Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-11-24
THE COPPER RIVER COUNTRY.
Chas. g. Baker, a Recent ARRIVAL from
Alaska, Speaks Of His Trip and
the Mexico %Boys-They
All Come Back.

Charles G. Baker, Of Laddonia, who
returned Sunday from the Copper
River country in Alaska, was in Mex
leo TUESDAY and called on the LEDGER.
Mr.. Baker Is the picture Of good
health and says he got all there was
to be had out Of the trip except golc.
Mr.. Baker left Copper RiverO enter,
at the mouth Of the Klutina river,
where it empties into Copper river,
on Oct. Z. He was one of q party Of
eight persons who departed from
Copper center-the camp-and who
were two weeks making the trip down
Copper river to Orca, when they
should, under favorable circumstances,
have made the journey in 4 days. On
the way down the party encountered
anchor ice, low water, storms and in
Vulnerable other difficulties. At Orca
they embarked on the steamer "Ex-
c~elsiorn for juneau, where they ar
rived Oct. 20 and remained two days.
Mr.. Baker and friends here took
another steamer for Seattle, arriving
there on Nov. 4. Here the party
separated and Mr.. Baker visited Ia
coma, Portland, Las Vetas, Colo, and
other places, remaining In the latter
city a week visiting relatives.
Mr.. Baker says he left o. P. Jones
and Jas. R. Marshall, OF this city, Ia
the best OF health and spirits, and
that they, with q party Of twenty
five others, including DR.. 8. W..
Downing, Of Centralia, Byron Hurt,
of Salisbury, Joe Keller, Of Jefferson
City, and other Missourians, had
organized into q company to travel
across country to what is known as
the "Forty Mile District' to Franklin
Gulch, where the prospects are Of
the very beat to strike q lead that
viii pay. Our boys, ne says, have
plenty to eat, are fat and healthy and
are enjoying themselves al well &c a
person could in that country. When
MI. Baker left the party had all their
outfits packed to move across to
"Forty Mile" which they will reach
before spring. In this district, Mr..
Baker says he is personally informed
that gold-seekers are sluicing out
from a25 to $40 3 day and the party
knows pretty well what they are
doing in making the move.
Mr.. Baker says he will keep in COM
munication with Messrs. Jones and
Marshall ana IL the "Forty Mile"
country proves to be what they ex-
pect, he will return to Alaska next
spring. It is the finest country in the
world in summer, Mr.. Baker thinks,
and the hardships are nothing to
what he anticipated. From the mid
die OF May to the first of October
the climate is very mild and pleasant
and in the summer season the sun
shines 20 hours out of "a, and all kinds
of vegetation is as luxurious as In our
latitude. Small fruits are to be had in
great abundance and Of the very best
kind. Mr.. Baker brought home a
sample of blue grass, taken from near
Mantaska Lake, as tine, he thinks, as
grows 10 Kentucky. In many sections,
be says, there are hundreds Of acres of
as fine meadow and orchard grass as
grows anywhere.
Mr.. Baker thinks all that is neces-
sary to develop that wonderful coun-
try 10 u railroad from Valdez to Circle
City, as this would open up as great
an agricultural section as there Is on
the globe,
Mr.. Baker went to the Copper River
country by way of sitka, the capital
OF Alaska, and Gays that while the
trip was tedious and tiresome 1t was
not dangerous.
Out of the dvs thousand persons
who passed over the great Valdez
glacier last spring, there we're only
twelve deaths from all causes-two
suicides, two we're accidentally shot,
two met death under a snow slide, and
the balance were drowned OF died Of
exposure.
Mr.. Baker is glad to get back home,
but says II he receives favorable word
from the party now on Its way to the
"Forty Mile DISTRICT he will return in
the spring to that country.