8 ptarmigan. We sold 5 for five dollars. The day was fine until tonight when the wind started to blow again.

Feb 21st

The day was fine but a heavy wind blowing tonight. The native went hunting and got 4 ptarmigan.

Feb 22nd

The weather was cold and windy today. There was a baseballgame today between the A.C. and the soldiers for $500 aside but only played 5 innings when it got too cold and had to postpone the game until Sunday. The native went hunting and got 4 ptarmigan.

Feb 23rd

The day was cold and windy. Chris and I went fishing but did not catch any.

Feb 24th

The weather was fine and warm. There was a fire in town but did no damage.

Feb 25th Sunday

Chris, Frank Bray and three others started up the coast on a prospect trip. The baseball game was finished today between the soldiers and A.C.’s. The A.C.’s won. Score 11 to 7. The weather was quite warm.


Feb 26th

The weather fine and warm.

Feb 27th

The weather still clear and warm. We are getting things ready for a trip to Counsel City.

Feb 28th

Chas. Cahill, Ike Duryea (sp) and myself started this morning with a six dog team for the Golden Gate district. Are camping tonight up Nome River about 30 miles. The weather warm.

Mar 1st

We started this morning at 9:00 and made camp at 3:00 p.m. near the head of Nome River. Killed 4 ptarmigan. The weather still holds good.

Mar 2nd

We started this morning at 8:30. Crossed the divide and made camp on Nugget Creek at 3:20 this afternoon. We met several dog teams going to Nome. Weather warm.

Mar 3rd

We started this morning at 9 o’clock and reached the Recorder’s office of Golden Gate dist. at 1:30. We are camped tonight on Pilgrim River about 4 miles below Minerva Lake. Weather warm.

Mar 4th

We started this morning and went as far as Willow Creek where we made camp for the day. Chas. Cahill and myself went up Willow creek to stake some claims but the creek was all staked. We got 3 ptarmigan today. Weather fine.

Mar 5th

We started this morning at 9 o’clock and made camp tonight about 5 miles up Iron Creek. We killed 6 ptarmigan today. Weather fine.

Mar 6th

We layed over today and Chas. Cahill and myself staked 3 claims on what we named Pajaro Creek and three claims on Canyon Creek. The weather still fine.

Mar 7th

We loaded up this morning and went as far as Discovery Creek. Ike Duryea and I went up the creek and staked two claims.

Mar 8th

We started this morning at 8:15 and crossed the divide and made camp on the left fork of the Cassadefruga tonight at 5 o’clock. Wood is scarce with hardly enough willows to cook supper. The wind blowing tonight.

Mar 9th

We started this morning at 10:30 and made camp at 1:30 at the mouth of Goose Creek. The willows are poor. We were 4 ½ hours cooking supper and are still cooking dog-feed while I write at 9:30. Weather cold.

Mar 10th

We layed over today to thaw out our beds. The weather very cold.

Mar 11th

We got up early this morning and started up Goose Creek for the headwaters of the Neukluk (sp) but a blizzard came on and had to turn back and made camp. We got 8 ptarmigan today.

Mar 12th

We started this morning at 8:30 down the Cassadefruga and are camping tonight about 6 miles up the Big Four. The weather still cold. Killed 3 ptarmigan today.

Mar 13th

Ike Duryea and myself went up the Big 4 Creek and staked 4 claims on Ivanhoe Creek. The wind blowing hard and snowing tonight.

Mar 14th

There is a blizzard on today so we stayed in camp.

Mar 15th

Chas. Cahill and myself went up the creek and staked 4 claims on Quartz Creek and 3 claims on Surprise Creek. The weather warmer tonight and snowing.

Mar 16th

We loaded up our sled and pulled up Birch Creek about 1 mile and made camp. Ike Duryea and I went up the creek and staked 5 claims on Watson Creek. The snow getting deep and still snowing tonight.

Mar 17th

We loaded up this morning and started for Golovin city and are camping tonight on the Cassadefruga about 2 miles from the mouth. Snowing some today.

Mar 18th

We started this morning at 7:15 and reached Golovin City at 4 this afternoon and are stopping at McKillop (sp) Clough and n (sp) Tory (sp) cabin. The weather fine.

Mar 19th

We layed over today.

Mar 20th

Ike Duryea and I staked out a town lot and hauled some logs to put on the lot. The wind blowing cold.

Mar 21st

Chas. Cahill staked a town lot and I helped him put the logs on. The wind blowing heavy and cold.


Mar 22nd

We started this morning for Nome and made camp tonight at the Independence mining camp. The wind blowing hard.

