Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-08
William Davis Of Ottumwa Returns
From Dawson.
INTERESTED IN A GOLD MINE THERE.
An ottumwa Boy on Visit With Rel
ativAG-Talks About Dawson and
Other Alaskan cities-Mines Pro-.
sress Noted in the Far North.
tFrom Fridays Daily.l

William Davis who resides at thea|
corner of Clay and Sreffield streets IN
this city, has returned home from
Alaska, where he spent eighteen
months in the gold bearing regions
near Dawson City. Mr.. Davis left OF
tumwa early in the spring of 1900 and
made his way to Seattle, Washington,
from which city he travelled by boat
to Skaguay The railroad took him
to Bennett, then the terminus, and
from there he went by water to Daw-
son, being one of a party of eleven.
Arrived at Dawson, Mr.. Davis joined
his brother, Harry, of Pierre, S. D.,
who has been in Alaska since 1897.
The two brothers own claim on DO
minion creek, about thirty-five miles
from Dawson They have already TAX
en- out considerable gold and their
claim gives promise of being a good
one. Will is back in Ottumwa for
few months, and expects to return
to Alaska next spring.
An Orderly City.
Speaking to a Courier reporter to-
day regarding his travels, Mr.. Davis
mentioned Dawson as one of the most
orderly cities he had ever seen. He
classes the English government as
far ahead of the American in this par
.ticular, and shows sthe strength of his
statement blythe contrast between
Dawson, in Canadian territory, and
Nome, in United States territory. In
over years time at Dawson, Mr.. Da-
Wis said he never saw man draw a
shooting iron from his pocket and saw
but one fight, that being between
drunken men. In Nome, on the other
hand, It seems that lawlessness is the
order Of the day.
10000 Population.
Dawson, Mr.. Davis says, has BIOS
somed into a progressive city of about
10000 population, more than that num-
Der are scattered along the creeks.
Several modern buildings are being
erected, among them being the gov
eminent building and the court house.
The former is brick structure of i'm
posing size and pattern, and would be
a credit to any city. TIL court house
is to be of frame, substantial and
pleasig to the eye. The recorders Of
flee, where the big business is done, is
located in a large frame building to
Itself, and is divided into several mi.
nor Offices.
Everything to Eat.
People in Dawson can obtain any.
thing they want in the eating line, ii
hey have the money to pay for it
Very few vegetables can be grown
there, of course, as the season is short
but everything imaginable is shipped
into the country, and although the
taste is not like it is in the States
the sale of the articles does not take
long. Prices are, of necessity, high
but SO also is labor, and work is moi
hard to get.
A Cold Winter.
A common laborer draws SIS per da!
and board, or eighty cents per houl
without board. The mines work near
ly all the year shutting down only il
the coolest weather. The Yukon is opeI
usually from June IA to November 10
and the weather is warm during tina
time, the temperature running III
sun. Last winter was the coolest on
recorded at Dawson, and the govern
ment thermometer, Mr. Davis says
stood once at sixty-eight degrees be
low zero. Other thermometers wen
SO low they could go no farther.
Perpetual Day.
In the summer the sun is in sigh
about twenty-five hours during eacl
twenty-four, and darkness never ez
lists, but in the cold season, the lamp
are lighted at about o'clock in tn
afternoon, and remain SO until abou
10 o'clock the next morning.
High Prices.
Residents of the States" are alway
interested in the high prices paid fo
necessities and luxuries in Dawson
Mr.. Davis says grapes are sold at
per pound, watermelons from $1.50
$500; eggs as high as $3.50 per doze
and other commodities in proportion
Four Newspapers.
Dawson has four newspapers, eac
of which issue daily. While thei
news is somewhat slow in coming il
many instances, it is nevertheless rea
with the greatest interest. The name
of the publications are, The Nugge
The Journal, The Sun and The News
The Flody monument in Sioux Cit
has been completed. 1t is one hui
dred feet and three inches high.