The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-18
BEST CAMP ON EARTH
William Brayton Sings Praises
of Dawson.
ALL CREEKS STAKeO OUT
No Chance for Locations In the Vicinity
Of Dawson-Ed Nix Has q Claim on
Bonansa-Threw Away Their
Grub.

Missoula. Oct. 1.-THE following let
ter was received in this city to-day
from William Brayton Of Dawson City,
Alaska. n will prove of interest to
those who have friends in the Klon-
dixie:
e Eriend-Yours OF May IL re-
ceived to-day. Hope you will write
me again before you get this. How are
all the boys who went away to the war?
Did any of them lose their lives? I
hear that the war Is over. Lou
Lyons and the Mix boys came in here
about three weeks ago. about the time
I and here. They came in over the
Stickeen route from Fort Wrangle.
They left the Stickeen river at Tele-
graph creek and made about 200 miles
overland to the town Of Teslin. at the
head of Teslin lake. then on down the
river. They had a hard trip. You would
not know Lou Lyons. he IL so thin.
81 Taylor struck some kind of a JOB
at Teslin In a store and is there now.
Lyons and the Mix boys had to throw
away nearly all of their grub in or
der TO get here Ed Mix told me they
got here with just Is pounds OF grub.
They have got a claim on
creek.
Dawson is the best camp on earth
to-day. I never saw SO much money
In my life as there Is here. They talk
OF gold here by the pound. l made
a trip up Eldorado creek two weeks
~ and saw some of the mine owners
make a clean up. and they took gold
out OF the sluice boxes until they filed
a gold pan full. All of the creeks and
gulches I'm so miles OF iva are
staked out. The Klondfke country Is
Just as rich as reports have made IL.
French hill was discovered March 10,
1898. and about II or 20 claims there
have paid from $40. 900 to $50. 900 to the
claim this summer. One hundred feet
square is the size OF the claims. I have
a fourth interest in a bench claim. the
forty-ninth above the discovery on
Eldorado creek, 250x1, 600 feet in size.
A man named Britton discovered a
quartz o which run s14. 342 to the
ton. The trip through White Horse
rapids is a great trip. ! paid two pi-
lots $50 to put us through. II took
just 22 minutes to run Ave and a half
miles from the head OF the canyon to
the landing place. I took some kodak
pictures while going through OF the
boat.
Dave Bogart is weighing gold here
for a big firm. He gets SIS a day.
Frank Sfmons Is aid to he worth
500 o and has a big business. Joe
aafo tft VI ~
boys are here. Young Deschamps is
going to work on Stewart river and
Joe on Indian river. MCGOWAN, the
house came up from Forty Mile
in a canoe yesterday. / did not see
him. but Mike did.
The weather changed yesterday to
cold rain and we look for rain or snow
m time. Seven OF us have rented a
fine cabin in Lower Town, opposite
Dawson. across the Klondike river.
We pay t25 a month. We made a cache
for our outfit out OF one of the big
scows and now have fine winter quar-
tiers. Mike and l went up the Yukon
and RATED down 10 cords OF wood for
winter. We are now packing IL up a
steep hill to where u cabin Is. Char
ley Bouchard Is laid up with yphoid
fever, so Mike and I have the work
TO do. Mike is going to work in the
mines N i am going to run "a dog
team from Dawson to the mines. \
good dog team can make from $25 to
$40 a load. The winters here are sew
en- solid months long. The hospital
here has o 400 patients. Lots of
sickness. l am I'm good shape and
weigh 100. Meals cost $3.50; rooms 50.
Fresh milk $40 q gallon. and there are
only three cows In town.
A. Il. Ferguson, who used to live in
Missoula. Is here. His wife came i'm
with the ii. P.LHeacock outfit. Hea-
cock has gone home. Thousands of
people have thrown up the sponge and
gone home. ferguson has made big
money here furnishing fresh water
from bad hill across the river To the
business houses. Dan Mitchell was here,
but he n gone now.
Have some more letters To write, so
must close. You should get this let
ter before Christmas. with good luck.
Will send my letter out by a friend
going down the river by the teamer
Columbia, so they will be mailed at
United States postoffice. Mail
going down the Yukon Is liable TO be
frozen in.
With regards 90 all inquiring friends.
1 am always BILLY BRAYTON.
Dawson City. Sept. Is, 1898.