The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-07-22
THE CLONDYKB COUNTRY
II is Evidently Very Rich But All is
not Gold that GliStenS.
fortune is ALLIED TO HARDSHIP
Two Successful Yakima AdNcutur-
crs They IlaNn't Made Their
stake Yet hut Think ttts with.
In Their Grasp.

| Here are lew excerpts from letters
which afri yed on the steamer Portland
from Chss. Il Oyerheiser, who went to
Alaska with :. o. Moriurd some eighteen
or twenty months ago. The letters are
directed to J. +. Kaufman and the first
one was written at Dawson City under
date OF May 18th.
"Well, Jack, We just came down from
the mines and received your letter YES
terday and was glad to get it and will
answer now and see if cannot get an
other before winter. The old man (pre.
sumably Mr.. Morford) also received two
letters and they were the first We have
had from Yakima since We came in and
you can bet We we're glad to receive
them. We did not know v no was elected
president until this spring aud We have
bet. The river opened two weeks ago
and the people began To reach here but
they don't any OF them bring much news.
We are now expecting the sleamb at up
the river any day, and viii be glad when
it arrives for grub is getting scarce and
1t costs 50 day to eat bread, beans and
get drink of tea; no meat The old
man has Just got lat job in this town
looking after the business OF Joe ladue
Joe is the big man Of this place-ouns
the townsite. sawmill and lots Of mining
/ | LOT -.
office, which IL board shanty, l. 1t
feet. | will have to look after our claims
on the creek. We have good property,
two thirds OF No l., below Discovery on
| Bonanza creek, also one quarter Of No.
! 80. below on same creek; No. | and Il
on French gnlrh and one half interest
in two other claims on same creek. oar
camp is now en- No. II where will stay
this summer. 1t is good claim, for the
properties above and heloN have both
proven rich. No. - below is also rich
next winter. We put in three months
work on No. on French gulch, sinking
- feet and drlited - feet; then put down
another hole % feet. In the first two
holes We got to bedrock aud got good
prospect in one of them. In the 20 foot
hole We didn't get to bedrock on occOuut
OF warm weather coming on too quick
but We were getting good returns in the
gravel | am sure French guch is all
right and il it is We have got all the gold
we want and if it is not up to our expec.
ta,ions We have got enough anyway.
There are some Of the richest dggings
here which have ever been found in the
We didn't get the best but have enough
although We will not be able to shoH up
much cash this year. 1t is a SLOW cOun
| try to work. You ought to see our nights
| in the summer. It is no darker here at
midnight than it is at half hour after
shutdown in Yakima, but God help vs.
when the mosquitoes come and they
will be with rs in week or two and stay
for about two months
The old man got word that they had
sold his farm on mortgage but says that
| he can make more here than the -----
can take away from him and think he
will get the money ont in time tn redeem
it and fool them all. am glad You are
keeping the ranch in good shape for |
| intend to return to Yakima and own it
with some more added on in about year
and half, for would rather live there
than any place | know Of if am not
short Of money--and won't be when
come out.
How are the Old mules getting along
and IL the dog Jack with you yet. Dogs
were worth 800 here last winter. They
| had to haul grub over 200 miles. Flour
was $50 week and everything else pro
pOrtionately high. Last winter Was not
as severe rs usual, 90 degree below zero
being the coolest.
know that am going TO make stake
here but there are lots of men in this
country who have been here for aud 10
years and are sill in debt Tor their grub
but We struck it lucky and won't have to
stay very long Some make big stake
in one year by selling and guess the old
man and could sell now for $50 900 and
get our pay next fall, but We can do better
to work the claims one year and then We
can sell and get ont
81 will write as often AZ can. Will send
for you if you if things turn out o. X
and then We will make that trip that
Tyler and Dlls tried for think it il all
right yet, BIT it will take two years to
make it.
Keep mp good courage Jack and We
will be easy when come out and won't
have to work any more unless We want
to, and don't think | will want 10 much
for this is hard country to live in and |
will want to rest. Every body gets old
last and lots Of them die"
The next letter is dated June 18th, and
is a short one. 1t il as follows:
I've !, Jack, steamer came up the
river at 1 o'clock this morning and
brought some grub and now We will get