The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-13

Is, 1898.
hours. After that we wendell our. way
slowly day by day, stopping at Indian
l.camps along to take on wood, for they
use WOOD IN their engines. The
mosquitoes were very troublesome
the most OF the way, especially at the
stopping places. just before reaching
Circle City one night at about 10
o'clock the men saw a moose and her
calf came down to the river to drink.
The men all ran to get their guns and
OF all the reckless shooting--I just ex-
pected someone would be hurt. They
killed them both and the next morn
ing we had moose meat for breakfast.
It tasted good, although it was tough
and poorly cooked, for we had not had
fresh meat for some time We at last
arrived at Circle City which a few
months before was a lively little town
OF 800 Or 1000 inhabitants, but it was
nearly deserted. Many had gone to
great expense building log. houses and
then left them to come to this camp.
a great many left Circle. City without
a dollar and to-day they come in here
with their l0-lb pals full: Our next
stopping place was Fort Cudahy, also
about deserted, and Forty Mile across
the river, both lively places last winter
but now they are as de,solate as the
grave.
After short stop at Cudahy we
started for Dawson, our destination.
We arrived here Sunday morning at
6 o'clock. They told US that we would
not arrive until 10 or IL O'Clock, so
when the whistle blew we were all in
bed and thought as usual it was wood
camp. Very soon someone called out
''Dawson!" and you can imagine the
scrambling to get dressed. AS soon as
the boat landed I could hear Jerome
in the hall asking, if I was aboard, but
I could not let him in for there was
another. lady in the same stateroom
with me and we were both trying to
dress in place just big enough to
turn around in. -
Jerome has had hard time since he
came to Alaska, but fortunately he
came to this camp last winter and got
an interest in claim that is very
good. They expect to take out a great
deal Of money next winter as it is win
ter digging and wash in the@spring:
He also has interests in othep good
ground. We hope to 90 out in year
or two with enough, to last us the rest
OF our days thout Worli ng hard.
This is q very rich camp. Prices on
everything are high but money IS
plentiful. It does not seem like pay:
ing money when I take my gold sack
and go to the meat shop and pay 81 a
pound for meat. They have driven in
200 head of cattle this season and a.
number of sheep are coming over the
trail. We have moose meat, salmon,
canned meats of all kinds, canned
vegetables, preserved potatoes, and
will have some fresh potatoes when
the boats get in. We can get almost
everything that is necessary and each
year they bring in a greater variety.
Flour is $l2 per hundred, canned meats
IS cents per can, condensed milk
so cent, bacon SO cents, butter $3.50
per pound. do not. know the prices
of everything.
When I get my work done nights af-
ter supper take the two dogs jerome
calls them his horses) and go to the
store to see them weigh up the gold
dust ready for the next day. It is
nothing unusual to see them weigh up
$4,000 or $4,000 for one days receipts.
We are obliged to build our cellars
(they call them caches) up four or six
feet from the ground so the Indian
dogs cannot gnaw into them. Dogs
are very valuable here. Jerome has a
St. Bernard he paid 1925 for, he could
take 5000 for any day. I have to cook
oat meal, corn meal, rice and bacon
| for them and they eat. as much as a
horse.
Nov. l2-Low water. is rendering
navigation difficult so the camp is
quite short of food but I think every
one will pull pull through without
starving. We have plenty of fresh
beef and mutton. Jerome is still in
the store so we have plenty Of every
thing. The winter season has about
begun although the river is not yet
| frozen over.
/ ~ CLARA.