The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-14
TRAIN BOY IN ALASKA.
HE Is GETTING RICH SUPPLYING
WANTS OF TOURISTS.

from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The Klondike Limited. on the furthest
.,or.h railroad-the White Pass and Yu-
Eon-was slowly climbing she short roll
ri foothills over which the road reaches
mountain bench which is successfully
f,,iowed across the coast range. Snow
was falling in dense masses, after a Pc
,,uiiar Alaskan fashion, shutting out with
snual effectiveness the view of Mount
Dewey OIL the right and the rushing,
roaring Skaguay river a half mile below
on he left. The train was but two short
coaches long and one could distinctly
hear the strenuous putting of the big
,ngiIe ahead.
IL vas the first cold snap of the Alas
kan winter, and the car was .uncomforta-
bly, frsid, in spite of the efforts of the
umiteds combination conductor brakeman
rt keep the single stove red hot. In rha
seats narest the stove had gathered the
dozen passengers who found it necessary
for one reason or another, to penetrate
me yukon interior az a time when all
were lea'ing il who could possibly do so.
The crwd was cosmopolitan, including
an Officer of the Northwest mounted po-
lice whohad made a hurried trip TO Vic
tors in ! fruitless effort to secure per-
mission { so to South Africa; Klon
tuker VIII had forgotten himself in the
pleasures f New York and San Francisco
until he nd to risk life in a sled journey
10 Dawso; miniature capitalist, who
had his frtune invested in Yukon river
steamers nd who was going TO see to-
their wintC quarters; n woman who was
going TO send the winter with her hus-
band az Benefit City; a leading citizen"
of Alaska'i only railroad terminal, Ska
quay; a cople of railroad engineers and
a tourist, pry much out of season, bus
none the les interested in all that went
on around I'm.
The pastngers Were discussing the
rush TO the new American diggings at
Nome City 18th all the ferVor of hackers
of the rivalPamp of Klondike. The car
door SUDDEN opened and a figure when
would attra{ attention anywhere "5lew"
IL with a frry of snow.
All the Rest magazines and papers,
gents, c.garA tobacco-and anything you
want to dirk, the newcomer began,
when half VIZ down the aisle.
The touristhad almost reconciled him
self to the pcongruous idea of a ratl-
road in full oerauon in far-aWay Alaska,
and had cca.d to wonder at the engine
having a cow'atcher. although there was
not live CD within 1.OO0 miles; but
train boy WE little too much. He
gazed al the pproa ching verder of news
in open-mouied establishment.
The latest apers ] say. fellows Boat
got in just bore We left Had to run
for it, he sid, coming nearer. Under
one arm he cried bulky bundle of pa
pers. In hisdisengaged hand was
heavy tin pa filed with general train
merchandise. on the outside was stem
ciled in heayyblac< letters, Fire, Steam
pp Inn hold .ar-i1a thnf ba
bucket he'd BIN borrowed.
The tourist atched him make dicker
with the rtchNlondiker for ANEW York
pap-r two wG1s old and one from Seat
tie which ha'attained but half the age.
You can I've the two for 75c" said
The boy, butts giving them to you"
The Klcndilr gave him So with look
which said, Don't talk about giving me
anything" al he read the STALE news
with much ilerest, for he was used TO
paving much pre for papers several times
as old.
The only AlslSan traiu-boy was a boy
in vocation ely. He was well bundled
up, for the ar in which h made his
headquarters -as unheated and the zero
mark no strbger. Enough Of his face
Shove d, howeeT to enable the tourist to
judge his ageas p, al least, and his life
as a continuaFound Of trouble. He looked
very much lie a klondiker. as far as
Clothes went, nd, in truth he was wear
ing "A miner Dutfit, presented by one of
the lucky me from the inside, who had
purchased sire clothes. His face was
small and peked. aged before its time
and full of vnkles, which crossed and
rscrossed eaa other like the checks in
the macknai coat which he wore. The
eyes were yer small and welt hidden. and
) chin hard dsn fed The name As to
forehead and hair one could not judge
which
ed tightly d&n. Well-Worn mittens COW
cred his hans when he was not making
change. 1t was just well, for when he
showed then HE accumulated dirt testi-
d to an Astonishing aversion to water
He was gohefrom the coach but a short
time when hereturned, with new wares
and original wares they were.
Nuggets! Nuggets he cried as he
came down thI aisle Nugget pins mug
get rings, freA from Dawson. Atlin mug
gets, Bonanz. mug g is and some from
Eldorado"
He singled the tourist out at once. and
did not leave until he had disposed of
brass ring with the smallest possible
nugget seltina for which he demanded
s.. The tourist was sufficiently interested
to go forward and look over the train
boys stock. They managed to get across
the discovered platform and into the
ly taggage car. where they sat down
OI rJuSn DOA, WHICH was Dtils ScilA
over the rass !or some unfortunate who
had frozen to death The boy was perfect
" wiling 10 talk shop" and did not need
20 be questioned.
Sort of surprised you, didn't IT, to see
tain boy up here in the North" he
sail by way Of beginning.
The tourist conf sed to a f. cling or two
In that direction, and the boy continued:
1T does all The tourists They don
seem to think Alaska $ civilized. Well, !
don't blame them. 1t hasn't been very
long. But you must admit that country
is civilized that can support a railroad.
electric lights, telegraph and train-boy,
to say nothing of churches, schools and
saloons, and such like"
He might have geneTalized for an hour.
for he went on to tell about min ng and
the relative merits of the different camps
from White Horse to St Michael The
tourist brought the conversation back to
the starting point by asking. How did
YOU come to take berth On this rail
rosd?"
"Well, You see. Id been making good
money on the Great Northern overland
from ST. Paul to Seattle, and l saved a.
The rush to Klondke came along and
Joined the crowd. When ] got to Skaguay
] saw this 'snappy' chance 10 coin the
dust going to waste so l goes to the
boss manager and strikes for the place
] tells him how roads no road at ali
till they gets a train boy and at last he
sees things my way and gives me the
job.
g.. 4