Mar 23rd

We started this morning and reached the coast at noon. Went up to the Appetulik (sp) and made camp and caught a lot of tom cod. The wind blowing so hard we had to break camp and move to a native house.

Mar 24th

We layed over today on account of wind. All the ice went out and several Yukoners had a narrow escape.

Mar 25th

The wind still blowing hard so we layed over.

Mar 26th

We started this morning at 8:15 and reached Port Safety at 1:55 and stopped at McLan’s (sp).

Mar 27th

We started this morning at 9:00 and reached Nome City at 2:30. The weather cold but no wind blowing.

Mar 28th

the weather is cold. Chris is working for the city.

Mar 29th

The weather cloudy but cold. Went fishing today.


Mar 30th

It is snowing today and the weather warmer. A dead man was brought in town today from down the coast. He was found with a bullet hole in his head.

Mar 31st

Chas. Cahill and Dave Clough started for Golovin City this morning. The weather fine.

Apr 1st Sunday

Jesse Ray (sp) came back from Safety today. The wind blowing hard and cold. There was two sacks of mail from the outside came in.

Apr 2nd

Chris, Jesse and I put in the day digging boats out of the ice. The weather fine.

April 3rd

Wordell got back from a trip to Cripple River.

Apr 4th

The weather getting cold and windy. Went up the beach today. Quite a few mining on the beach but many have any pay dirt.

Apr 5th

The weather as cold as it has been any time at Nome this winter.

April 6th

Went out hunting today but did not get anything. Weather cold.

April 7th

Our native packed up and left us this morning. Chris and I spent the evening at Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s.

Apr 8th Sunday

There is a blizzard on today. A heavy wind and snowing.

Apr 9th

It is still snowing and blowing hard.

Apr 10th

I went up the beach today and stayed with W. Ridgeway. Was quite a crowd and had music and singing. It is raining all day.

Apr 11th

The weather warm and clear. Chris and I went and spent the evening at Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s. We had rye bread, Swiss cheese and beer.

Apr 12th

Jesse Ray got back from Port Safety today and brought down the news that Joe Avila died last Dec. Chris and I were digging a tent out of the snow. The weather very warm and the snow melting fast.

Apr 13th

Jesse Ray went down to Port Safety again today. The weather very warm.

Apr 14th

The weather still warm and the snow thawing fast. Jesse returned from Safety today.

Apr 15th, 16th, 17th

The weather warm and some snow. We took a lory on Ruby Creek and are getting ready to move over.


Apr 18th

There was a big crowd along the beach staking beach claims as the A.C. Co. reported that a claim of 25 X 140 could be staked by anybody but it is thought it was a report to win in the election. There was one man shot on account of staking over another man’s lot.

Apr 19th

The man that was shot yesterday died this morning. We bought part of our outfit today that we are going to take over to our claim.

Apr 20th

The day was clear and warm. There was a prize fight in town tonight but was not much force.

Apr 21st, 22nd Sunday

We got things ready for an early start tomorrow for the Cassadefruga. Snowing a little today.

Apr 23rd

We started this morning at 7 o’clock and reached Port Safety at 3 this afternoon. Still snowing.

Apr 24th

We started this morning at 7 and reached Solomon River today at noon. The wind blowing and snowing.

Apr 25th

We layed over today as the wind was blowing hard and snowing.

Apr 26th, 27th

We layed over both days for better weather.

Apr 28th

We started this morning at 6 o’clock up Solomon River and reached the head of Shovel Creek this afternoon at 3 o’clock and made camp.
Apr 29th Sunday

We took part of our load to the top of the divide. Snowing today.

Apr 30th

We layed over today and Jesse and I went up Shovel and staked two claims.

May 1st

We had to lay over today as there is a heavy wind blowing.

May 2nd

We started this morning at 6 o’clock and reach Ruby Creek this afternoon at 3 o’clock. The day very warm and the snow soft.

May 3rd

We went up Ruby Creek for a load of wood. The day warm.

May 4th, 5th, 6th Sunday

We put in these days getting willows and getting our freight from the divide.

May 7th

Chris, Jesse Ray, Frank Brazil (sp) and P. Marlin started for Golovin City today.

May 8th

Frank Louis and I went down to Cassadefruga about 7 miles for a load of wood. The weather still cold and windy.

May 9th, 10th

We put in the time hauling wood. The weather cold and windy.


May 11th

We hauled up two loads today. Chris and the boys got back from Golovin City today. The day warm and raining tonight.

May 12th

Frank Brazil, Jesse Ray and E. Marlin started for Nome today. The weather warm and the snow thawing fast.

May 13th

The day was warm and the water started to run in the creek tonight.

