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PageText LTR029Circle City, Alaska
Aug 25 98

Dear Bro.
I am well, been here about 3 wks. I left Dawson June 23rd. prospected some on American Nitt (?). there to 70 m two fair claims there, not been out here, mines good 65 mi. from Town hard to pack out. freight by Mules 50 cts Ib now in Winter Dog Team 10 cts season now over summer diggings, only a little drifting in Winter on Eagle & Deadwood Creeks, season from 30 days to 70. Just as Water lasts could work 8 mo. if any Water, see it's a lovely place high & dry. about 800 log houses & fine ones, double Windows & double doors in most & air chimney in all. not a board house or shingle roof too Cold (??). Mosquitoes (??) Gnats too. but Wild Currants & Cranberries as many as mosq. about 500 people here, (and about 30 Women, 6 saloons, 3 stoves, no Hotel, two Restaurant. Meals poor $1.00 (good same) shave 50 cts Hair cut $1.00 Everyone has his beard most men of course do own shaving etc. Laundry 25 cts each. Liquor not allowed but is sold all same 50cts. cigars 50 custom house here. 3 Officials & U.S. Marshall, all Boats both ways have to put in to clear. New outside Boats poor trim, many wont make it. too badly logged on. out side course, plenty Grub here prices fair, about six good claims in Dawson can stand all Taxes, rest n.g. Much exag. many new discoveries reported, but.- Hootalinqua may be good was little done here this season but claim owners are now returning. Will be good next season. Preacher Creek 60 mi. near other mines, for 6 yrs. staked never sunk on till now. was stampeded two wks. ago is good 4 ct for 6 ft.deep & summer dig. all located in two days, none in Town got in to far off or two many near at hand. I've made $180 since my arrival A.C. Warehouse 60 hrs $1.00 hr 40 hrs same N.A.T. Ware House 10 days Carpenter Work for A.C. on cabins $6.00 pr. day. Bal. Checking on boats 1.00 hr. expect good deal more 3 Boats down yesterday two up to day. bad River for Bars, old Time Boats get on as well as new. course always changing, got a fine Cabin. Clothes. Robe. Grub, etc. & a good fine Pard. by name Sam Calkin a former Captain on Fire Dept in Vancouver B.C. lately Chief on Fire - at Nelson B.C. his Bro. & Polson are Real Estate & large Hardware Men of Seattle & own a store near St Michaels Alaska, he wont work for a relative, he is now up Riv. for our Wood a raft. 10 Cord priced on Bank here, dry $12 Mixed $10. store prices on following goods. 50 # flour $6. Bacon good 35 cts dried fruits & Raisins 30 cts Rolled Oats 20 cts 2# Can butter $1.50 pint Bot. pickles $1.50 2# Can Corn Beef 50 cts 2# Roast Beef 75 cts. Broom $1.00 tinware awfull high. Axe $2.50 pan $1.00 shovel 2.00 pick 3.00 Hip Rub. Boot $12.00 good shoes heavy $10 to $12. light from $4.00 up clothes high all Big Exchange done in dust, silver & greenbacks are called Chichalko money. New Comers or Tenderfeet same Dawson is over done bad & overstocked, it was a shame to see how poor fellows sold out their out fits in Dawson & here a man would have to own a Bank to live in dawson. all is Corralled by (Betty) put up $ every move even on game or timber or for Mail or set up your Tent. I got 3 sks. flour in one lot 2.00 each Bacon 100 Ib 20 cts Lard 20# $3.15, 100# Sug. 20 cts Store price 25 cts Lard in store 35 cts Ib. 5# Royal B. Powder $3.25 store $1.00 Ib. 50 # Gran. Potatoes 20 cts Ib Store 50 cts Ib. 25# Raisins 20 cts store 30 cts. Sago Tapaocha 10 cts store dont know. 10 Ib Corn Starch 3.00 store 60 cts Ib. got all my Winters out fit about Complete at same rates but you bet I Hustled to do so on the beach as so many 2nd hand & Middle men every where. Tob. is $2.00 Ib chewing, it was $1.50 but raised as (War) Tax smoking 1.50 & 2.00. got most mine $1.00 & $1.25 its always same as $ about 100 Indians here, all very moral more so than any I ever saw. lots Squaws Married to whites, dress swell & loud are dull awfull Homely & chunky. Walk with a Wiggle. Children half Cast look very fair, fine Weather yet all is green no frost Dark a little from 10 P.M. till 2 AM. up till 3 wks. ago constant light as clear as a Bell. I got 4 Boxes Schneider Candles 2 Box for 6.00 2 Boxes 5.00 store price 5 00 Box. Coal Oil 1.50 Can. came in to day I can get 5 gal. so I can read & write a little. Candle is poor light I am well fixed for supplies of all Kinds. Butter, Milk, Can Meats, hops, extracts cooking out fit. two stoves sleigh, snow shoes clothes, good House. Wood soon. No dogs, the dogs always howling by the cots & such Thiefs Mixed by Coyote Fox & Wolf. A nice mix indeed, would take Bacon out pan red Hot. feed once a day when work is over only, as food makes them eat snow then vomit, lots salmon now on 25 cts Ib Meat Caribou or Moose $1.00 Ib to far to pack it Soon plentifull