New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
A LETTERS LONG JOURNEY.
FROM A MINER AT NAPOLEON GREEN
MITCHELL POsTOFFTCE. ALASKA

MITCHELL. POSTOFFlCE. ALAShA-
rnere "a n e,lest ut the Aston House who has
most in;cresting letter 1t came from the most
northern postoflce in the domain OF the Republic.
ord waa TRANSPORTED by rail- ship and dog train. II
came from Napoleon Creek. Mitchell Postofice.
Alaska The writer Is n miner named Edward Ayl-
ward The who received the letter hrst 'hr'
Mr. Awkward some years ago while he was making
a trip to Alaska They met on an excursion steamer
and Awkward WIS dropped off at Pyramid Harbor.
tho fr,hest point north then reached by the oxcur-
slon s,eamere Awkward was then about To take
dog train and cross TO the Yukon River. and IN
tended going on up to Mitchell lie promised 10
write t. Aylwari and from time to time did So Inc
asst letter that ne received is peculiarly interest
ing
Mr. D the guest at the Astor House. wrote 10
Awkward on August last year. Mitchell Po~tonice
is open only IN the summer and fan. ana by the
reply he received he learned that Ayward got MS
letter about the middle OF November Inc ie''r'
left here and went TO San Francisco. thence ny
steamer to the Behrinc Sea to Janeau. thence fur
ther north to Fort -. Michael. Here portage Was
made and the letter crossed TO the Yukon RIVER
Then II went on for 1900 miles up the river.
In answering IT, Ayiward wrote the first OF the
nresent wear He had no envelope in which to In
close his letter and stamp. as the postoi'ce al
that time OF the year was closed. lie TOOK inc en-
velope In when he received Mr.. D-'s letter ana
placed his letter in it, Then he sewei II up writ
ing tho address to which the letter was to go ana
nrusted It to the driver OF a dog train which left
Napoleon Creek January FOR n long Journey
across the and ice to Juneau. The letter
reached Juneau March 2 and was In Ne"-fork
on March r. The postmaster AZ Juneau had placed
the letter in another envelope addressed It re-
quested and sent 1t
Mr.. Awkward tells some interesting facts about
Alaska In his letter. lie says. among other things
in speaking Of that wild country:
l received your letter about the middle OF No
There VIII be dog train leaving here ~ "A iew
days for juneau With he mail letters cost q eacn,
know all about this place as well as can. nave
improved my prospects some hr,i man TO
out 5000. | am located al the mouth u gluten
here. and the further up go the richer Il gets. |
larger than s. first year My wife has picked
up as high as go or $50 in an hour or two Ny
send you a large one if could. may lose this
a diamond in it II it gets to New-York.
and excting~so much 30 that forget myself and
work too hard. Ny wife and | have 300 feet in
9th s1i above ' me- The soa here looks as
1t was formed by gas or volcanic eruption,
have got $500 or $40 at times in hole ihat YOU
could cover with your hat. Why not be contented?
have my little wife, good house. plenty to eat
the best mine the Yukon and 5000 buried IN
the bank OF the creek. take II out Of one sand
bank and put 1t in another.
This is a ereat country. The climate is the best
in the wOrld-warm and dry In the summer, and
quite cold times In The winter. Now. will name
some goods and the prices. Beans 10 cents. rice 20
cents. bacon 70 cents pound, sugar % cents. -
sack s. n hundred pounds: potatoes Il cents
peck, and everything accordingly. prygoods out OF
sight. There is lots of money In the country, but
goods There IL here for 10000 people
Now. Mr.. D.. your part OF the country is full OF
men and money. wish you would advise Of
your TO come to this place with goods. 1t Is
the greatest opportunity In the world II would
to carry about 600 tons. This may not interest You.
but hope it Will Every one Is interested IN man,
As told you. this Yukon country has the great
est future OF any place In the world There are
two companies here In the grocery and drygoods
business Both OF them cannot supply half the de-
mand and people leaving the country owing to
the lack OF food