The Dickinson press., 1899-03-25
Dawson, N. w. Ter,

IOr puDllCatlOn.
Dawson, N. w. Ter.
Feb. 8, 1899.
| have a chance to send letters out
that l believe will reach the outside, so
will improve the opportunity. l don't
know where to begin, 80 will plunge in
to the middle of the subject and work
both ways. First Of all, we are here,
in Dawson, the place of all our romantic
imaginings and fondest hopes. The
romantic imaginings are somewhat the
worse for wear, but the fond hopes still
remain, fresh and unrealized as yet.
We have been both lucky and unlucky
lucky in getting down here all safe
and sound with our outfit; and unlucky
in Willis taking sick SO soon after we
got here and having such a long siege
of fever. Seven weeks in bed and about
the same time in recovering isn't a very
pleasant experience for anybody; but
happily it is all over now and Willis is
we'll and fat and hearty, but he hasn't
got his strength yet. 1t takes a long
while to get over the fever in this coun-
try.
We have been very agreeably disap-
pointed in the winter here, The first cold
snap, in November, was very severe, but
that was the coolest weather we have
had. The lowest that any thermometer
has registered is So degrees below zero
and is not 30 cold in here as It would be,
outside. have been down town when
it was 80 degrees below and not noticed
it at all. OF course for the men who
have had to be out during such weather.
especially on the trail, it has, been very
severe. Yet there have been, fewer
cases of freezing than one would think
where there are SO many people.
Of the trip down the lakes and river
will not attempt to tell you until l see
you. 1t would require volumes, and
don't want to over tax the kindness Of
our friends, the two doctors (who are 60
ing out over the ice and have offered tc
take out my letters.)
Of Dawson, what shall l say? 1t is an
enlarged edition of Dyea and Sheer
Camp together. When we first came
down last fall it was a city Of tents
hundreds and hundreds Of tents, every
where. The city is situated on a low fla
bar, that is flooded in the spring time, a
the foot of a high bluff. The long, strag
Cling irregular main street is flanked OF
either side by every imaginable sort o
ediice-from the tent, stretched over
rough wooden frame, to the more pre-
tentious three STORY hotel. There are tire.
quite large notes.-the ,Fairview, tn.
Victoria and the Melbourne. The Alask;
Commercial Co., and the N. A. T. & T
Co., have long stores and warehouses
The principal play houses are the Tivol
and the Monte Carlo, and there are "a.
looms, restaurants, bakeries, laundries
ETC., innumerable. Also dozens Of small
"checkako" stores. The city has ,elec
trio lights. and a system Of water-works
will be put in next spring.
But you will be more interested in
hearing of the world famed creeks Of the
"Troaudyke" region, perhaps. The rich.
ness of Eldorado and Bonanza have no
been exaggerated in the least. The, gold
contained within a small area in these
two creeks is something marvellous; ane
many of the benches are turning Out sur.
prisingly we'll also.
Hunter is proving richer than was ex
pected but is somewhat spotted. Do
minion is also very rich, especially be
tween the two discoveries. Sulphur il
a problem,especially to the unfortunate
chechakos who staked their all on wha
they would get out of that creek. 1t ha'
proven the Waterloo of many an unfor
%tunate layman this winter. Among th,
/, latest to throw up their lay and com,
over from Sulphur is MI. Theo. Hayes
of Dickinson. We all feel very sorr,
for MI. Hayes. He and his partner hav'
labored faithfully for oyer three months
without striking the pay.streak, and nov
the season Is too far advanced for then
to make wages out of 1t even If the,
should strike it. On the lays just allow
and below them, on the same claim (th'
claim is 500 feet and is divided into 5o-f
lays) the laymep have struck it and ar
taking out good pay, CaRayan is an
other unfortunate who has not STRUCK
pay, and he and his partner are coming
over in a few DAYS.
Bob Wilcox, Ned McCadam and
McCauley who used to be with the bridg'
gang at Dickinson, have been working
all winter, for wages, on Sulphur, a dol
lar an hour. They are. perhaps, tn
most sensible of the lot, for they know
just what they will get and will hav
quite a stake by spring.
1t is from thirty to forty miles from
here to the various claims that are be
ing worked on Sulphur; and the mel
drag their provisions over there on sleda
$50 to 900 lbs. in a load. The charge
at the road-houses along the way ar
s1.oo for a bunk and from $50 to $40
per meal. When a man has dragged
sled over that trail from four to six time
he naturally feels that he ought to hav
some reward from it.
: Jerry Hayes went over to Sulphu
. with Joe Kricek, last week, and has re
? manned to work for a few weeks. Fran
Smith, Prentiss and Murphy are "holdin
down" Welton's cabin in Dawson. We
ton has about finished representing the
Bonanza claim and will 60 over to Su
phur soon. He expects Dave Foote i
. some time. this month, People are con
ing in from the outside AL the time: n
mail goes out regularly from here ey!eI
1.-TWO weeks, lno one knows bow tfaF It geel