CONDITIONS
IN CALIFORNIA
What Befell an Old Ramparter in
That State and Why He Wants
to Come Back.
The writer of the following letter,
which is printed almost entire, was one
of the old-timers who began his Ram
part residence in 1807. His experience
is sure to prove interesting to friends in
the camp, who are many:
Antioch, Contra Costa Co., Cal.,
Nov. 16, 1905.
Dear Friend-:
Here I am in California, and it is one
year and one month since I landed here.
Had anybody told me I would stay so
long I would have called him crazy. Hut
in some ways it l<x>ks good out here—
and then again it don’t, and a fellow is
always longing to get back.
I have had a great time since I have
lieen here. For the first two months
everything came my way—and then it
came different. As soon as the “dinka”
was gone it was a case of go to work,
and I have been up against all kinds of
people, I can assure you. I was clerk
ing in a general merchandise store for a
while, and then timekeeper at a lumlier
camp; 1 drove an eight-horse team
hauling freight in the mountains, and
then drove stage for a summer resort ;
and finally landed a good job which I
will hold down till spring, and then “me i
to the frozen north.” California is all |
right if you have a barrel of money, but I
if you ain't got any money you needn't i
come around. Many a time when doing :
tip a 5-cent package of sugar I wished I
was up on the Yukon once again. But
take everything into consideration I
haven’t got any kick coming, us I wasn’t
overloaded with nuggets or tine golddust
when 1 arrived in "the only city in the |
union.”
Say, you wouldn’t know Frisco. Ev- i
ervthing is run wide open, wages are
much better, and a great many eastern
people are coining to Frisco of late. '
They just had one of the hottest elec-1
tions ever held in Frisco, and Schmitz 1
was re-elected mayor for the third term.
It was a case of the rich people against
the labor unions, and the latter won out
easily. That means that everything
goes for two years more.
Well, old boy, I wish you were out
here for a while—I could show yon a 1
good time
I got used to w earing a white shirt and
collar after a hard struggle; and say!
you ought to have seen the way they
togged me out the tirst month I was at
home. But just as 1 got to like it my
pi|>e went out and it was a case of hike
out and took for a job. 1 found it, but
just held the tirst job long enough to
■ iav for a week's Isarrd and look for
something else. But, as I said, I at last
got a gi»sl place. 1 am—x, W. J.—
superintendent of a large ranch up on
the San Juai|iiin river and tlie hardest
work I have is to ride around on a sad
dle horse and keep the boys busy. The
rlimatr is Imm and I don’t like the
country at all. hut Ike wages are g<ss|
and the work very pleasant.
Now, old hoy, I meant to be luck in
llaut|«rt long Iwfore this, and got
started a couple of times, but was not
therewith the necessarv |s>nga. so had
to *«t|*me my trip But 1 will U-avw
>eaUb sometime in Marvlt tag the tirst
part of April, and I want you to write
and let me know all about the camp,
prospects, etc.
WALTER J. FOLEY,
Box 197, care Blumenberg Ranch.
SEWARD ALL RIGHT
Dr. Gibbons Gives a Friend a Good
Account of the Town and
the Railroad.
The following extracts from a letter
written by Dr. C. H. Gibbons to a
friend in Rampart will be read with
interest not only because the writer is
well known here, but also because they
give information of Seward and of the
Alaska Central railroad. The letter is
dated Seward, Nov. 1(5:
“I am just getting settled in my new
quarters and must say I am very well
pleased with the location. Have had no
snow here yet, and only three or four
frosty nights. Mercury ranges from 40
to (50 most of the time.
“Seward is a hustling town. Build
ings are going up all the time and would
be built faster if lumber could be had.
More boats are chartered as fast as pos
sible to bring the freight that is always
waiting at Seattle.
“Am feeling fine. Have gained twelve
pounds since leaving Rampart. Thought
I would have no mushing to do here,
but one of my first calls wits to go out
thirty-four miles on a construction train
(the railroad runs no passenger trains
yet) and then mush thirty-six miles
over the mountains and back again. It
made me think of Glen gulch.
“We have a daily and weekly paper
here and get news by cable every day.
Six regular mail steamers each month,
and several extras Ijesides. Time from
Seattle via Juneau ten days; direct six
days.
“The railroad is doing things in first
class style and seems to have plenty of
money to back it. Forty-nine miles of
track is laid. The next fifty miles has
several tunnels and heavy nx'k work,
which they expect to have finished by
spring. After the first hundred miles
the road will be easy to build.”
Enclosed with the doctor's letter was
the first and second pages of the Daily
Gateway. The |>aper has an up-to-date
and prosperous look. The first page is
principally devoted to cablegrams and
the advertisements on the second have
a business-like look.
Realism on Dawson Stage.
