The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-26
rHB luck or 4 RCNAwAT sor.
II He Writes the Truth lie Has Claim In
N.t-... xxo.tg, Ma Tla, 600.

tho Yukon W orfh Moro ' nan NR's'''s
A most remarkable story OF pluck. adj
venture and luck reached this city from
the gold fields recently. last September
Willie the fourteen-year-old son 81 Fer
dinand Gollnast. left his home In this
city. and went no one knew where. The
morning before his departure pistol shots
were heard I'm the rear Of Mr.. Gollnasts
saloon The boy claimed az tho time tnat
he had heard some one attempting :.
enter the rear door, that he went dow
stairs, saw the men az work boring noies
near the lock. and taking revolver hred
at the burglars: that they fired back and
that one OF the bullets passed through MS
hat. Very little credence was placed IN
the boys story. and he was CONFRONTED
by his father with the charge tnat pc
] had been playing burglar himself the
result OF reading trashy tales OF adven-
ture The boy denied II stouuy ana the
next morning disappeared Nothing was
heard from him after that until to-day
when his father received letter from
him, dated February nth. at star Claim
No. 76. British Northwest territory
The contents are as follows
Dear Father know that since ran
away from home you have been wonder
irg whore / am and whether J am aliVe ga
not. OF course II does not mater In ,io,
TO you or me whether I am alive or not,
but / thought | would write and LEI YOU
know whore I am. / did not Ike my
home and as ! could not get along WIN
you | made up my mind 10 80 10 cripple
Creek Col / got a revolver ana was
going 10 start away the morning that
the robbers tried 10 break mo the saloon,
| That's how l Happened 20 eaten lnem.
had my revolver and bicycle IN the cel-
lar. and when / came downstairs ! ~
them. You would not believe ~ nut
whether YOU do now or not 90 ho'
care.
and went 20 Madelia. From thete
welt 10 Cripple Creek. / got there IN seN-
entcen days. but ! found no work there,
| so I sold nv bicycle for fl5 and went 70
Tacoma Wash. I had only when leu
home When / got 10 Tacoma ! got WoIh
for two days loading ship. Wanted ~
got work on "a ship. but could get none
ono dav a sailor told me to hide I'm the
hold of q ship tlil 10 was ont 40 sea anu
then come up and they would nave 70
take me along. So | went ana p239sns 80
worth OF warm clothes ana NO on n
steamer bound for Dyea. ! ma Tor nNe
days and then ! came up ana the ,dp
tain made me work the rest or the way
| When / got 10 Dyea some miners NJ
getting ready 90 gO 10 the mines iu'y
/ told me I could work my way an, a1O ue
with them for my food. ] Ola u, anu W.
got 20 the mines in tWenty-seNch Jay ~
| There got work az Sll day ana ooatu
The We're twenty-0ne or MS ln suantt
20x22 The beds were made OF lousu
boards and like a shelf. one above inc
other. We use our boots as pillows anu
wrap ourselves up IN thick blankets an
the middle OF the room is noe WIZ
the fire rs made and our COOKING uonc,
rho smoke goes out through hole IN the
roof W. live ON rice bread and bacon.
Il have also stakcd on "a cihm al.
nave had good luck. / am going 10 quit
work soon and work the claim. cosl
800 10 get a patent on H. ! Woiheu lnl,t
]
~ which 1 got fq91. 4 pan holds about
two shovels OF dirt We first build Dig
fire for about a day to fhaW th' sI"uHu
then get the dirt. We only thaW anvul
a painful Of dirt "A day Inc uan ~
owns the Star Claim has offered me ~
O00 for nv claim but ] Will not sell h7
can take about $500 daily. The mine Where
I / work turns out about $50 daily / had
very hard work clearing mp my claim.
have traced the vein back 1870 ferl gnu
have taken out place only SIX in.hes
| long. and one foot wide ana SIX ln.h'7
/ doom hut the vein is about four icet deep
e,d tu,o foot wide / have hfN-NNf pam
| mis- OF dirt not cleaned that
nave been offered 5000 for, but
aid not sell because q viii
bring at least $1,000 intend 70
work my claim about three years. but J
| don't know whether YOU VIII ever s.r ~
| again In coming over the mount ANS We
cav sn0wdrifts hundreds m feet nigh ana
dead pooDle were seen every day. me
people use gold dust here. No money is
seen. 49,.
inc to New orleans ana don't know
u,bothor h will ever see "a stamp or whcn
he win put 10 in tho post-oillce. Maybe
not until ne gets to Now orleans;
e,,c,,d ,o,, snare time looking mp tho dunn
dirf and So Tor T have found about Na9l,
| cold can be- found anywhere. This VIII
/ be- enough for this time / remain your
! mo account son. ,...,srn
Tho letter has been tho talk oi ne
conn to-day. The boy was known ~ he
/ bright. daring. and strong ana well nuhl
lie was horn IN this city Hif parents
ore Germans and DIS father wls ior
MANY wears proprietor or the Norie" gs,,
crn Ho.oL lie entered schooi at ahs
- -, ~ be duigcnt in his studies
va bright tie left school az 3.-Minne-
/ onoffs Times.