Evening journal., 1911-02-27

Among the mail arriving from Alas
ka in Baltimore last Tuesday was a
letter to Mrs. Laura e. Heiry, of No.
1O3 South Fifth street, Highlandtown.
It being the first mail received by her
from her brother, Frank T. Burgess,
whom The Evening Journal succeeded
in bringing in communication with his
parents after a separation Of seven
years.
Just before the new year dawned
The Evening Journal received a COM
munication from Frank T. Burgess,
written from the Overland Roadhouse,
Valdez Trail. Fairbanks, Alaska ask
ing this paper to insert an article in
the hope that his people might see It
and in this manner get in touch with
him again. II was done and friend of
the family I'm this city, knowing Bur
CESS mother and sister, communicated
with them with the result that they
wrote to him. On Tuesday they re-
ceived a reply from their letter.
Mr.. Burgess in his letter to his sis
ter, Mrs. Heiry, thanks The Evening
Journal for bringing him in communi-
cation with his people.
Many years ago he sold The Even
ing Journal and It was this fact that
! lead him to seek the assistance of this
paper. He was thought to have per-
ished several years ago when a rail-
road bridge which was being built over
the Great Salt Lake collapsed, send
| ing about twenty workmen to their
/ doom. Burgess parents gave him up
/ for dead and mourned him as such.
| The news Of his survival and his liv-
! ing in Alaska came to them as a great
surprise for which they we're heartily
/ thankful. They Immediately commune
Gated with their son and brother with
] the result that now. after period OF
seven years, spent mostly in the cold
of Alaska, the former New Castle
county boy has been brought in touch
with his people.
Since going to Alaska Burgess has
acquired some property in Fairbanks
hourishing city near the gold dis
tricts and is the possessOr of two gold
claims. In one Of these claims Burgess
has found a quantity of gold but the
present cold spell is handicapping him
to such an extent that he cannot know
how the strike will pan out" until
warm weather comes. Burgess says
that the strike appears to be rich and
hopes that it will turn out well. This
claim is in the neighborhood of Chris
holm at which place the Overland
Road House, from whence he wrote his
first letter. is situated Chrisholm Is
about so miles from Fairbanks and the
trips are made behind his team oi
fine Alaskan dogs, hitched 10 a hick-
DRY sled Burgess writes that he GOV.
ers the distance in one day with the
dogs while the stage time for the dis.
lance is nearly a day. they averaging
60 miles a day, provided the trail is
good.
Another matter which Burgess men.
tions and which might be OF interest
is that the persons in Alaska thinl
nothing of walking 35 miles a day Il
the trail is broken, and in this way
greatly relieve the dogs by walking be,
side the sled instead Of being pulled
by The faithful animals.
Burgess went 10 Alaska six year.
ago and has remained there since
prospecting and working. So diligen
have been his efforts that he is now
the proud possessor Of considerabl,
property in Fairbanks, as well as lanS
which he hopes will turn out to be o.
a great gold yielding value
Two years after his advent to IN,
land of the midnight sun Burgess.
married an Alaskan girl. This infor
nation is contained I'm the last part o.
his letter. seminglye placed there a,
a final surprise to his sister and his
! mother, a fitting climax to the long lis