The Eddy current., 1898-06-25

7" AAA'NN ~ AaNAt
Dyea, Alaska May 2ifh 1888.
We have reached the rendezvous a
last having enjoyed our trip verl
much we left Victoria on the the i7tl
spending one day IN Vancouver. one
night In Nanalmo, one day In Wrangl,
and four hours In Skaguay Il Ia i'm.
possible for me 90 give you q descfip
tion of the country and towns as they
are. The entire trip from Victoria "a
Dyea is one continuous change OF nne
scenery; one hour sailing through a
wide body of water, then running
through narrows and between islands
or which there are thousands and Of
all sizes and shapes and all pictures.
que, sometimes running for i've or
six hours up river, TO appearance.
In iact the trip Is more of a river
than an ocean. Only seven 10 eight
hours sailing In View Of the ocean out
Of the four days. The entire coast Is
mountainous rising abruptly from the
waters edge In heights ranging from
hundreds to thousands of feet, occas
ional islands however are Hat and
grassy at their edge and thlckly cover.
ed with cedar llr and spruce Of mod
crate size. The timber IA small around
the coast and very thick nearly all ce-
dar; but wherever we saw any lum.
bering We saw llne large timber
The mill pond at Wranglc Is full OF
logs from twenty to forty aud may b.
sixty inches in diameter all lengths
whe nthe tide Is out they lay on the
rocks and passed logs as high as my
shoulder on my visit to the mill. Lum.
Der is worth from $50 20 s22 pei
thausand In Wrangle and $40 here
But must tell you Of Wrangle for II
takes the cake; You know f.
Wrangle is an old Indian fort, built
by the Russians before the civil war
It consists Of two log houses which are
still standing aud very little rotten
but the moss Is two inches deep on the
roof and logs. The point on which II
Is built isof horse shoe shape and
the fort Is surrounded by q circle OF
water. The banks are very steep and
the town sits on piling from o 10 IA
feet from the ground or above the tide
water which rises 10 10 the middle OF
the town. Foot bridges cross the
street about every 100 feet. There are
few good frame buildings In
Wrangle they claim a population 1900
which would be like Eddy's 1900; the
the city transfer is wheelbarrows- no
horses there There is so much rain
In Wrangle that the mountain side is
swamp and walking on land means
to your ankles N moss and water.
skaguay is much larger; has the best
wharfs; Is the biggest town and has
the bunCo steerers. Little as we heard
Of Dyea IL is the best town this side
of Victoria or Vancouver Island has
population OF about 1900 Too
much cannot be said OF the people as
a rule, they are very courtuous and
obliging but straight business. We
have contracted our freight TO the
summit for 3Is Is. per ID. 10 Lake
Llnderman, from here. We will tell
you more when we go farther and
learn. The weather is line, the sun
rises at 3 o'clock and sets ut $3.50. We
slept with our window open all night
and were comfortable. This may be
rather meagre Information. but to
have an idea Of this country Is TO SEQ
Il; We are al well and will start up the
mountainto.morrow. Remember me
70 l. ). Roberts aud oil In friendship.
! will write from Bennett where we
will be for two weeks building boats
aud waiting for the ice TO go out
which Is thought 10 be about the 5th.
OF June.
From Your Friend,