The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1898-05-27
alaska.
An Interesting Letter from one
of the Milbank Party Bound
for Copper River.

l. lC lOlloWluS CAlI dSeS IL oHi
a letter received by Mr.. and
Mrs. S. L. Clark from their son,
O. r. Clark, who is with the
party of Grant county men now
making their way to the Copper
river gold fields in Alaska, gives
a pretty good idea of the task the
party has had in getting over the
glacier, and should set at rest
the foolish and unfounded stories
that have been ahoat in regard
to the party. While the letter
very faithfully presents the diff
ficulties and hardships the boys
have had, it breathes the air of
hopefulness, and indicates that
the party is not only in good
health, but is in good spirits. 1t
is dated April q, and the latter
part Of it was written on the
2Sth. The letter is complete
with a few exceptions as to per-
sonal matter, and will undoubt
edly be of much interest to our
readers:
| will try to describe some of
the ground we have come over
to the present time. Not one of
us knew anything about this
country. We found we could not
go up the Copper river from the
mouth on account of the Rapids
and cuts. We had to land at
Valdes and haul our outfits
across to the river about 125 or
$50 miles up. We are now over
the pass and off the glacier,
within Il miles of the lake 1t
is six miles from Valdes to the
first bench or rise of the glacier,
which is about 200 feet and at
45 degrees angle Then it is
about a half mile to the second
bench, which is about an angle
of so degrees. 1t is only about
40 rods to the Sd bench, which is
$500 feet and has an angle of 45
degrees, which makes a long,
hard pull. From there 1t is s
miles to the fourth bench, which
is about one third of a mile long,
and six miles from there to the
foot of the summit. This is
64OO feet long and about 40 de-
grees of an angle. Then it is
eight miles down from the sum
NIT to a small creek, and four
miles from there here. So we
were on the glacier for about a
miles 1t was a hard pull to get
our supplies this "A miles, as all
of it was up grade, and consider.
able of it quite steep. We used
tackle and pully on all of the
benches except the first, and
and that one took from three to
five men to pull up $50 or 200 lbs
on sled. 1t is about Il miles
from here to the lake, but doWr
grade. From the lake to Copper
river it is I believe about &c
miles, but we can now go fivt
times as fast as when W.
were going up grade and do i
easier. We are now camped OF
a small stream which empties
into the lake, and there is a creel
from the lake to the Copper
river. So we are all O. K. if th'
snow goes off. There is si1
feet Of snow here, but | under
stand there is not SO much owe
at the lake. [ believe this Who'll
country is very rich and tha
you will in time hear Of som
l great discoveries. There ha
been number of little nugget
! found, though it is only once i
! a while that person can get t
! the creek bed or rocks. | al
! greatly encouraged, but we ca
do nothing prospecting befor
, June. Mr.. SandfOrd and | ar
partners and have about 100
lbs. each of provisions. w
have provisions enough to las
US one,and half years, and W
I can sell any o. our stuff for si
! times as much as it cost us. W
have nice tent, a sheet irol
stove with an oven in it-yo
would be surprised to see hoy
comfortably we are fixed. w
have fine pair Of double blank
: cts, two sleeping bags which W
: are going to rip and make blank
cts Of. They are very warm
but we have not slept in then
but few nights. I have anothe
roll Of views which I intended t
} send you, but a number of then
have got spoiled. There ar
about 2500 people on the trail
There were only few ahead o
US when we landed, and we hav
about kept up with the crowd
There are a great many peopl
f behind us who will never ge
) over the glacier. J have not ha,