The Dawson News lias this account of
an accident which Iiefell a well-known
actor in that city some weeks ago:
"Kthiie Dolan, the comedian, in his
striving after realistic spectacular effects,
got shot in the head on the stage in the
Orpheum during the |sTforiiiance on
Thursday evening, ami is now wearing a
hig hunch of medicated Cotton over his
left temple, lie was playing in a non
sensical comedy in which at a given cue
the leader of the orchestra tires a re
volver in which candle grease is the
charge On this occasion he tired too
high and the charge struck Kddic on the
GENERAL
MERCHANDISE.
r OUTFITTING _
MINERS STORE
(In the Postofflce Building)
Cigars by the Box a Specialty
left side of the head, stunning him for
the moment and making an ugly abra
sion of the skin.”
MITCHELL’S DEATH
Caused by Hemorrhage From Ex
tracting Teeth—Leading Events
in a Remarkable Career.
Portland, Oregon, Dec. 10.—The death
of Senator Mitchell was the result of a
hemorrhage following the extraction of
four teeth. The wound bled for hours,
during which the senator sank rapidly,
and failed to rally when the hemorrhage
wns cheeked.
Senator Mitchell was seventy years of
age. His constitution was vitiated and
could not rally after the loss of blood.
He had been in low spirits as a result of
the disgraceful scandal attending his
trial and conviction of land frauds. The
prosecution in these cases he constantly
attributed to malignant enemies, and
declared he was not guilty of even a
technical breaking of the law.
At the time of his death he had just
paid $8'i0 fees to the clerk of the supreme
court incident to an appenl.
Senator Mitchell was lsirn in Pennsyl
vania. In lHtiO he deserted his family
in one of the eastern counties of that
state ami fled to California. Later in
the same year he came to Oregon and in
this state ta'guu a remarkable career.
He liecanie interested in jsditics soon
after coming to the state. He came to
Portland and was sis in after elected city
attorney. He attractisl attention here
and made friends, and was elected state
senator on the republican ticket. At
the opening of his cani|>aign for the
I'niteil States senatorship, in 187:!, the
secret of his life leaked out and was
made the most of by his |»>litical oppo
nents. The “Oregonian” employed the
knowledge with terrible effect, laying
Imre the candidate's past with remorse
less and cruel detail, but such was the
wonderful influence of Mitchell that he
was elected wi'h a good majority.
Ijist year lie was charged with having
employed liis office as I'niteil States
senator to secure a numls-r of land
CHAS. A. TRAEGER,
HUTS, CLOTHING AND FURNISHINGS
Notice of Forfeiture.
To Georg© A. Corbett and A. B. Austin:
You, and each of you, will take notice that
the undersigned co-owner with you in the
placer mining claim known as 22 No. above
discovery on Little Minook Jr. creek, situ
ated in the Rampart mining and recording
district, District of Alaska, has expended one
hundred dollars, in labor and improvements,
on said pleeer mining claim during each of
the years ending December 31, 1902, 1903 and
1904, as required by the laws of the United
States to hold the same, and that if within
ninety days from the date of service of this
notice upon you by publication—that is to
say ninety days after the 10th day of January,
1906—you fail, neglect or refuse to contribute
your proportionate share of such expendi
ture, as co-owner, your interest will be for
feited to the undersigned co-owner.
Date of first publication, Oct. 11, 1905.
Date of last publication, Jan. 10, 1906.
W. M. HAWKINS.
Notice of Forfeiture.
To John Bock:
You will take notice thnt the undersigned,
co-owner with you in the placer mining claim
known as claim No. 23 above discovery on
Little Minook Jr. creek, situated in the Ram
part mining and recording district. District
of Alnsku, has expended one hundred dollars,
in labor and improvements, on said placer
mining claim during each of the years end
ing Dec. 31, 1901. 1902,1903and 1904, as required
by the laws of the United States to hold the
same, and that if within ninety days from
the date of service of this notice upon you
by publication—that is to say ninety days
after the 10th day of January, 1906—you fail,
neglect or refuse to contribute your propor
tionate share of such expenditure, as co
owner, your interest will be forfeited to the
undersigned co-owner.
Date of first publication, Oct. 11, 1905.
Date of last publication. Jan. 11, 1906.
W. M. HAWKINS.
(inr vnil ont °f ,hos* people whov
Ant I UU seldom write home? \
They will know yon are all right if yon I
send them the YUKON VALLEY NEWS. I
Mail yours or let os send one weekly./
gran to that otherwise had been anil
must have been refused. It was alleged
he had a secret understanding with his
law partner of Portland, whereby he did
not apjiear to profit by the transactions.
Me was shown to have received certain
checks for services which he was not
permitted by the letter of the law to
perforin while holding the office of Uni
ted States senator, hut the amounts
were small, and Senator Mitchell stoutly
maintained that lie could not Is- held
guilty under this evidence, as he would
not have sold himself for any such sum.
Washington, Uec. 13.—The resignation
of Senator Mitchell as chairman of the
committee on inter-oceanic canals is
Icarnrd to have been in the hands of the
senate at the opening of the session and
liefore the death of the senator.
Washington, I Ve. Irt.—The chair of
Senator Mitchell was not draped nor
were resolutions of condolence (stased
upon his death. This ia the first time
In tin* history of the Upper house that
'in'll aetion* were not taken upon the
death of a nieiuher. The people of Ore
gon, friends and les alike, tm indignant
over such a deep rehttke.