Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-01-14
Direct from the kl0ndike.
An Interesting Letter from q Former Gratiot
County Resident who Is now In the
Gold Country.

| =.
written by Mr.. Woodin {" his wife:l
DAWSON n. w. T., Nov. %, 1897.
have chance to send a short letter
out by Mr.. Mallory who has been work
ing here in the store so thought would
improve the chance. Have sent two
since my arrival here, one by Jno. Robert
and one by Mr.. Lindsey, and hope you
will certainly get one of the three.
Twill now tell you the truth about grub.
/ arrived here with about 80 lbs. all told
flour, tea sugar, bacon, etc, and found
flour selling at from $40 90 TO 500. 90 per
sack and none to be had at those prices.
No rice, bacon or beans can be had at
less than Lee to $l.50 per pound, and l
am here with but $27O 90 for they robbed
us all along the trail-3Sc per pound for
packing but we could not stay long
enough to 10 our own packing and hoped
TO get in here before the river froze over
so we submitted to the hold up and paid
nearly 500. 90 to have our packing done.
| We could get nothing out Of the store
for some days after our arrival for they
did not have enough grub to fill orders,
| for the miners, that had been paid for,
but did finally get 1919 worth of grub
and carried it all home at one load and
did not have 40 lbs. then.
paid $40 90 for grub at Sl25 per
pound in order not TO starve, for that
much would take me out over the ice
as soon as the river froze up. Then we
paid $4,000 rent for cabin until May
25th, 1898, and commenced business on
the Klondike We got 81 90 per hun
dred pounds for storing goods per month
and also rent TO four Seattle men TO
sleep and eat-Capt. Hogle of the police
Department (Seattle) and his son, Jno
Miller and Jno. NJ c. Tate (the boy
who was in Muhl's market
We took in $3.50 90 first month and are
doing a secondhand business-buy and |
sell anything that comes along, and are
going to build up quite business.
am working in a store to save grub, for
get my board Ca big item when meals
are 50 30 each with 15c extra for pie, as
they are here at present and only get
bacon, beans, bread, soup, tea or Coffee
and $4,000 per month. We have now
for two of us nearly seven sacks of -four,
over 100 lbs of beans, 100 lbs. of bacon,
20 lbs. rice, tea, coffee, 30 lbs sugar,
about 90 lbs. dried fruit, some canned
"a I /
goods out of store this week. We have
made all of our grub out of our business,
except $500 90 we paid out on the start
and have got quite "A lot of tools, guns,
ammunition and, in fact second hand
stock. We find man who wants to
buy an outfit, then hunt up the fellow
who wants to SELL and make the deal,
and save few pounds Of grub as our
l got caught in the trap but am going
to stay with it and am not going to be
frozen nor driven out of this country
till am ready to 60.
The last six days on the river we
travelled in floating ice. Talk about
Washington crossing the Delaware"
he would not be in it as "A navigator in
ice with me now. 1t was the greatest
danger we encountered on the trip.
The Yukon froze up Nov. Sth the
floating ice jammed and rolled up quite
high i'll places; blocks of ice five to eight
feet thick. a great many ale starting
out now that the river is frozen up except
III swift places | think 500 men, prob
ably mole, will leave for Seattle during
the winter, am think | can make more
by leaving the store and attending to
our business. l will take big slec and
go out and buy anything l can buy, for
will sell at your own price. l
bought grind.stone for 81 90 and sold
it for $l0.00-just little grind-stone 10
or IL inches in diameter and one inch
thick.
Candles sold at $4,000 per box when
we first got here for there was a stam-
pede for candles and none could be had
at the stores; but they are cheap now,
only 500. 90 per box.
Yours, &