Evening journal., 1911-03-04
'DELAWAREAN
In ALASKA
Frank Burgess Hopes His
Gold Claims Will Bring
Him Wealth
THANKS JOURNAL FOR
FINDING HIS PARENTS

The Evening Journal has received q
letter from Frank Burgess, the young
man who several weeks ago write TO
this paper asking that The Journal
help him 10 find his parents. He has
become a prosperous land owner and
gold miner of Alaska and his letter
is OF interest as depicting the story
OF another Delaware boy who has risen
from the ranks through steady work
and hard plugging The letter follows:
The Evening Journal
Dear Sirs: / am very thankful to
you for the results obtained through
the insertion Of my request In your
valued paper. have received eleven
letters from former friends and rela-
tives and have been a buster man than
ever. / am greatly pleased TO note,
also, the circulation OF The Journal TO
date, showing IL to be a most worthy
and truthful paper as we'll as being
right up-to-date.
Upon leaving Delaware | went TO
New York and from there 10 Howe, In
dian Territory. where I helped to sink
a coal shaft. II was very disc greeable
work, churning a drill with water
dripping on you all the time. We had
very bad storm one night and light
ming striking near, shocked us all as
we were coming up out Of the shaft
in big bucket That proved a little
too much for me and | left there and
went over to- Huntington and mined
coal for two or three months There
was not much TO be made AZ that, SO /
moved again. this time to New Mexico,
lust over the line from Texas on the
banks OF the Rio Grande. where | ran
pumping plant for Ormond and
Crook. railroad builders and contract
ors From there | went TO Los Angeles
and ON to Frisco whore | worked as a
cook In a restaurant
II accepted a position on a White
washing machine. learned the business
and bought an outfit for myself with a
/ partner. We made a nice bit OF money
! I'm Oakland, Alameda aud several other
smaller cities. From there ! shipped TO
Utah on railroad bridge work. There
I worked as a lahorer. Jumping cars
for two weeks, when l was promoted
to an air man, handling an air valve
system Of dumping large steel cars. In
another month ! was promoted 20 sec
ond foreman and changed from that
TO a fireman on large hog-back loco
motive I was transferred back TO sec
ond foreman aud from that to camp
foreman at Camp No. 81.
81 started a store ON commission
/ basis and cleaned up a nice pile of
money aud went TO Frisco and sailed
by boat for Seattle | worked about
Seattle for about one year, running
electric light plants. etc; then sailed
for Seward, Alaska
81 worked on the railroad at differ
emit stations and decided TO go over the
trail TO Fairbanks. / have worked at
steamboatng deck hand, waiter,
watchman aud steward on Independent
boats.
81 went into the saloon business
and clcaqed $1,000 in eight months by
selling out and went into rooming
clearing $1,000 in the sale in three
months
"Since that time I have been work
ing for tho n G. Company In the SUM
mer and have been prospecting in the
winter time. 7 have several claims at
the present time but do not know as
yet how rich they arc Ia gold. At
present have a half interest in a
road house business with n man by
the name Of James Chrisholm
81 think this Is about all l have
never figured In death but once. when
] was nearly run over by a herd of
caribou. saving my life by slipping
down a mountain side on crusted snow
! TO safety. | had been shooting into
them and had so frightened them that
they charged me in their crazed fright.
Respectfully,
Frank r. Burgess,
Overland Roadhouse, Valdez Trail
Fairbanks, (50 miles) Alaska.