The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-08

mixed in with the eighteen dogs, all lying on the straw before the fire"
 As Miss Fitz lay looking at this weird spectacle, the dogs, for some unknown req son. began fierce fight, worrying bling and tearing one another's throats and emit Ing the most horrible noises and barking and bowling with pain. Above all could be heard the rough voices of the mon swearing ana ana shouting ut the top of their lungs. To me lfiShtened young woman 1t seemed though thls lasted for an age. and even after the melee wns over the growing of the dogs lasted for the rest of the night.
 There was another Way" explained Miss Fitz, "of getting to Nome; that was by the moi air wagon.' This was q sort of stage htted with a cover and stove inside. One great drawback was that the driver could not be induced to start before twelve o'clock at night. He would sit up and smoke and talk. This meant that hls passengers, too, had to sit up till midnight instead of getting their good nights rest before their long journey, which would keep them up at lcasi two more nights. But the hot air wagon was not calculated for such rough eoun- try, and 1t frequently topp.ed over, until It finally caught fire from the stove upsetting and thai was the end of it."
 After many other experiences of the sa nc perilous description she reached Nome and took steamer to Seattle. At Omaha she dis cardcd her furs for the dress of civilization, and so proceeded to New York.
 The story of Miss Fitz's life in Alaska reads like q romanoe.' She had taken along her inseparable companion, the typewriter, and few days after her arrival she was in. stalled as clerk in the office of the town Re corder. Here she soon became an invauab be functionary her work consisting of dra wing up and recording mining claims, contracts, bills of sale and q mass of business core. spondence. Her income was many times that of T stenographer in the East, and she soon began to look around for investment for her savings.
 She built herself very substantial log cabin, making it strong and warm to keep out the winter blasts. Finding that 1t would be necessary to have a cellar for her winter stores, she tried to hire men to dig it, but none were to be had
 50 did the work myself" she said "and the only tools had to excavate with were a tin spoon a trowel and dust pam.
 Unless cue is well provided with winter supplies, It will go hard with him. Last winter" she explained, T paid $50 for one hundred pounds of onions, S25 for one hun dred pounds of potatoes. and $15 for ten gallons of Standard oil. Meats average from to 10 IJ cents pound.
 Miss Fitz's cabin at Council City is an odd-looking snuggery. Rude but comfort able seats. home made cushions and divaus, and great stove in the center make il an ideal winter home for the Arctic There are few social advantages in Council and
 
 months, with the winter gales blowing so strongly outside that walking on the sin. pery surface of the snow Is well nigh i'm. possible, and with the thermometer any. where from thirty to sixty below zero for. nal social functions are few and fat be. tween.
 But the presence of a bright woman in mining camp works q transformation. and when Miss Fitz gives occasional little dinner In her cabin there Is no lack of guests Before coming away she gave n full five course dinner consisting of oys- ters, soup, salad, fish, entrees, roasts, vege- tables, dessert, fruit and coffee. Mrs Phil. lips the only other social light in the com. munity, and who owns a roomy cabin. also gives occasional dinners. These and similar events are red letter days in the long winters in that snowbound country.
 During the long winters, which last from the middle of September to the middle of June. 1t is not uncommon for whole town