Amador ledger., 1903-05-22
LETTER FROM ALASKA,
West Longitude 144o so North Latitude
6Oo 90
CATELLA BAY, ALASKA,
April 81, 1909.

Dear Ledger
My Office and residence at present is
a tent l0xl2 pitched on the beach, 200
feet from high tide, in clump of
spruce trees that completely surround
and cover it. Have been here since
the last day of March. Cause of COM
ing, the oil fields which are being de-
veloped here, and the desire to get hold
of some claims. The ground is literally
soaked with petroleum, and of so good
quality everybody uses it for kindling
fires.
Left Juneau March 25th Oh the S. S.
Excelsior, which makes monthly round
trips from Seattle to points along the
coast as far west as Prince William s
Sound. The trip through Gastineaux
Channel and Chatham Straits was de-
light. At dark the ship stopped. with
out dropping anchor, in cove near the
entrance to Peril Straits which separate
Chicagof and BaraUof Islands, and so
calm was the water that she Lad drift
ed less than half mile The run
through the straits is more exciting
than Wrangel Narrows, being longer
and more crooked, and one place can
only be passed at high water. AT IL in
the forenoon we reached Sitka, the
capital of Alaska. Six weeks before,
the Nome City had tried to land lot
of machinery at Kazak, but failed on
account of bad weather, so she brought
it to Sitka and left it on the wharf. 1t
took seven hours for our ship to load
it, so we had plenty of time to see the
town. Visited the Greek church with
its famous old paintings, called on the
governor as good citizen should. His
Excellency had gone off in a canoe to
look for some lumber logs, but his wife
and lady visitor welcomed us cordially
in their elegant home, and told OF the
wonders of the Sitkan climate, besides
showing the flower garden with early
buds nearly ready to bloom. Last
winter, 1902, Mr.. Brady set out straw
| berry plants on tho 18th of January.
No snow fell in Sitka until Marth 7th,
and no ice was cut because it did not
| freeze thick enough. The past winter
the mercury went down to lOo above
zero only once.
Left Sitka at six in the evening, and
in an hour was out on the heaving
ocean, BRIGHTLY named.) Spent the
night in wanting to die. Next day at
10 sailed into Yakutat Bay, and drop
ped anchor half a mile from shore. In
short time IL canoe loads of Indians
were at the ships side, and climbin 9
on deck by ladders. They had many
sorts ofcurios to sell, and the passengers
bought literally. A few tonsof freight
were landed by the ships boats, and
before dark we were again under way.
The next morning at nine, sharp
rock, that rises like church spire at
the south end of Kazak Island, was in
sight, and soon the ship sailed around
the point into quiet water and dropped
the anchor About dozen passengers,
myself included, were put ashore, and
barge brought alongside the ship for
the machinery that had caused SO
much trouble. The last piece was
placed safely on the barge before dark
Kazak is a small village, at present
the headquarters for the oil fields. 1t
is 16 miles from the main land, and as
the coast has not vet been charted,
| ships do not dare go nearer 1t was
three days before it was safe to cross
in a small boat. On the Slst we started
at nine in the morning, ten of us in a sc
foot open boat with about two tons OF
freight. Two miles of hard rowing
took us around the east end of the
island to the open sea, and we put up
the sail. A fine breeze from the south
carried the boat along swiftly, but the
breeze increased to "a gale and we were
strictly ''in it, We ran straight he.
fore the wind, and the great waves
were regular and not ''choppy," so the
boat was crossing succession of hills
and valleys. We were all nervous
about the surf at the entrance TO the
bay, but Neptune favored us, for before
we reached the shore the wind died
down to a gentle breeze, and we sailed
in safely.
This is probably one of the best oil
fields in the world. Several companies
are preparing to do extensive develop
ment work this summer. lam making
some locations, but expect to leave in a
short time for the gold region of the
| Yukon.
The weather is fine, and the snow
rapidly disappearing.
Yours as ever,
G. H. G..
| The Wastes of the Rodv