The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-08-01
A Letter From Alaska.
Killisnn AIasl.

Edltor tribune:
In reference to your letter, as to
what | am doing, etc, would saw that
| am working here as book and store
keeper for the Alaska Oil and Guano
Co., The store is a peach, company
store, general merchandise and every
thing else--a regular Marshall Field.
You can tell by the style of the firm
what their business is, and when the
boats come in with the fish, Holy
Smokes you may think you have seen
lots of fish, but / am willing to bet
that you have never seen one hun
dredth part of what have seen since
| have been here which has been
about three weeks, land they have only
been fishing half of that time. And
the smell-the best violet perfume is
not in tor more lasting. But with
all the perfume, consequences and
Indians, | like the place quite WELL
The fishing is fine, trout weighing
from one half to three and four
pounds, Goldfish from 5 to 10 pounds.
halibut ? pounds to 500 pounds, SAL
mon, all kinds and sizes to the NIGH
ty King salmon going as high as so
pounds. A fellow is a peach who
can land one inside of an hour with
regular tackle. You say you want
something bigger, we'll how about
sharks and whales, will they do
Whales are almost as thick as feas
on dogs back The Indians killed
an foot shark about $50 feet from
the front of the store the other day.
| have seen so many big fish lately
that when | get back to Chicago and
catch pound bass I will think |
have caught a minnow. Do you want
to go hunting? Well there are so
many ducks and geese here that we
do not notice them at all You can
shoot grouse here if You don't like
duck. Maybe you are heap much"
brave and want bigger game Well
If you are good shot you can get
all the deer you want within a mile
OF the place. But perhaps you want
a robe for that big Morris chair you
were telling me you were going to
get for your library, maybe black
bear will do, but if that is not large
enough, you can get big brown bear
or still larger, the notorious Silver
Tip, the one they all take off their
hats to. wish you could hear some
of the stories the white trappers and
Indians tell about their experiences,
some of them are enough to give
fellow the chills. | won't try to tell
any now, ! am going to- save them
until | get back. SO that | will have
something to talk about.
This place is on an island of about
500 to 1000 acres in southeastern
Alaska The population in the sum-
mertime is about 60 whites {mostly
Norwcgians) and about 200 Indians.
In the fall the whites leave and the
population in the winter time is
about 800 or 400 Indians and about 5
Whites, just think of me being one
of those this winter. The Salvation
Army has invaded this place, and
the people say the Indians are good
deal better since their coming than
they were before. The old gentle
man in the store with me is Rus
sian Count About 30 years ago his
estate in Russia was con6scated and
he was put in prison. He escaped,
after two years, and made his way to
this country. coming here when there
we're only few white men in Alaska.
You can imagine what stories he can
tell.
I am doing little prospecting dur
ing NY spare time, but ! do not think
it will amount to much. | found one
ledge that was rich in gold and cop
per Dut lHSiO IL not ShOuSu vi TIT
ledge to pay for the working of it.
but they say perseverance is prec-
ions jewel and ] may run across
something yet if | stick TO it. There
is good chance to find gypsum de-
posts here. and if | cannot find any
thing else | may tackle some of that.
The Indians when out hunting of
ten run across good looking places,
so | think it is up to me to get on
the right side of them. so that they
will confde in me when they strike
something real good. AT times | get
real lonesome for Chicago, but /
manage to get over it, and decide TO
stick it out, but when | do get back
you can bet | am going to make up
for all this time ! am spending in the
wilderness
One boat in two weeks is all the
connection we have with the world.
so do not be surprised if it takes a
long time to hear from me. We only
have about hours of darkness here
at night. can sit on my porch and
read a paper at midnight | say my
porch 1T sounds strange, but | have
half house to- myself. four rooms
and an alcove, ready furnished and
the company does not charge me
anything for the house or my meals.
Peter --.