[PAIR OF TYPED LETTERS FROM A MINER IN THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH, AND ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE UNITED STATES TO PURCHASE GOODS FOR HIS MERCHANT BUSINESS]

[Klondike Gold Rush]

Published by Circle City, Alaska, and on a steamer between Juneau and Seattle, 1897

[12]pp. typed on folio sheets of onion-skin paper, plus three hand-drawn maps. A total of some 6,750 words. Stapled at upper edge. Three horizontal folds. Near fine. A very interesting pair of typed letters from a young man in Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. The anonymous author wrote these two letters to his parents, describing his journey overland and by water to the Birch Creek mining district, his experiences mining for gold, and his decision to go into business as a merchant. The letters are written in a detailed style that indicates an educated author. They include three manuscript sketches showing the routes traversed in Alaska and provide a great deal of information about the writer's experiences in the Klondike. These letters are typed, but they were likely originally handwritten by the author, who later typed them (and included his manuscripts maps and sketch) in order to send them to his family when he arrived in Seattle or San Francisco. The letter dated Nov. 10 begins with a description of the writer's boat journey from Juneau to Dyea, which was a popular disembarkation point for the Chilkoot Trail to Dawson City, a center of the gold rush. He arrived at Dyea on April 23 and notes that "dinner at the Dyea post was the last square meal I have had up to the present date (November 10)." After dinner he loaded his equipment on horses for the journey inland: "My outfit consisted of about 1000 lbs. of provisions, guns, amunition [sic], tools for boat building, a whip-saw, jack-plane, cross- cut saw, hand saw, rip saw, hatchet hammer draw knife, brace and bits, square, etc. and clothing, blankets, tent, sheet-iron stone, and, in fact, I think I had about every thing that ever went down the Yukon. Altogether my outfit weighed about 1,302 pounds, which is much more than is usually taken into the interior." The author spent the next several days transporting his provisions between Dyea and Lake Linderman, and he includes in his letter a sketch of the route from Dyea through the valley to the lake (noting several camps along the way), as well as a sketch of his sled. The second letter, dated Feb. 17, 1897, was written on board the steamer Al Ki, between Juneau and Seattle. He continues the narrative of his trip inland, explaining that he arrived at Lake Linderman on May 14. A month later, on June 14, the author and a partner, their canoe loaded with provisions, departed for Circle City, which they reached on June 29. There they stored most of their provisions and headed for the mines in the Birch Creek region. Mining was at its height in the middle of the summer, but rather than seek out a claim on their own, the author and his companion, Jim Wishard, decided to work for other miners, earning some $10 a day. He describes working at mining from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m., the long days making the task of working at night possible. In August the author bought a claim in the Harrison Creek region, but decided to forego mining in favor of establishing himself as a merchant: "From what I could see the miners are poorly supplied with food by the two companies, and there is always a great demand for luxuries; that is, something out of the ordinary, and even the necessaries of life. I made up my mind last summer that I could do as well bringing in some food - in other words, being something of a merchant - as in any other way to start, and having a good knowledge of the country, and keeping my eyes open, I would undoubtedly have many good chances for speculation. It is a conceded fact that one cannot lose money taking in such an outfit. Everything brings in an average profit of 400 per cent., over the original cost, and whatever any one has to sell in the 'grub' line is in demand." The author then describes his construction of a small cabin in Circle City, and his decision soon afterward to leave Alaska for the winter. He describes the trip to Dyea, undertaken in January, and the hardships of winter overland travel in Alaska. Include. Seller Inventory # WRCAM43100

Bibliographic Details

Title: [PAIR OF TYPED LETTERS FROM A MINER IN THE ...
Publisher: Circle City, Alaska, and on a steamer between Juneau and Seattle
Publication Date: 1897