May 14th

The creeks are running full of water today and the weather warm.

May 15th

The weather still warm. We can do nothing as the snow is too soft to travel.

May 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th

Weather fine. The snow leaving fast.

May 20th Sunday

The weather is still warm.

May 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th

The weather is turned cold again. A heavy North wind blowing and the creeks are almost froze over again. There was two parties out from town this week but nothing new.  A mad dog came into camp the other night and made it lively for us until we got a chance to kill it. We have a hard time to keep warm. There is no wood so we have to stay in bed most of the time. Last night we had a ptarmigan fry at Cahill’s but two of us had to stay in bed while the other two done the cooking using corn beef fat for wood.

May 27th Sunday

The weather still cold and the creeks all froze over again.

May 28th, 29th, 30th

News came in tonight that four boats were in at Nome. Three whalers and the steamer Alpha with 140 passengers. H. Ball brought over some late papers. The weather turning warmer.

May 31st

The weather warm and the creeks breaking up again. I killed 1 goose and we had a big dinner. All the boys on the creek were over.

June 1st

Harry Moore and I started over to the Big 4 this morning to corner stake some claims and do some prospecting but we did not even find colors so we came back getting into camp this morning.

June 2nd

Two of the Alpha passengers arrived here today. They are trying to get outside of stakes to prospect.

June 33rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th

These days were put in cutting ice out of the creek.

June 9th

Bob Barclay and Chris went up the left fork of the Cassadefruga to do some corner staking on some claims. It is snowing all day.


A.C. Company, 7, 14
Abrams, Adolf, 1, 2
Alpha. See Steamers, Alpha
Appetulik, 11
Avila, Joe, 13
Ball, H., 17
Barclay, Bob, 1, 17
Big Four Creek, 9, 17
Birch Creek, 10
Bray, Frank, 1, 2, 3, 7
Brazil, Frank, 15, 16
Brills, Chas., 6
Brown, Mr. and Mrs., 12, 13
Buckland, 2
Cahill, Chas., 8, 9, 10, 12, 16
Camping, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17
Hardships, 9, 11, 14, 15
Canyon Creek, 9
Cassadefruga River, 9, 10, 14, 15, 17
Claims, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 17
Clothing and Gear
Sleds, 10
Snowshoes, 2
Clough, Dave, 10, 12
Counsel City, 8
Cripple River, 12
Death
Murder, 12, 14
Native, 2, 13
Discovery Creek, 9
Dogs, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
Feeding, 2, 4, 5, 9
Duryea, Ike, 8, 9, 10
Enos, Manuel, 1, 2, 3, 4
Eubank (person), 6
Fish River, 5
Fishing Camp, 2
Fox River, 5
Golden Gate District, 8
Golovin City, 10, 12, 15, 16
Goose Creek, 9
Hayne Party, 1, 3, 4
Health
Frostbite, 3
Hunting, 4
Deer, 1
Goose, 17
Ptarmigan, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Independence Mining Camp, 11
Iron Creek, 8
Ivanhoe Creek, 9
Jacquich, E., 2
Kayuk, 1, 2, 3, 4
Kotzebue, 6
Kubuch, 1
Kuguruk River, 1, 2
Kuwalik, 2, 3, 4
Lewis, Frank, 6
Lory, 13
Louis, Frank, 15
Marlin, E., 16
Marlin, P., 15
McCann, 6
McCewn, 6
McKillop, 10
McLan, 11
Minerva Lake, 8
Mission, The, 4
Moore, Harry, 17
Morriarty, 3
Neukluk, 9
Nome, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17
Nome River, 8
Nugget Creek, 8
Pajaro Creek, 9
Pilgrim River, 8
Port Safety, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14
Quartz Creek, 10
Ray, Jesse, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16
Ridgeway, W., 6, 13
Ruby Creek, 13, 15
Schibsby, Oxel, 4
Seal oil, 3
Seluvik, 1
Shovel Creek, 14, 15
Sinclair, 6
Snow Gulch, 6
Soldiers, 7
Solomon River, 14
Soyard, 6
Steam Thawer, 1
Steamers
Alpha, 17
Struve, Chris, 1, 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17
Surprise Creek, 10
Tory, 10
Town Life
Baseball, 7
Boxing, 14
Cards and Games, 1
Elections, 6, 14
Feasts, 1, 13, 17
Fire, 7
Hardships, 16
Mail, 12
Music, 13
Newspapers, 17
Staking Lots, 6, 10, 14
Work, 6, 11
Watson Creek, 10
Watsonville, California, 6
Whalers, 17
Willow Creek, 8
Wordell, 6, 12