Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-04-21
The Copper River Country.
o. p. JONES TELLS SOME OF HIS
EXPERIENCE SINCE HE LEFT
SEATTLE, WASH.
Tarried Awile in Sitka, Alaska's Capt.
tai, Where Was Found the Finest
Climate on Earth-Letter to
Mr.. JEFF. Cornett.
correspondence of the Ledger

correspondence OF the Ledger.
COPPER CITY, ALASKA, March 30
We are now camped upon the north
bank of Valdes Bay, about 80 miles
north of Orca, which is near the mouth
of Copper River.
We left Seattle, Washington, on the
18th and arrived here on the oath.
There were 95 passengers on board
the steamer we came IN. Most of
them stopped here, but a part of them
went on to Cooks Inlet. We stopped
at Sitka, the capital city of Alaska,
one day and two nights. The voyage
was SO rough that every man on board
got deathly sick, even part of the
ships crew,so we organized and forced
the captain to land us at Sitka for
a short rest.
Sitka, by the way, has some of the
most beautiful natural scenery in and
around it that the eye of man ever
gazed upon, and the most superb eli
mate on earth. The residents claim
that they have spring all the year
around, and 1 know 1 never felt better
in my life than have since the day we
spent at Sitka. We all eat until we
are ashamed of ourselves and then eat
awhile longer.
The snow is about 8 feet deep on a
level where we now are, although it
thaws every day some and rarely
freezes at night. There are about 1900
people eamped here and on the move,
all pulling for Copper River. One of
Mr.. John Beatty's brothers is here
running a restaurant-L. Beatty, who
came here a short time ago with
his wife from Central America. l
meet with lots of Missourians from and
every State in the union.
Our party laid in supplies sufficient
to run us IS months, making in weight
about 1900 pounds to the man; this
forces US to make IL trips each in or
der to move our supplies, $50 pounds
being a good sled load on compare
lively level ground for n man to
pull, so you see that III trip will be
a very slow and tedious one to say the
least. We are entirely shut off from
the outside world. So far as news is
concerned have not heard a word
since we left Seattle. Wish you would
mail me several issues of your paper
just as soon as you get this. Address
them as follows: o. P. Jones, Valdes
Pass, in car of Columbia Navigation
Co., of Seattle, Wash. Give me all the
war news, etc.
The Pass at this place is said to be
the best leading from the coast into
the interior of Alaska, and yet this is
a difficult n to make. One has to
ascend a glacier something like 20
miles long, but not very abrupt at any
point; thus we do not expect a great
deal of trouble. After crossing the
glacier, I am told, the Pass is compar-
atively an easy one to make. One great
drawback is that a person making the
trip is compelled to carry sufficient
wood along to last until you have
reached a point 10 miles beyond the
glacier, then you reach timber again.
To say the least of it, one who comes
to this country may expect to do the
hardest work of their lives in order to
get one years supplies over the Pass.
We now expect to be until about
July 1 reaching Copper River, 200
miles from it's mouth. We then expect
to 60 into camp and begin pros
pecting, and should we fail to strike
pay dirt here we will head for Tanana.
We are here to make 1t and expect to
stay until we do or know there is none
left for US.
The penalty for theft here is death.
There has been one nan hung here
already and there are several rewards
offered for stolen goods and If the
guilty parties are apprehended they
will certainly be hung.
Well, 1 will have to close for this
time. Will try and write later on.
Kindest regards to all inquiring
friends. lam,
Yours very respectfully,
o. P. JONES.