The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-08
THE KLoNDlKE REGION.
A Lewiston Man Tells of the Situation at
Skagaway.

Louis O. Chabot of Lewiston has re-
oeived letter from his brother-in law.
Joseph Lizotte, written September Is, at
Skagaway, Alaska. The letter is as fol-
lows:
~ Skagaway, Alaska, Sept is, 1897.
My Dear Louis:-I will write you
few lines to let you know have reached
that far off country Alaska and am in the
best of health This is the stranges
country / have ever been in and there
are many wonderful things connected
with this exodus north
have been quite while getting here,
but l am now Ms far as I can get this
winter.
Six weeks ago there were only two huts
here but now there are over a hundred,
and log houses are going up in all dlrec-
tions. This is the starting place for those
going to the gold fields overland through
the Chilcot Pass. 1t is called % miles
over mountains thousands of feet high.
came over here with some horses with
man from Seattle, and I think now /
will stay here until spring and will get
an early start. There are four in the
party of which am now member. and
they are all nice fellows. We have located
lot here and will begin at once to build
us cabin for the winter. After we get
through we will get something to keep
us busy until spring, when we will 80
out for the stuff and will either get it or
die trying.
Prices are very high here. Let me give
you an idea of what they are: Eggs 30
cents per dozen, butter rs cents per
pound, beef go cents per pound, milk 20
cents per quart, apples cents each, bread
rs cents per loaf and everything else in
shoeing $500 tell you some of these
fellows are making money hand over fist.
The man next to our camp made $135 in
trucking yesterday with one pair of
horses. They don't charge much for
hauling stuff from the boats, oh no. OF
course prices are immeasurably higher in
thesmountains, and they will be higher
here before winter Is over.
There are about 200O people camping
here for the winter, and we will all 60
over in the spring, that Is If we don't
freeze up. The weather has been perfect
so far. OF course there is snow on the
mountains but not here in the valley yet.
I wish you could see some of the pack
trains that leave here. Hundreds are 60
ing all the time. There will surely be
the most horrible catastrophes on the
trail through the mountains this winter
that have ever been heard of for many of
them will starve and freeze to death.
7 was over the trail yesterday about six
miles and counted 1877 horses down over
the embankment. They looked about as
big as dogs from where I was. 1t was
an awful sight. Some OF the sights you
see here are heartrending. You meet
peopIe coming back over the trail crying
and all discouraged, selling their goods
for what they can get and either staying
here or going home. 1t is impossible to
get over the trail, but people are crazy to
get there before everything freezes up.
The hest way to get there Is on the snow,
but they are so anxious they won't wait
for that. A man started with 20 horses
Sunday, went half way over and had two
left. [ wish l could describe the strange
sights see here.
They say there are now over 1000 horses
scattered over the trail even as far as the
lake AS soon as the cold weather starts
in we will hear of people dying as fast as
horses. 1t is cold up here in the winter
with plenty of snow, the temperature
ranging from 40 to 60 below zero.
"ft is going to be q tough experience,
Int 7 am going to stick it out if can.
You see there will be many people here
In the spring and want to get good
Give my very kind regards to all in
ouiring friends. Hoping this will find
Won in The best of health, remain,
Very truly your brother.
''-' j. F. LIzoTTE.
Address, Skagaway, Alaska.