The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1900-02-28


Up in the Gold Country.
Il. p. Mills OF Antwerp has received a
letter under date of December "A, written
from Dominion Creek by his brother
Eugene, which gives some very interest
ing facts concerning the condition OF
things in the northern Ell Dorado. The
following extracts are made from it for
the benefit of the Northerner readers:
"You write of this as that God-for-
saken country / think as compared
with two years ago we are quite well
satisfied that He is now in evidence. We
now have telegraph line out, weekly,
tri weekly and daily paper with the latest
dispatches, delivered at our cabins, and
we are thirty miles from Dawson. have
helped start two Presbyterian churches.
We have wagon and sleigh road graded
by the government from Dawson past
here to Goldrun and on down the creek.
Two years ago, lived in a log hut with
no windows 1--WE could get no glass; with
two men, without butter, milk or canned
goods of any kind, living principally on
rice, beans and sour dough bread. Now
we have canned goods, fruits, corn,
tomatoes, butter, milk, potatoes, etc., and
best of all my wife here to cook it. And
by the way, your letter was delivered at
my door before | was dressed Sunday
morning The postoffice is in the hotel
building about two feet from our cabin.
"Our cabin is made of peeled logs, nice
and clean, with board floor and two
windows, so warm that things don't
freeze at fifty below zero, when coal oil
outside is as solid as ice. This moss is
great non conductor.
"Nellie and | 'mushed' over here a
month ago with three dogs and hand
sled seven feet long, with handles be-
hind like pillow handles, with platform
for me behind her between the handles
We started at seven in the morning and
got here at five p M, over high divide
six miles up and one down.
IL am looking after several claims for
New York syndicate. have seven
men at eighty cents per hour, and am
sinking on eight claims now. | am put
ting up fifteen horse power pipe boiler
for throwing out the frozen ground. We
are not down to bed rock yet, but every
thing is going we'll and we hope to find
the precious metal in paying quantities
soon, but may not. They are getting So
to $40 a pan on an adjoining claim. They
scraped up one pan that went 1872, SC
there is gold here somewhere. This is a
great country. and immense quantities
of gold will come from here for some
time, and conveniences of travel and liv-
ing are getting so much better. But for
one who does not happen to get paying
claim, it is up hill work to make any
thing. 1t cost US $40 to get our stuff
hauled from Dawson: the duty on it was
over $50, besides the freight from Seattle
and the first cost. But that is nothing
compared with two years ago. Flour
then was S75 per sack, bacon S1.25 pei
pound; | had three boxes of candles and
sold some at 90 cents each; we made rag
lamps with bacon grease; nails to make
our sluice boxes were "a per pound, etc
Now we have coal oil at s13 per case in
Dawson. We each have a rocking chair
Nellie brought hers as steamer chair
and made mine.
ED, you would never regret it, if you
and Phoebe would take the summer of
and come clear in here and go out via
ST. Michaels and around by California
and home. Many came here on excur
sions last season, and many more viii
come next at cheap rates. Just think o
it, there is an inland channel all the way
from Seattle to Skaguay-nine hundred
miles and only chance to look out OF
the ocean twice, and that away off. Their
by railroad over the awful Skaguay trai
to White Horse rapids, and then nice
ride down the river for four days anC
nights-all daylight. The sun is out o
sight then only a few minutes. You
would not say God forsaken countr,
again. | have seven men at work, ant
for month / have not heard one of then
utter an oath; and we keep Sunday, bu
many do not.
I'VE do not have so much snow here
about two or three feet generally, bu
good sleighing for six straight months.
Remember us kindly to all enquirinl
| friends"