New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-07-22
HIS ALASKAN EXPERIENCES
E. B. Velikanje Writes Of Life in
the Klondyke. 5s
AS a Freighter He Leads Very
rs Strenuous Existence.
Was Nearly Drowned While Shoot.
ing Thirty Mile River.

Life in the Klondyke is depicted
interestingly in letter which DR.. j..
L.. Schoch has received from E.. B..
Velikanje. The latter is an old New
Ulm boy but is now employing his
time as a freighter. in the gold country.
He and his partners import vegetables
and other perishable goods and some
Of the enormous prices which they re-
ceive for them are given in his COM
munication. That his existence is a
strenuous one may readily be imagined
from the letter, which is dated at
Dawson, June 21st, and is as follows:
f ''Yours of April Goth came on hand
day before yesterday; a long time
reaching me, but no fault of the mail
service. At Lake LIE Barge we were
unable to get twelve tons of our freight
across the ice so it was up, to me- to
stay and bring up the rear while Mr..
Gardner went on ahead with the twelve
beeves and sixty sheep, besides about
eight tons of perishables which we had
freighted across at S75 a ton. had
to stay at the lake for four solid weeks,
but l was not the only one. There
were twentyfour scows in all and at
one time during severe storm we all
had close call of getting swamped.
It was some what disagreeable to stand
at the pump and have the waves wash
ing over. cold as ice at that. A week
ago today in coming down Thirty
Mile river we had collision with two
other scows and [ had the misfortune
of getting knocked overheard and had
to do some tall swimming to get back
onto the scow. Lost my hat but the
loss is offset little by the free bath I
had. It took us all of four days to get
down; only had six hours sleep in five
days and even now, when I go to sleep,
it takes more than an alarm clock to
wake me.
"We- struck very good market with
the goods taken over the ice. I had to
drive the live stock sixtyfve miles,
thirty-two of which were over the ice.
I am told that Gardner got IS cents a
pound for the sheep and 40 cents for
the steers. I have not seen him as he
has left for the outside for shipment
of sheep, steers and horses. I called
on the city council yesterday and re-
ceived an order for three horses for
the fire department., which I wired to
Gardner. I have also sold the greater
part of the goods I brought in, We
had a loss of about a thousand in a
fire here lately; however, I do not
think that is figuring the cost. Gard
ner left in such a hurry that all the
directions he left me was to do the
in that line. >.-
"The weather here has been very
warm and the creeks are all dried up,
thereby suspending operations in the
mines. Ienclose, under separate cover,
one of our three daily papers, which
may interest you. - #
"Mr. Downing, my other partner,
has gone to the new strike in the
Tanana and will be back in about
three weeks. He is looking over the
ground. When he and Gardner get
back I will take a trip up Stewart
river to Duncan creek and take a look
in regard to taking shipment up
there. We intend to make the final
shipment in fall about 125 tons, pro.
viding the outlook warrants it; other
wise we may be operating in the west
ern states during the winter months.
Downing has mail contract between
here and Eagle City that brings him
about $4,000 a year, besides the in.
come from the stage line. Both my
partners are thorough stockmen an6
Gardner is an all-round rustler, while
it falls to me to look after the account.
ing, etc. We may possibly branch ou1
this coming winter, as we can work tC
!. better advantage with more capital
We will be after furs this winter az
there is more than 100 per cent prof
in that business up here.
"Today is our longest day and it i
customary to climb the dome back O
the city and watch the sun set ant
rise, but [ will stay where am. The
coming week I shall have to go out OF
the creeks to do some collecting for j;
2 firm that sold out here last year. =
Rural Carrier Resigns.
Henry Krambeer, carrier on rura
route No. /, has handed his resig
nation to Postmaster L. B. Krook tx
take effect September 1st. Mr.. Kram
beer has other interests which demant
his attention and will therefore forge
carrying mail. An examination vii
be necessary to choose his successo
and date will be fixed shortly whel
q government inSDectOr will come 4,