Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1900-03-20
LETTER FROM NOME
Harry Fothergill Writes From
the Frozen North

James Wylie of this city has re-
ceived the following interesting letter
from his friend Harry Fothergill, who
has spent the last two winters in
Alaska. AS number of Carson peo-
pie is expecting to make the trip north
as soon as the ice fields open, they
may gain few pointers from one OF
our young men who is writing from
the much talked of gold fields:
Anvil City, Cape Nome. Alaska,
Dec. 2, 1899.
Friend Jim:
AS the mail leaves for the States,
overland, in few days for the last
time this winter, l thought l would
drop you few lines, hoping this will
find you and your folks all well as it
leaves me the same. Well, jim. since
last saw you 1 have been running
around this Territory like d Gypsy,
looking for that metal we all ike so
well. l have not made my fortune
yet. but still live in hopes of making
it, yet. Roy Phelps has gone out for
the winter. l am sorry he had to
leave, but be had very poor health
while here. This country is very hard
on people, We were burying man
every day of the week for while here,
but since il has frozen up the people
have been getting better.
am spending better winter here
| at Anvil than on the ko-Buch, where
it was like being locked in prison,
as there was no gold up there or game,
except a few grouse, and all we could
do was lay about the cabin and visit
the people around. While up there
we had some very cold weather, the
thermometer registering - degrees be-
low zero. A fire felt pretty good then.
The natives were very good to us while
Ia that country. and they are the most
honest people | ever met. You could
leave cache of goods any place, and il
was just as safe as in your own hands,
bat they are an awfully dirty lot OF
people; they are like pigs and can eat
anything.
On the 2lst day of May the ice broke
up and it was a grand sight to see the
enormous cakes of ice forcing anO
grinding their way down the river
When the river finally cleared of ice
we loaded our boats and started down
: the stream, reaching kotzebue SounG
in month Here we heard that the
strike at Anvil City was alright, bu
Roy and | were dead broke and we die
not know how to get around. Luck
with tive men who had skin boat arc
the four of us started around the cOas
making Anvil City in a month. Herr
B, We found everything staked out for D
e miles around, so We bought a rookie
I for Sl5 aud did very good for the frs
few days then our pay streak ran out
| 1t seems that Roy and | and the res
e of the KoBuck people had no luck a
all, but it was Godsend that tn
beach was rich or we all would hav
been sent out broke. The wages nav
been good here all summer, but mex
year this place will be On the bum.
II will work the beach for all that is in
|: next summer. My partner and | hav
e piece of ground in sight that Nigh
n be good and might not, for we hav
not prospected it yet. If they open u
2, Siberia for prospecting [ might 60 owe
n for a year.
n 1t is a grand sight to see the SUI
he shining all day and night for six week
% in the summer, then ia the winter W
g." lose it for six weeks.
- My partner and I have built fin
cabin OF rotten logs, which is the bes
to be had, there being ne timber, q
~ drift wood. Inside we have it line
= with heavy canvas, but the wealth,
up to daIe has not been very cold, d
n though everything is frozen up.
d The Behring sea is grand sight b.
IS ing blocked up with ice as far as tt
is eye can reach.
E. [ thought l might be able to pile l
pay dirt on the beach all winter, b.
a. we can't do anything as everything
to frozen tight and prices high. Wood
IS $50 cord and scarce as hens teet
coal is $3.50 a ton. So 30 a pound-ches
enough-roast corn beef SlS a case p
tatoes and onions SO hundred.
man brought in load of sheep ar
sold the tongues for the price he pa
] for them, SO the rest of the sheep w
all profit.
1 Thanksgiving day We had b