The Dickinson press., 1899-08-19
Letter From Jerry Hayes.
Dawson City


July 10, I8oo/ y
Mr.. Jingle and Friends:- So many
Dickinson friends have askedm lie to write
that | will address a general letter to Mr..
P. Jingle and he can have it printed
Geo. Dobson got in here all right with
H. F. Beckett.
The party are out on Sulphur creek
slucing gold. Frank Smith is close by
representing a claim. All are we'll.
These claims are about 50 miles from
Dawson.
Times are very hard here now and
will not be much better until it freezes
this fall.
Many people have gone to Cape Name
on the Coast, about 1900 miles from here.
Hundreds are going in small boats. The
fare is s35 second class and $40 first class.
Bob Neil has gone.
Messrs. Van Eagen and Banks are
here, so is Ralph Hatton doing nothing).
Mr.. and Mrs. Cunningham, MIR. and
Mrs. Caravan are here. Joe Krieck and
wife are we'll. This is all J can say about
these people at present, except that the
first two named are thinking seriously of
going out.
Since the ice went out Dawson has
lost one-half of its population, about 49,
900 or more.
House rent has dropped one-half and
there are plenty of empty houses.
The city is patrolled both night and
day and yet there is no night now at all
Gambling and dance halls running wide
open. They charge a dollar for a dance
for you and your girl and a drink thrown
in. The music is fine, five pieces. The
halls are lit by electricity. Three cleo
trio light plants here, seven saw mills
and not a single ever made or used in
the place. All buildings are covered
with dirt or slabs. There are a few iron
roofs.
There are no schools here, but several
churches. The burying grounds are very
thick on the hill where many a poor un.
fortunate lies whoonce had bright dreams
of glittering gold. But l don't know
but that it is as good here as any place
only here you will freeze up and never
thaw out.
Whiskey and beer is worse here than
it ever was in Dickinson three brcweries,
but last week they all closed down.
In respect to the noble laws of Canada
the laws and the officials here are the
most corrupt l ever knew of, even worse
than Jerry Hayes was when he was in
Dickinson. The officials prohibited the
Americans from using any kind of fire.
crackers on the 4th of July. They even
made it a misdemeanor to sell tirecrack-
ers or combustible goods of any kind, but
on the Queens birthday they dug the
town up and painted it red. Yet they
would have been outdone by the Ameri-
cans on the 4th only the Great Yukon
Counsel held an extra session and made
new laws and had them posted up Sc
they could fine a few Americans and by
Ills lllCtllOu OUldll d lew uOlldlS " llClp
them along, and more, they did it.
Well, Perry, l am at work in a black
smith shop and l must tell you what
have been doing for the last 90 hours, one
dollar for each hour. l have been max.
ing a pillow and had to go to the woods
for birch wood for the beams and handles
used a piece Of bank vault iron for the
shares and mole, which was left at the
bank, and have enough left for another
one. Price of pillow when completed $50
1t is to be used out on Diamond creek tc
pillow claims off. | made the first pillow
in Dawson, l also sharpened and laid the
first pillow in Dickinson.
Following are a few of our prices fol
work here: Shoe aIhorse all around. $500
sharpen a pick, sI.oo; to steel a pick,s3
50; One bucket of water delivered, 25cts
to wash a shirt, 35cts; meals each 500
l may buy half interest in this black
smith shop, don't know when l will be
home, Yours
a. Jerry Hayes.