Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-03-25
NEWS FROM ALASKA.

lLetter From a Lewistonian now
Vintering on the Yukon River.
The following letter was received
,Ah week by John Dill, assistant post
mater, from his brother, BENJAMIN
NH. who is wintering on the Yukon
aver. ell route to Dawson City or to
ny promising gold fields on the
American side.
RAxPARr CITY, MynOok creek
Alaska, Dec. 2, 1897.
Dear Jack:-We reached this place
1T evening-Haaser, Calvin, Dick
Morris and myself, ALT we'll except
being tribe frost bitten in spots, but
nothing serious. Our boat, the Seattle
No. l, Is frozen in the Ice about 100
HmiIes below here. Some discoveries
were made at this place, so after build
lug comfortable cabin and cache
lot our supplies. we left Kester in
charge and started for this place.
The Seattle No. l Is wintering 10
miles below the mouth of the Tanana
river aud at the mouth Of the Tozak-
akat river. These points will Ike found
on the latest map OF Alaska. Hester
il we'll. He is not over one-fourth of
mile from the boat and has two 9TH
e. cabins within a hundred feet on
either side. John Dundell and Dave
Bogart are there. The latter ia an ex-
hank examiner and county auditor OF
one Of the Montana counties. The
former, l presun e, Ezra Baird will re.
member as being passenger conduc-
tor on the Occur d'Alene branch of
the Northern Pacific.
The morning we left the murcury
was s. below zero and she was doing
business at the old stand (35 below
when we arrived last night. We had
two sleds, two men to the sled. Dick
and myself pulled together and
Haaser and Calvin. We hauled 800
pounds on each sled, aud came about
lW miles, sometimes on ice but most
dthe way through snow two feet deep.
There are about $50 men here and
they seem to think that it will make a
camp.
This place is nearly $50 miles from
st. Michae!s, aud l have not seen a
pine tree, nor tamarack nor cedar.
Inc winters are 80 severe the timber Is
rotten IN the center. Log houses are
zoe proper thing for winter. There is
90 mud plastering though moss Is used
oetween the logs. Dry mass. pole ROOF
Yog side by side close W, then moss
aeaan from 5 to u inches and next all
TOE dirt you want to pile on. King
winter does the rest. The supplies
nave TO be raised ~ dogs and vermiu
cannot reach them. You select foul
uses - nearly rs possible In y square
=" them off ~ high ~ you want
nem' place caps on them. lay poles
saoss for . floor ana then build 8
'"s" log house on top with pole roo
.ao spruce boughs. The snow doe
The re.t.
~" now little past one-ocloch
%. and 1t Is night. am writing
70" BY the light Of candle. BY thu
'y' candles are worth SIS box-l;
%-and can hardly be had. Every
Jung else Is in proportion. Flour il
~ cheapest, IS sack (l0c a lb.) NJ
IN to be had. Coffee is cheap n
~ bacon, 4oc; rolled oats, zoe; beans
-; common Indian gloves and moe
.ans u to S per pair. Whiskey il
y. place today would sell for $50 pc
''0'e Whip sawed lumber Is wortt
er loot. There is plenty of WOO
a. 'ue' but saw mill timber Is scarce
-. Is ~ principal growth with
w. 49, white tIrch and &spe cotton
-. our way up we camped on
."g ut the mouth of stream
"" mad not frozen over. tool
ush line and went down and 60
~, e mess of CRAWLING. We saw SOM
~. oo-stee' heads, but they would
!. 'aSe our bait. We had nothing
ns npt them but some fat facon. Blu
lss s and put up . job of anothe
MIA we tied some extra large hook
MI vi long pole aud in two hour
m. out IS salmon, averaging abou
W.,., ach' Tell Poe, Schleic!,er AM
nsoh we challenge them to bea
record. Game is rather scarce 8
occasionally we get . pheasant
we'll supplied with rides, shot