Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-09-01

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nothing been found as yet but there
are good indications. 1t is the same
at Little Salmon.
Below here we ran the Five Fin
gers rapids, and the Rink rapids.
These were quite bad, but not as dan
gerous as the White Horse. l tell you
Jesse has become quite an expert oars
man. 1t takes a good one to row a
boat with ton half of provisions,
three people and five dogs, with oars
twelve feet long. The Rink rapids
empty into the Pelly river, which we
followed down to Fort Selkirk. This
is the beginning of the Dalton trail,
and an old government trading post
We went up to barracks and to the
store. This was much like a country
store in our land, only we never see
such beautiful furs as the Indians
trade for few cups of -four, or a
couple of sticks Of red braid, A party
of Indian lads had Just brought in
some fresh moose. The trader
charged us four bits fifty cents, a
pound, for it, but let me tell you, it
was worth five dollars. l never ate
anything so fine in my life.
Our trip from Selkirk down was
quite uneventful. After two weeks
on the water l spied the turrets or
rather log houses of Dawson, the
great, the golden Dawson. We got
in SO late that we had to sleep in the
boat. But the next morning we took
in Dawson. Oh, such a place as this
is. | can't tell much about it, it
seems so wonderful. There are
eighteen thousand people here.
Let me tell you something about
prices. A cup Of coffee and a sand
which costs you two dollars. You ca
get lunch for from two
to three dollars. Everything
costs you ten times as much
as in the states. Eggs, five dol
lars a dozen. Lemons and oranges
six dollars a dozen. Lemonade, a
dollar a glass, and at that rate with
everything.
we have been here a week and l
have position at ten dollars day
to oversee an ice cream parlor. /
have a man to do the work and /
have only to weigh out gold dust and
see after things. Jesse makes about
fifteen dollars day with the dogs
and in other ways. We are busy
from seven to eleven. There is no
night here. At / o'clock in the morn
ing it is just as light as at noon.
I'VE are having splendid weather
and no mosquitoes. You know you
hear so much about Klondke mosqui-
toes. They appear only on the trail
to the mines.
Mail comes here only about twice
year. rarely three times. When we
got here the last mail was in January
But a few days ago mail came in
and thousands were in line. But
knowing some officials, | got in a side
door and was allowed in the mail
department. The first letter was 70
us. just cried was SO glad. Then
the captain of police said he'd iird
ME another ii he had to write
himself.
Il wish l could send you pictur
of the main street here as | see it
now. It's crowds are like Chicago
State street crowd; all hurrying after
the almighty dollar. We see very
little coin here. Only the 'chuchar-
kas,' Qndian name for tenderfoot)
have coin. A man purchases a thing
It's about ten inches long and thre
wide. You weigh out the amount and
give him back his sack. They never
ask the price of anything; you take
what you want. It's such fun TO
weigh gold. I'm used to it now and
and throw it around like -four. Cur
friend, Mr.. Vines of New York. is
going out today and will mail this
from Seattle. A mail goes ALSO, and
I'll send another by that route. By
the time you receive this, we shall
probably be in business for ourselve
and have nice house. Houses Of one
room, twenty feet by twenty-five, rent
for fifty dollars month. We shall
buy, not rent. 1t can always be sold
you know,
Mrs. Edgren like a true patriot
stands up or the stars and stripes.
Writing Of fourth of July in Dawso
she says:
Sunday night, the third of July,
we had just got to sleep when bang,
bang, crash, came report, which
reused every man, woman and child
in Dawson City. | looked at my
watch-12 o'clock! 1t was the dawn
of the anniversary of the grandes
day in history, our fourth of July!
The tumult spread like wild fire,
Every American, and they number ten
to one of all other nations here be-
gan to cheer and fire off guns, pistols,
revolvers, anything to celebrate.
Think of it. In the former enemy's
country our flags floating from every
tent. and cabin nearly and a great
heart felt cheer, round after roun
for our country, and our liberty. oh,
it was grand, soul inspiring! Every
7 slgar-