Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-03-09

C1-rrsspondsncs Of he Ledger.
DAWSON crTY, N. W. T., Jan. all
write you q line, thinking q few items
from tbis point might be Of interest to
your readers. 1t ~ cold, colder, cold
est. The spirit Thermometer, the kind
used here, has ranged from 20 20 IS
degrees belcw zero this winter and
for the past three weeks has not once
been above 70 degrees. ! came In yes.
terday from Sulphur Greek mine, pull
ing an empty sled, Assistance OF 50
miles, with the Thermometer standing
IS degrees below at noon. 30 you
may Judge for yourself whether or not
I am becoming acclimated. am en-
|joying perfect health at this writing,
though I am not heshy.
1 have met 9 few OF the Missouri
boys here. The VIM party Is work
ing a lay on Sulphur Greek with but
moderate success, getting only 2e to
the pan, but they hope for better sue
cess from this time on and so are
working away most faithfully. Young
Fke, Of Montgomery County, Is clerk
ing in q store at Dawson. Garter, of
Jonesburg, is with the VIM and
Kerchivsl party and is well. Watson
has had scuEvey, but is convalescing.
1 think there are a few more Missouri
boys here, but l have not learned
where they are located.
A large number of mines are yield
ing good results others not SO well.
Sulphur Greek lie spotted and is disap-
pointing many. II you hit a rich spot
you are all right; If not you T badly
left, ~ il is no light task digging a
shaft 80 or 40 feet deep through the
frozen ground. And so it is that many
poor fellowsare working hard without
reward, while others are amasaing
fortunes.
Dominion Greek lie more reliable
than Sulphur, especially on the bench
Is. bunker Greek is turning out
well; Gold bottom Creek not 90 good;
Bonanza Greek lie all right, especially
from the central part TO where it
empties into the Klondyke. Eldorsdo
is showing up hne, while Gold Hill and
French Hill are certainly the richest
spots on earth to-day. There will be
q large amount of gold sent out next
summer, all taken from . small area
around Dawson.
Some OF the richest mines are moi
being worked on account OF the ex-
actions Of the Dominion government.
Alex Mcdonald, the so-oalied king Of
the Klondyke, is in London trying to
sell bis mines. There are chances here
yet for bench claims and working on
shares, but do not advise anyone who
lie doing well at home 70 come to this
part OF Alaska, 40 the climate Is revere
and the privatious beyond comparison.
Besides, employment a not always
be readily obtained. Although l have
had good luck in this way, 1t is not
always the case. l have not been idle
q day since my arrival at Dawson,
Sept. 10, 'ss. Wages are 80 cents to
81 per hour. have made an average
Of sS per day; some are making more.
We work six to seven hours to the
day. Daylight is getting to be about
as scarce az hens teeth with rs, but
we do not stop for night.
Our cabins are comfortable and fuel
plentiful and of the very best. The
very worst feature Is thefood we have
to eat. / think l shall, during my
solourn here, get enough OF old pork
and beans to last me the remainder of
my days, even though / should be
granted name allotted time, three
score years and ten. Provisions are
still high, bat occasionally, for health's
sake, we buy some fresh meats and
indulge in the luxury of q stew or
roast. Soup bones nov sell for 40c
per pound, butter s1.50 per pound,
molAsses "a per gallon, honey g per
pound, unions and potatoes 81 per
pound, and apples medium size and
frozen hard as rocks sell for Is cents
apiece, which are pretty steep prices
for 9 poor mans pocket. But all the
above mentioned articles are good
preventives for scurvy, the disease so
prevalent here. This trouble is now
being treated very successfully with
spruce leaf and willow bark tea.
Our mails are very uncertain. 1.
have not heard from home for nearly
six months. I would freely give s25
OF my hsrd-earned money for one
letter from home and loved ones. We
hope for more regular mails when the
steamers start in the spring.
Ny intentions are to remain here
during this year, at least, and longer
should the desired success not come.
/ believe there are "yellov boys' here
for the man who keeps his health and
win stay long enough and use the
proper amount Of energy to obtain
them.
Iaend this out to the coast BY pri-
vate messenger, the editor OF the
Klondyke Nugget. With best wishes
to the editor and LEDGER readers and
to my friends In general l will close.
Respectfully,
@. ". wYLDE.