Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-04-06
Letter From Alaskan Gold Fields.

The following letter was received
recently by Jerry Hoover, of Gree
ley township and was written by an
old schoolmate now in the gold
fields near Dawson City:
DAWSON CITY, Alaska, Jan. 80, 1899
My Dear Friend:-I have been down with
sscurvy the past six ,weeks-ny. mind has
been wandering and l have written quite
a few letters to pass the time away, so l
tell you something about my journey and
the country; Ny partner was Mr.. G, H.
We We're to sail on the Clara Nevada, but
she burned at sea on her return trip from
ed on the Del North February II, reaching
Dyea on the 26th and Sheep Camp on the
2Sth. We had our outfit hauled from Dyea
distance of u miles One OF the many
sights was as as we were passing through
the canon from Canon City, a distance OF
yards wide and the wall on each side is
perfectly straight and about 1900 feet high
The distance from Sheep Camp to the top
climb. When we reached the foot of the
sumrnit-to the top is about 1890 feet-it is
like climbing up ladder, with a rope from
from falling backward We made two
trips day. from Sheep Camp to the foot of
the summit with fifty pounds each. 1t
takes about one hour to one and a half to
go from the foot to the top of the summit
and only about one minute to come down.
We came down in slides that are worn
down about ten feet: we sit down and be-
fore YOU can count ten are at the bottom.
Here is where the snow slide occurred that
killed !, about eighty persons, but we were
over the pass about two weeks before that.
1t looked very dreary up on the summit
and good many lost their outfits, were
dishearteued and turned back; but we
IN tYlfiI
we reached Thrty-Nile River, four miles
below Lake Ieberge, a distance of19l miles,
where we built our boat. That may seem
a good many, miles to pull a years provi-
sions on sleds and sleep in a tent on a
snow bank for five months; 1t is no fun,
We were in camp. three weeks building
our boat and hunting and fishing. There
Iere thousands of ducks and geese. Mr..
hunting, but without success. When we
left our camp on Thrty-Mile River, our
next camping place was Hootalinqua
jam We remained there seven days
when we again pulled stakes and went
down as far as the Little Salmon river,
caught up. with the ice jam again. The
water would rise up 80 feet on the banks
and ice cakes ten feet thick piled up three
thicker than it gets out home. The rivers
here are all very swift-tie current runs
t from five to ten miles an hour, especially
Miles Canon, Five Finger rapids and Rink
rapids. We had good many narrow es.
capes. but got through lucky where many
lost their provisions and lives. We could
make from ten to fifteen miles per hour.
We arrived in Dawson City May 18th
first boats arrived in Dawson on the 14th.
We did some prospecting on the way down
and found colors on every bar. On reach
mines and secured job on No Is, above
Discovery, on Bonanza creek, at $1.50 per
hour, making sometimes $500 per day
When we got through on Claim 16 we went
to the next claim, No. II. and when the
work was all done on II we went prospect
ing for ourselves and located two claims
on LeOta creek, about 81 miles from Daw-
son. We have been prospecting it this
winter and am now ready to SELL would
take about $4,000 for it, or it may be that |
will live in hopes. 1t is quite frosty out
here; you can see every day frozen noses,
faces, hands and feet. The temperature
coolest it has been here this winter was 81.
It is most beautiful scenery, both in Win
ter and summer. There is nothing but
other. In the summer you can see the
snow capped Rockies in the east only
about ataa1 6o miles from our Claim on Leotn
summer. The Dome is the highest place
! have been yet. 1t is only five or six miles
Sight to see tbe Il eTa
Lights. We are directly under them and
can see them move. Next comes the trees
they are simply beautiful, all covered
with snow and frost every flake that falls
the trees stays there, there is not a
breeze and every dry twig is loaded down.
The SnOwin the creeks is about 2la to 3 feet
but at Dawson it is less.
A good many have made their fortunes
out here, but for the amount of people here
last summer they are few and far between
as all the good ground is taken and the
chances are one in thousand and worse.
| would not advise anyone to come to Alas
ka for gold nor health, but do the best he
can on the outside. one winter here is
enough for me and | expect to sail for
home next fall or perhaps this spring, as
don't like to make that $40 miles over the
ice again.
Now will give you the prices of a few
articles when we arrived in DawSon:
Flour, $75 per hundred and sugar the same:
condensed milk, 81 per pint; bacon, SO per
hundred; butter, $3.50 a pound; salt, 25c a
pound; fresh beef and moose, $150 per
pound; rubber boots, $25 per pair; window
lights, Sx10, $3.50; last summer oranges,
lemons and apples, SOC eachr cheese, 75c a
pound and everything else in proportion,
and last of all a Thanksgiving turkey for
$25. could write you good more pages
but / will have to close for this time. Best
wishes to one and all.
From your friend,
LOUIS GEIF.