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Gold Bearing Waterway

Paris, Missouri, Friday, October 8, 1897
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Gold Bearing Water Ways
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A Company Organized to Dredge the Yukon and its Tributaries in Alaska
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Moberly Democrat
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Four gentleman from Monroe county arrived in this city Tuesday afternoon and going to the Florence Hotel engaged a large room in which twenty or twenty-five men could meet. and had chairs put in the room for that number. These gentlemen were Obe H. Swelt of Middle Grove, G.P. Grimes of Madison, and J. B. Davis of Paris[?four men?]. Immediately upon this fact becoming known, considerable curiosity and interest was manifested to know what was the object of the meeting which was to be held. An investigation showed it was for the purpose of organizing a company with a view to dredging the rich gold bearing water ways of the Alaska gold fields, the Yukon and its tributaries, and the movements of the men were watched closely to see the result of the meeting.

Others soon began to arrive and before evening a goodly number of those expected were present. They were closeted in the room until late Tuesday night, again all day Wednesday and until after midnight Wednesday night, the result being the organization of the company with a capital stock of $50,000 with the determination to have built a combined transportation and dredge boat with which to go up the Yukon and its tributaries in Alaska and dredge the rivers for the gold deposited in the basin of these rivers. The company is to be known as the Missouri * Alaska Dredging Co., and is to consist of twenty-five men, the stock to be divided into 500 shares of $100 each.

Capt. D. C. Basey of Brunswick arrived Wednesday. Capt. Basey is the promoter of the scheme to dredge the gold bearing water ways of Alaska, and although six other companies to wit, two in Chicago, two in St. Louis and two in Seattle have been organized with the same object in view. Capt. Basey is the originator of the scheme and those companies have been organized since Capt. Basey first began to talk of his ideas and place them before the public., so that it may be truly said the other companies have stolen his thunder.

The company, which was organized in this city Wednesday night, conforming to the ideas promulgated by Capt. Basey, expects to have built especially for a steamer 100 foot long and with a 26 foot bean, with a capacity of 125 tons easily. This steamer will be built so as to be suitable for transportation of passengers and freight and provided with dredging machinery with which to dredge the Yukon and its tributaries. This boat will be built at Seattle, Wash., estimates on the cost of same already having been secured and the contract about ready to be let. The dredging machinery with which the vessel is to be equipped, will be built and furnished by the Missouri Dredging Machinery Co. of Kansas City. The company also expects to take a large quantity of provisions, etc., to sell and also to purchase and take with them to these fields, which are also inexhaustibly rich in timber as well as gold, a saw mill.

The organization affected is only temporary and to continue until the company is regularly incorporated, and was made so that business of the company can be begun at once.  The capital stock $50,000 will be ample to have built and fitted up, and purchase the provisions, etc., to stock the boat and have some money left in the treasury ready for any emergency that may arise. The boat will be in Alaska and ready to go up the Yukon by the middle of May, 1898. The company as organized is composed of Obe. H. Snell, of Middle Grove who was made chairman; B. G. Webber of Kansas City, Secretary; Dr. J. T. Dewy, DeWitt; W. T. Uric, Kansas City; Abe Hill, Holliday; G. P. Grimes and Gus Hecker, Madision; T. G. Bassett, R. O. Osborn and J. B. Davis, Paris; Capt. D. C. Basey, the projector of the scheme, and James Laughlin, Trainmaster of the Wabash Railroad Co., both of Brunswick; Dr. G. O. Cuppaidge and G. P. McRoberts, of Moberly; H. K. Samuels, Chicago; Charles Thompecs, Tulip, and several conductors on the Wabash railroad who do not wish their names made public at present.

J. A. Merchat, cashier of the the Chariton & Donaly Exchange bank at Brunswick was selected as temporary treasurer or recaim and the subscribers are called on to pay in to him at once ten per cent of the amount the have respectively subscribed and signed for. The company expects to pay large dividends and will have two different kinds of stock, one will be what is to be known as treasury stock, which will be issued to those who wish to take stock, which will be issued to those who wish to take stock, but do not wish to make the trip, ant the other will be the active membership stock taken by those who not only are willing subscribe but who are also willing to go with the company, endure the hardships and privations of the trip. The company promises to pay thirty-three and one-third percent of the dividend declared to those holding the treasury stock, and sixty-six and two-thirds percent of this dividend to the active membership stockholders. Capt. Basey and his co-workers in this scheme are greatly encouraged in the work of getting in readiness to reach the Yukon at the earliest possible moment in the coming spring.