The age-herald., 1898-05-15
FROM BIRMINGHAM TO CHILKOOT PASS szzn
 -1-L.-4sA... Graphic Description Ol the AdFsntuE-
 OuS Trip BY WILL ANSLEY0F THISClT / One Of the Three Agents Of Bessie Cox
One of the Three Agents Ol Bessie Cox
 Gold Mining Company.
PARTY IN BEsTHEALTHAND SPIRITS
The Story Is Told in Diary Form-Accurate Description of the Strange Life in That Distant Frozen Country
 -'GoId in Sight"

mingham to Alaska has just been received by the officers of the Bessie Cox Gold Min ing company from their three agents, A. J. Milner, Will Ansley and John Neirs, who are now seeking for gold in those regions. The report is signed by Will Ansley and was mailed from Dyea, Alaska. The re- port is in the shape of diary.
 We left Birmingham on February and went by way of New Orleans and the Southern Pacific to Sacramento and from there to Seattle, where we arrived Feb ruary 12. There we secured a good nights sleep. the first we had had since leaving Birmingham.
 February 13, Sunday-But 1t doesn't look like Sunday, for everything is wide open just the same as any other day. Seattle is a nice city. Cable and electric cars. But the high price of meals and room rent remind us very forcibly of the boom days in Birmingham. The town is full of Klon- dikers We tried to get our mail at the postoffce, but line of men 100 deep damp ened our ardor and we put it off until tomorrow.
 'February 14-Getting prices on outfits.
 ''February 15-Went out on car line five miles to try our guns The more people we ldlh lo, tHt iSSS we hnoN etDout Nioh- dilxe and the outfit needed. This must be the city of liars or ignoramuses, for every one tells different story.
 February 17-Boughte hardware; big job.
 February 1S-Bought clothing, boots and shoes.
 February 19-Bought groceries and had them packed. Ready to go now. but we will wait for a good sea-going vessel.
 February 2S-Yesterday we engaged passage on the City of Seattle" the finest boat on Puget Sound The price was $50 each. We sailed tonight at 10:30.
 February A-Arrived at Victoria, B. C., at 5:30 a. m. There is plenty of snow on the mountains round about, but the roses are blooming in the yards, much to our surprise. The thermometer is 46 degrees above zero.
 ..February 25-Rough weather for us, but the ship men say 1t is the smoothest trip they ever had. People getting seasick and losing their dinners over the railing, but the sea gulls pick it up, and it is not lost. Mercier is sick, and says there are times when one wishes to be alone and get close to the railing. Meyers is also looking pale and takes periodical trips to the forward part of the ship. So far. l haven't felt the slightest attack or SedSlcKneSS. AL sup per we had some mince pie, which later on in the evening I had a great deal of trouble in holding down. Of course, the other fellows, whom had been guying all day gave me the horse laugh.
 "February 26.-We see the wrecked steam- CT Corona on the rocks. They are trying to raise her. Beautiful scenery all along the route. The thermometer is 43 degrees above, the coldest weather we have had since leaving Birmingham.
 "Fbruary Five arrive at Wrangle at 2 a. m. Many of our passengers got off here While passing Glacier Bay between 10 and 12 o'clock this morning, we saw icebergs as big as ships floating around, which had just detached themselves from the glacier. These are dangerous waters from now on. Big fish weighing from 50 to 100 pounds, are jumping out of the wa ter all around the ship. We arrive at Ju- neau at D. m. Rather nice looking place, though the land Is so steep that there isn't much room for town. We left Juneau at midnight.
 Arrival at Dyea
 "February S.-Terribly foggy and ship is moving very slowly. The ship channel is uny 300 feet wide. Arrive at Skaguay SEQ a. m. Should have stayed here ten hours, but the ship leaves in an hour and a half. This is done in order that the Dyea pas sengers can be unloaded and will not have to be fed at dinner. We arrived at Dyea and anchored at the new warf at 10 a. m. The ship is being unloaded with a rush. Everything is catch-as-catch can. Have to pay 25 cents warfage on each package, and 25 cents more per package to have it hauled to Dyea, thre miles away. Of course we have to walk ourselves. We pitched out tent in North Dyea, two miles, it seem- ed to us above high water mark. We named our abode Camp Trouble" made our beds on pine straw and snow, and on the whole, slept very comfortably
 ssMarch 1.-The price of meals here is eX- orbitant, but there is no help for it. Can't get our freight for two or three days yet
 March 2.-By a generous tip and a deal of hard work, we manage to get part of our baggage out of the pile on the warf. As there are six hundred other outfits just like ours, and the whole number all mixed up in a pile, it can be imagined what work this is.
 baggage and contract to have it taken to Sheep Camp, distance of fifteen miles, for cent pound. Before we came the rate was three-fourths of a cent, but those who were fin the biggest hurry had to pay as much as three cents. The price varies according to the rush you are In. Dyea is very nice town of about 5000 inhabi- tants. Some good buildings are being erect ed. Carpenters get fifty cents an hour. Team drivers get from s to s3.50 per day and board. There was a fire In town this morning and two men were burned up.
 March 4--Cooked our own breakfast of halibut and bread this morning We leave for Canon City nine miles away Our camping outfits and clothing are on sleds, the whole weighing 350 pounds each.
 ''The sleds ran very easily on the frozen river. but when we came to the canon up which the trail had to be followed, our trials began. We had to leave two of the sleds behind us, and 1t was all the three of us could do to pull up the remaining one We worked this way all day, and after covering up the sleds with canvas ate a hearty supper at Pleasant Camp which Is two miles below Sheep Camp and re- tired at 10:30.
 March B. we dug up our sleds out of the snow and took up the trail again. Above Pleasant Camp the trail got easier, and each of us was able to pull his own sled.