The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1901-09-17
A Letter From Alaska.
ST.. MIoHARLs, ALASKA,
August 18th, 1901

August 18th, 1901.
| DEAR MOTHER; / will drop you
few lines to let you know 1 am
4 we'll, and hope you areall the same
We arrived here the 10Th and got
off at st. Michael's Barrioks, and
will stay here until the arrival OF
90. K, of the 7th Regiment, aud
then we are going up the Yukon
river about 800 miles. Co * is ex-
pected to arrive some time to day,
but we will not get started up the
river for week yet. We left Col
umbus, Ohio, at p. M, July 25th
over the Hooking Valley to Erie,
thence over the Erie road to Chioa-
go, arriving there7 O'clock a. m.
the 26th; left there at 10 O'Clock a,
m. over the Burlington route to
ST. Paul, Minnesota, arriving there
at 9 p. M, thence over the North
efn Pacffc to Seattle, arriving
there at 6p. m. the 10th, went
aboard the u. IS. transport Warren,
stayed on board her until Wednes-
day morning. and was transferred to
the transport Egbert, and sailed at
ii a. m. the 31st of July for Nome,
Alaska, arriving there on Monday,
Aug. 18th, was there two days then
sailed for st. Michaels, and arrived
here the 10Th; there were 1872 in the
detachment. We did not have
much to eat on the train but had
plenty on the boat. 1 saw whales
by the hundreds, got sea siok SEQ
ond day out and throWed up to
beat the band. We saw Seals and
WaIruses by the droves. There is
not over so Americans in st.
Miohaels, it is all trading posts
the Barricks and three hotels which
is situated on an Island of about
45 square miles. The ground new
er thaws over three feet down and
if you step on the ground you go
up to your knees. You can't go
any place only where there is board
walks; they cannot raise any thing
here, there isn't trees of any'kind,
the only vegetation is little swamp
grass. Nome is good sized place
but is dead now, for Alaska gold
hunting is not what its cracked up
to be, the people are leaving Nome.
[ don't know how it is up the river,
last summer this time there was
over $1,000 people in Nome and
now there isn't but 5000. Some
of the gold hunters make $40 and
$50 day and some are nearly
starving. 1 saw one fellow pick up
hand full of dirt that had about
So worth of gold dust in it. They
pay laborers here 81 per hour for
work, and pay the soldiers so cents
per hour, if they wish to work. 1
am going to work tomorrow un-
loading coal off of The transport
Egbert, at so cents per hour, there
will be about so hours work. We
get $3.50 per month up here and
$50 more clothing allowances, which
makes $3.50 year for clothing.
[ will have 30 much clothing when
[ leave here [ won't know what to
to do with them, we draw the Alas
ka outfit which is Maokinaw coat,
pants, overooat, gloves, leggins,
gum boots and hats, besides our
blue clothing we had when we
came here; the Alaska outfit is yel-
low. The Indians up here are the
ugliest looking things you ever
saw and dirtier than hogs. They
are very friendly but don't speak
in our language. We have four
hours night and twenty hours day.
light and have had some snow al
ready, but can go very comfortable
without overcoat.
You need not answer this letter
for 1 don't know just where 1 am
going to be stationed. Tell all of
the people hello, good byeand God
bless you. WIN, e. YEAGER,
7th u. S. Infantry.