The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-03-04
A BREEZY LETTER.
George Waggoner Writes OF
Men and Markets in Skag-
way.
Skasway, Alaska, Feb. 20, 1895.

EDITOR GAZRrrE:-
After very pleasant trip, nine days
from Portland, the Elder landed all safe
ly at this place, on the 9th inst. A biting
north wind which sent the thermometer
down somewhere about zero swept the
dock and gave US breath of Alaska, but
did not deprive US of the pleasure of see
ing the familiar aud smiling faces of c.
Schmidt, Brady Burnett and Grover He'd
rick. They expected our arrival and
were on hand to greet us. The ready
hands of Grover and Brady assisted with
our luggage and we were to the White
Schmidt family. Here we met number
of old friends and fellow townsmen:
Capt. A. w. Rose, who keeps cigar and
tobacco store in one corner of the
Schmidt hotel; his nephew, George Rose;
VIM. Jenkins, H. J. Moore, Loren Mason,
Pat kelsay, William Harmon, Philip
WebLer and FIR. Severance, all from Cor
Wallis and all glad to meet anyone with
News llOLi llolIiS. StN-"eio'a' "~AS ~S
eagerly Piled as if they had been year
in exile. Nine of them were unrecog-
nizable except by their faces, for all wers
attired il. costumes we had ne:er seen
them wear before. Fur caps, slleepskin
CPS, doss.iu Caps, and caps Of all other
descriptions enveioped head and cars.
Their coats wer,. of all styles with kinds
of hair OIL them, and lesgings, German
socks. rubber boots and noccasins and
lastly such great wooden mittens as we
had never seen before, making each hand
we srasped of hugh dimensions. Yet all
shook cordially and made us feel quite at
home.
{. Schmidt and SONS, Willie and Alba,
are .loi.g quite good business and all
making money, their house being kept
full. The elder is i'll great spirits and all
his glory, and COLLECTS bills and tells
stories all day AMI night
All thc Corvallis boys appear i'll soo1
spirits, though most of thenl are drawing
on The future for their happiness.
Skagwav is enlarsing a great boom.
Rents arc very high and town property
going up rapidly. Goods are reasonable,
considering freight charges. Saloons are
in full blast, running night and day.
Whiskey is PLENTIFUL, though none is al.
lowed 10 be bro.ght into Tie country.
How it gets Eere, we will reserve to tell
the next tiaie we write. We have fine
sleighng and teams of all kinds, horses
mules. jacks. oxen, cows, dogs and boys.
Every body and everything is lii a furious
hurry dAsliins around like mad. Freight
is being forwarded over to Lake Bennett
as fast as it arrives. A good horse takes
1000 pounds. and makes the trip i'll five
DAYS. Freight charge have been reduc-
ed i'll tine last week from S5 cents to IS
cents per pound. Many houses are going
up, but lumber is scarce and high. being
worth $40 per 1000 feet. Wsges for com-
mon l,l,orcrs is fifty cents per kou. with
no particular demand except for cutting
aad hauling wood and unloading boats
when they arrive. About 400 nea are
employed OH the wagon road leading to
tie lake. At the first camp sut from
town they receive So. so and board and
lodging Fear the summit they get 81 90.
There b-ins 10 regular demand, 1t Il not
safe for anyone to come here eXpecti.s
to find employment, though most here
who want 10 work find something 10 do.
Wood brings five to six dollars per cord,
c. uniting two tiers Is inches long for a
CORD. Flsur is $I.a5 per sack, bacon ID
cent per pound and other supplies in pro-
portion.
Many are crowdiAg over to the lake
with their outfits, They will wait tho
broakin" Up of the ice and then go down
in boats which they are now building.
Several men have lately arrived frora
Dawson. All speak we'll of the mines
and most of them are preparing to return
with supplies. They report provisions
as plentyfll and declare there will be
no starvation, even if Uncle Sam doesn't
g.t ia before spring. We write under
difficulties, climatic and otherwise, which
must be .ur apology for these hastily
written lines. G. A. WAGGoNER.
Feb. 23.-The Oregon arrived last
evening with 500 passengers. She wa:
driven oil mud fiat and lay high and
dry for "a hours, then put out anchors
and pulled herself into deep water.
Many will return in her. G. A. w.