Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-25
.OTTUMWA AIN TELLS
HIS EXPERIENCES
F. uMPHREY GONE TEN YEARS
RETURNS HOME AND RELATES
STORY OF TRIP TO ALASKA
Says Land OF the Midnight Sun a
Great Place for Young Man Seeking
opportunities-Life Reads Like a
Book.

Facing the terrible, rigid winters OF
an Arctic climate, travelling many
miles on foot over snow and ice-clad,
tractless waste, experiencing the I'M
told hardships connected with the
search for gold, are some of the exper.
fences of F. Umphrey, late from Rair.
banks, Alaska, who is now visiting at
the home of his uncle and aunt Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Clinkenbeard, 124
North Ward street.
Mr.. Umphrey came the long dis
lance to Ottumwa from the Land OF
the Midnight Sun to be present at the
wedding of his sister Miss Ida to
Thomas Berry, which occurred In this
city recently.
The travel and episodes that Mr.
Umphrey has experienced since he
left the quietness of his home ten
years ago, would If chronicled fill q
book of stirring adventure.
In recounting his experiences since
leaving Ottumwa the young man said:
Ten years ago I left this city fol
Little Rock. Arkansas, where re
NAMED for short time and then went
to, San Francisco, Cal Arriving In
the city of the Golden Gate, I shipped
aboard the United States Transport
Grant, as barber She was running
between the Philippine Islands and
trips in this vessel.
Sees Battle OF Tien Tsin.
'It was while on this vessel thai
made a trip to China and while there
| I saw the battle OF Tien Tsin. Oul
party watched the fight from an ole
Chinese arsenal. 1t was one of the ex
periences of a life time, to be able tt
see that great struggle.
Goes to Cape Nome.
Coming back to the United statet
| in the fall of 1900 1 landed in Sar
Francisco once more and took pas
sage in a large passenger ship fol
| Cape Nome. Alaska. It was my inten
ton to go to that country because
had heard so much about it that
wanted to see it.
| ARRIVING In Cape Nome, l joined {
| party of Ave which was about to star
for the gold fields in that part of the
country known as the Attic, in the
Fairhaven district on the Seward Pc
ninsu1a
This trip which was one Of 35l
miles over a tractless waste of coun
1 try was a most hazardous one, and (;
| journey that shall never forget. Thu
country was extremely barren, will
nothing growing in it with the excep
| ton of small willows which we would
1gather for fire wood. We 'sledded' i
with dogs over the snow and ice ant
slept in sleeping bags when nigh
! came.''
Three Men Freeze.
4 "The suffering our little party I'm
4 derwent on this eventful trip wer,
lfrightful With the thermometer. yer.
low, we encountered terrible billiards.
the wind driving the snow unmercifiil
ly in binding swirls and clouds. On,
of the nights we were in camp, tire,
/ of our party were frozen to death. On,
of the poor fellows LETT camp to gathe
i fire wood during heavy storm. H,
had taken off his gloves and had los
them. While searching for them ii
the binding gale, he froze to dealt
and we found him the next mornin.
buried in the snow with only on,
!. hand visible above drift
i ut was w-hlle we were on this tril
that our party discovered the Emach
auch and PANEL rivers. Along thes
rivers we found plenty of gold, but ]
was what we miners call a 'hydrauli
Il proposition. That is it woul hav,
taken heavy machinery to work it.
i Starts Barber Shop.
I Leaving the little party that I ha,
i shared SO many hardships with,
made my way dowl to Cape Nom
and opened barber shop in that city
III remained in Cape Nome until th
1 fall of 1904 and then went to Val Des
down in the southeastern part {
4 Alaska.
| "The trip to Val Des consisted of
i distance of $50 miles which had to l.
made on foot, and started out hau
ing a handsledge. After had coyere
nineteen miles of the trip was caugh
Z il. large blizzard at place they ca
the Summit. was at this place 70
three days and three nights In on