Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-02-01

eastern Siberian Co.. Ltd, planned tc
last at least one year and possibly q
longer period. was shortened to fve
months owing to various clrcum
stances
Leaving Gladstone and later Du
range about the last of May. Journey
cd to Seattle, where | met the com
pany manager. and signed contrac,
for an Indefinite period OF time. en-
gaging my services to the Northeast
ern Siberian company for trip to
Siberia. my salary to commence on
the date of departure from Seattle
and continue until | returned. No
timo limit was included as might
remain one or more years.
The same company under the name
OF tho Northwestern Commercial com.
pany also have stores In Nome and
other places in Alaska On my do.
parture from Seattle the manager In.
formed me that tho boat on which |
was bound would take me to Nome.
and that there | would report to tho
| Northwestern Commercial company
manager for service until the Siberian
boat should arrive. did so and
worked almost month In Nome for
this sister company.
| On the arrival of the boat from 81.
IBERIA which was to take me and 9th.
ers back TO there. the manager called
me into the office and said: Mr..
| Vinyard, our boat brings US such un.
| favorable reports from our station In
Siberia. that we will be compelled to
| close up some OF our agencies, instead
OF opening new ones as we expected.
We will have to brng out some OF our
old men instead OF taking in new
ones. Therefore We cannot take you
to Siberia according to our contract.
but offor you employment here In
Nome on the same terms, or. you may
go to the agency in Teller. Alaska II
| you prefer
| reminded Mr.. Rosene that had
| signed for Siberia. not Alaska, and
| insisted on going to Siberia Mr.. Ro-
sene. the manager. said the matter
was Impossible. and as further al
Tentative offered to return me to So
| attic and close the contract there.
l h1u DGNOinC WIN
many OF the miners who were going
to Siberia on a grub.stake proposition
and they were very hopeful OF finding
| gold. Gold ia found on the beach
| right to the waters edge on the Alas.
kan side and 1t seemed reasonable TO
suppose that It would continue to the
Siberian coast only eighty miles dis.
fQnf 1hA hal n
| Ned IN even division OF whatever was
found in the new country. and the
miners were building air castles with
the profits they were to make
caught the contagion. and. having
started for Siberin. anyway. l asked
Mr.. Rosene to allow me to go with
the company as miner under a
grub-stake contract. He readily as.
sented and l. therefore. voluntarily
threw up my contract for salared en-
ployment. to try my luck gold hunting
| in Siberia.
We found nothing: though had a
| fairly pleasant summer camping out
er that We came to. My partner was
little Peterborough canoe. Travelled all
the way through Behring straits and
followed the coast OF the Arctic ocean
some seventy.Hve miles north and
west from there. stopping to ascend
and prospect each little creek or riy,
er that we came to. My partner was
an old Alaskan prospector. Salmon
abounded in the streams. ducks and
geese were plentiful. and the interior
OF the country furnishes pasturage
| for thousands Of reindeer which arc
domesticated by the natives. who
were always ready to trade us fresh
yenlson,
So had. as say. quite pleasant
summer and saw many green sights
among the native esquimaux. As far
| as know we were tho first two Amer
| leans ever to navigate Behring straits
in a small canoe.
None Of the party found gold. The
! company landed one OF the men In
irons on the beach. and this fact be
Ing reported by the ships officers af
forwards In Seattle. the affair cams
to the knowledge Of government ON
cials and the company was placed
under $4,000 cash bond for the i'm
mediate and safe return OF that mar
to American soil. They had there
fore to return with the ship for him
and as all Of tho party were anxiou,
to get away as the country was bleal
and barren, they brought us all back
fearing. perhaps. further trouble, MOI
with Russia, but with our own Uncle
Sam. Tho man. Nielsen. whom the,
were forced. to return. was n natur
allied citizen only. and was surprlset
to find that his case had been made
In small way. an international Incl
dent. and that Uncle Sans arm wa,
no long or would reach no far In tn,
interest OF one OF her humber citi
zcns. He was proud OF his papers.
My actual time In Siberia was near
ly three months from July 10th I,
Oct. 10th. This. OF course, Is tn,
most pleasant time OF the year there
and the day ID almost continuous
there being but two hours OF twiligh
for night. We returned via Nome an,