as soon as snow comes, can only Travel by Water in Summer as Mosq. & Moss soft. Muddy etc. Winter is time to move here, with dogs outside dogs n.g. feet get sore, cant heal, cant pack give out No Endurance whatever, good siwash Husky & McKenzie is best from $50 up to $500. Same as good Horses, use Collar on Dogs same as on Horse, Corn Meal, Rice & Bacon Mixed is food, frozen fish best salmon & white fish best liked. River Will be open one Mo yet. Wages at diggings here $1.00 hr. also Boats Ware House etc. same. Common labor little of it $6 00 day 9 hrs. lots New Boats Wont get up this season. Co. Boats Wont assist any outside or new Co. boats they feel sore, can see their Big prices & tyranical ways are something of the past Soon plenty good but prices same as last fall, one new store here, some cheaper expect 3 more. Will be over done & will have to sell cheaper to meet Creditors demands. Will Winter here. May go out to Mines May not. have two good Idaho Friends here among the discoverers of Mastadon Creek. It's best. Gregor & Keenely by name. Will get out some Grub then when snow flies. I suppose when the Very Gentle Zephyr Comes. I will long for the sun burnt sands of Arizona. John Winter is not as it is told outside by Wind Bags. News papers & men who wear long hair go out with a few pieces large ones to beat some one etc. its only a few days at a time. Very Cold, coal oil out side dont freeze even Winter & men mostly owning Mines are in here to Work & Manage same, at Dawson they tried hard to Boom & sell property, on American side when they saw people disgusted by British Rule, but did not succeed, had the whole thing staked to here & mapped out. but Nitt (?) Tanana is discovered 6 yrs at Mouth two Big Horse out fits have Just returned from Tanana No finds but Copper Ore best & shortest land route from here. 160 mi. I see lots old Timers been there yrs. ago. 40 mi. on American side is good, been good 3 yrs. about 200 men there all good is taken long ago. its 100 from Yukon Riv. this is same as West got to find it. all streams than can be polled in small boats is fairly Top prospected & a Man wants some Top prospect or indication to sink unless its shallow if deep, got to sink in Winter, then must fix for it build a cabin & Grub, if dont pay a yr. is gone, try again & work for a Grub Stake & Work cant always be had only in a few districts far between & you must have Grub & Tools, a Man cant pack a Blanket Cook out fit. Change clothes, etc & Grub to go far on I tell you. Canned & dried stuff dont stay with a fellow Bread Basket, you hear lots of scurvey out side, saw several cases in Dawson, brought on by poor Grub, pulling & Tugging sleighs to get in, improper Cooking, raw Grub, to damn lazy to cook, times to Cold to do so. inexperience in same by some, blowing in $ for Booze & Women by others & so on. I see none here, anyone cooking any way fairly or any fair Grub will not have for my part. I would never undertake to go on a hard Journey long or short, on Bacon Beans & Flour. I got Vinegar, Cocoa, Lemon Extract, Vinilla Etc. Mustard, pepper, Cin. Nut Meg allspice, Cloves, Salt, everything mostly got in your city. Was a few Potatoes in 20 Ib a few Eggs called fresh, so they were off the Boat, but not the the Rooster at $22.00 a full case. I wrote you from Dawson & sent by a friend about June 23rd. I will not Write to Dawson to have my Mail forwarded as I see sev. who done so. get none unless Registered. I send you one of Bettys stamp I had left so can paste in scrap book or scrap with itself if so desire. Could only get 25 ct stamps today so always inclose a stamp in your letters to Me & Register your letters 10 cts if you expect it to reach here before June, is a New Mail Contract let calls for twice a Mo. but, no Reg. official envelopes at office. Wells Fargo Ex. is now established, but no Blanks Forms, Books or any Paraphinalia arrived as yet. but will when our ship comes in. My god I am going to bed now & finish to morrow & find what mo. or yr. this is. old Boy no cocks to Crow here & tell its Morn. The Northern lights are now in Bloom it is a lovely sight to see. The Moon comes up in the South East and apparently goes down in same place after raising about 50 ft. sun raises in NE sets in NW. So John tell them all the Earth is Flat, two steamers out to day loaded down with Passengers. Town quiet Very, had a nice 10# salmon to day. No More stamps in. so inclose a stamp in Each of your letters & Register same if you expect it to reach this yr. bye bye to all Etc.

Lovingly Bro. Jim
Circle City, Alaska

Will send this out by
Friend on next steamer down
as its quickest this time.


[NOTE: Original letter not available; owned by Jim Harper. Copy provided by Helen Noble.]

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