Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02
A PAYING BUSINESS.
Hotel In Skaguay That Has Cleared
$2O,OOO in Ten Months.

Hotel In Skaguay That Has Cleared
$2O,OOO in Ten Months.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel.
L. N. Lowell, formerly of Milwaukee,
started for Alaska a year ago this spring,
and reached Skaguay about the beginning
of July last. He had had experience rs a
hotel and restaurant man, and concluded,
instead of going to Dawson City, as he
had started out to do. to stop at Skaguay
and open hotel. He struck a bonanza.
His wife, who accompanied him, writes to
her sister, Mrs. Frederick Puhler of this
city, under date of April 8, as follows:
II never felt SO lonesome in my life and
I never worked so hard in my life, but /
never was SO happy in my life The money
comes in so fast we actually don't know
what to do with it. 1t is little better
now since a bank has been opened we can
trust to put In our money, but before that !
was in constant terror. We had gold
money, paper money, silver money and
gold dust hidden in every nook and corner
of the house. Loren tore up plank from
the kitchen floor and we had over 5000
in all kinds Of money hidden there. 1t
was an awful anxiety to have the stuff
lying around like that, and 1t worried us
more than the hard work we were doing
The place was full of people, dead broke
and hungry, and they would cut ones
December to send over 5000 to Seattle.
and we felt awfully relieved when we got
the notice of credit from the bank. You
don't know who to trust here. I hardly
trust myself, and I keep an eye on Loren,
can tell you. Everybody Is on the make.
and you'd get done out Of your eye teeth If
you didn't watch out.
1.-THE transportation companies think
they run things, but they are thieves and
swindlers and liars, every one of them.
They are getting thousands of people to
come to this awful country who will never
get home. Their charges are awful.
tie. 1t was over a month getting here and
some of 1t was damaged getting It ashore
But we have no kick coming. We paid SO
q barrel for flour in Seattle: 1t costs So q
barrel to ship it, and Loren sold it for
$42 80 barrel before it left the dock.
managed to get half a barrel that had been
broken Cren, and I am glad the stuff IS
gcae-it wouldn't even make doughnuts or
pancakes.
1--WE are just everlastingly fixed here to
make money. have heard of bonanz 8,
but never dreamed we would strike one
hotel in the place. It would not be much
for Milwaukee, but it's the thing here. I
send you an outside and inside view by
this mail. We keep things neat and clean,
ana my cooking Is something like the
people got in Gods country. We have six
tables in the restaurant that win hold SIX
people each. and there is not a vacant seat
from o'clock In the morning until IL
o'clock at night Then we have a lunch
counter in the rear that is kept running
all night. Lunches run from 90 cents IN
and meals from 81 up. For good square
meal. with two kinds OF meat, potatoes,
canned corn or tomatoes, beans, bread,
pie or pudding. and coffee or tea we
charge 81 now. but two months ago we got
$1.tO or r. There has been moneys in il.
but there Is a good deal of Competition
now. and prices are coming down
You ought to see the people that come
here to eat Nest of them are nice. strong.
healthy young fellows, as polite and nice
as II they were at home. But there are
buns and 'toughs' and gamblers-the
looks OF them make me shiver. The gam
blers thought they could run the town,
but they got left They are as meek al
lambs now. But the women! oh, deari oh.
dear! I pity them from the bottom of INV
heart. They don't get their breakfast
until or o'clock in the afternoon. They
come In punches Of four or five or more.
and they get the best we have. walt on
them myself lots Of times, ana you wouldr,,t
know u You didn't kuoW. Poor fhineafs,