Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-03-16
Experiences in Alaska.

Husband: | have just returned from
Dawson. | was with our boy from
August 28th to October I'd, when | left
him at Dawson. | will give you little
history of my trip to Dawson and the
Klondike gOld fields or gold bills: l
left Sksguay August 10th and went
over the summit in the cars to Bennett
City. l had a good chance to see the
wonderful and notorious White Horse
rapids and Miles canyon; it is truly
wonderful sight to behold. We arrived
at Dawson Wednesday at noon, Aug.
23d. | started out Immediately to find
the long lost boy, but could not tind out
anything till l asked man whom L
saw on the boat and who also lived at
Dawson. He advised me to start out
on the trail and walk till got tired,
and as there were road houses every
mile or go could get lodging without
any trouble. | was in fear of getting
lost or that / could not find the way,
but he assured there was no danger as
there were as many people on the trail
all the time as there were on the streets
of Dawson. L found it as he said.
There were crowds Of nen and women
on the trail all the way to the forks of
Eldorado. Soon after | started into the
trail two men overlook me who would
pass No. s where Frank worked when i
last heard from him. One was from
Seattle and the .other from Wisconsin,
but when we got to No. 3 there was
nobody there. But man told me that
Dick was at 81 above so | went with
those gentlemen TO the forks still mile
above No. g. There lady kept lodg-
ing house where | found comfortable
place. That was ID miles had walked
that afternoon. 1t was still two miles
to 81. Next morning | walked to
where Dick was and told him L was
Franks mother. They were as glad to
see me as Frank was. Dick started a
man after Frank In hurry. The next
II w
to No. Sand got our suppers after which
we went to No. where a LADY lives
that did all of Franks washing and
mending. | stayed there a few days
and went all through the biggest mines
on the Bonanza There are fourteen
hundred feet of tunnel lighted with
electricity. While we were at the mine
where Dick is they cleaned up about
three times week and got about $500
at each cleanup. While | was at
Rhodes camp (2l), | saw more gold dust.
Dick pulled box from under the bed
| that had three bucketfuls of dust. One
of them was all | could lift. Yet they
were sluiclng and cleaning up three
times a week and getting 5000 each
clean up.
On the 18th Frank came back and
went with him TO Last Chance creek,
ten miles over the divide from Bonanza.
| We got our dinners on the summit. a
| few miles on the other side of the di-
vide we came to where the boy was
building his cabin. They were living
in two tents. 1t is a pretty place there.
| went with Frank to his claim on
Hunker creek but that is only about
one mile from his other claim on Last
Chance creek. The boys went TO work
on their cabin and cooked for them
They enjoyed the novelty of a woman
COOK very much, but their bread was
not good. Frank got me some yeast
and | tried TO bake yeast bread but
their stove wouldn't bake good. | told
them they could make a bake oven oi
clay. got them started and they made
a fine oven. baked bread in it three
times. If ever men enjoyed such cook
ing and baking they did, as they always
had only soda and baking powder bread
Then picked grass and made them g
pillow apiece and one for their com
pany when they have any. | made
them out of my pink nightgown. There
was nothing else at hand. They
built q fine cabin, 10 by Is feet. They
hewed their logs on the inside anC
shaved the ridge poles; also the small
poles which they make the roof of.
think | was of great benefit to them al
| learned them to bake bread and how
to make noodles, as well as many othe
things about cooking. They have
plenty of good wood. They also have
plenty of neighbors. Nine or ten cab
ins going up near by when / left.
The country is not as expected t.
find it as they raise all kinds of vegeta
bles, such as rsdishes, lettuce, onions