Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-03-22

During the past few days many leu
ters have been received in Salem bI
relatives of people seeking fortunes il
the frozen north. Through the
kindness of Mesdames Lemen and
Mize THE JOURNAL is furnished two
very interesting letters for publica.
tion.
JACK LEMONS LETTER.
WHITE PASS TRAIL, March 6, 1898,
We are all we'll and getting along
fine. Mr.. Hewett is standing the
trip fine and is getting fat, 50 is Don
aud 1 have felt good ali the way
through. We are now six miles from
the Pass. Will get moved up to the
foot of the Pass in about 10 days.
! Some times it takes US six hours TO
go one mile, on account of the block
ade on the trail. I never saw so
much stuff and so many people in my
life as there is on this trail. 1t is
black for miles with men and there
are thousands of tons of provisions
stacked up along the trail from Skag-
uay to Lake Bennett. Where in God S
name they are all going or what they
are going to do after they do get there
is mystery.
There are people from all parts of
the globe and As of them never saw a
mine in their lives. There are OK
teams, dog teams, horse teams, mule
teams, and lots of little donkeys; then
there are men pulling sleds, packing
and carrying on their backs and
every other way. We have got a
nice little pony aud are moving our
freight pretty fast. Don Truitt and
Johnny Farrar bought horse too
and are doing fine.
We have had very nice weather for
the last week, 1 have been working
in my shirt,sleeves but don't supppos
it will last very long, They say over
at Lake Bennett it is 40 ,degrees be-
low zero and still getting colder. But
it is not so bad here only when the
wind blows and then it is holy
terror.
Smith, Mothorn and CaYanaugh
have gone over the Dyea trail and
the trail is blocked so with men and
grub that it will be two months be.
fore they can get to Lake Bennett.
Fred stopped off at Fort Wrangel
and believe that will make one of the
best towns on the Alaska Coast. If
he had had any morey with him he
would have come through with US, but
he said he would come up this fall to
Dawson. He ydidn't get bit sick
coming up but Henry Myers was the
sickest boy eyer saw and said when
be got ready to go home he was going
to walk, if it took him five years.
When you write send it by Wells
Fargo Express and l will pay for it
at this end of the line. 1t will cost
SOC for letter. We are catching on
to some good pointers and we may
profit by them.
JACK LEMON.
MR.. MIZE WRITES.
The following excerpts are taken
from letter written bearing date of
March 6, at Sheep camp by A. W.
MIze, formerly a teacher in the Salem
public schools, to his wife who lives
south of this city.
Jam es Mothorn brought the letter,
you sent by Ohmart over from Skag-
way and Percy received letter last
night from home. They said Mrs.
Palmer had seen you and that you
were we'll. That is all 1 have heard
from you or Ellen, 1 wrote soon after
reaching Dyea and again on the 25th
of February.
A letter was mailed at Dyea for
Dick from lis father, week ago last
Friday and he has not been able to
get it. Uncle Sans mail system is
like the tramway,-"nO good"
When Dick and 1 went down to
Dyea the oath, Burke had pack
horse with sore back and balky. He
said if l could work it l might have it
for s1.50 a day, and he would feed it
with his pack horses. We drove it up
here with light load and Sunday
we commenced hauling to the scales,
distance OF four miles. Had no
trouble with it and worked it all
week hauling all but beds, clothing,
tent and enough grub for few days.
Went to Dyea Friday and. got 900
pounds more -four, 100 pounds sugar
and so pounds apricots and hauled 200
pounds -four for another par ty making
$50 pounds. Saturday 1 finished
hauling. The boys have all but a
days packing on the summit. The