Letter 8/27/1897 Skagway Alaska
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Skagway Alaska
8/27/97
Mrs E. Barton
Mineola Mo
Dear Geo & Jo:-
I will try & give you an account of our trip. We left Seattle Wednesday the 18th inst at 10 oclock PM. Traveling all night reaching Victoria Canada 6 AM the 19 we walked over a part of the town I liked the town but dont like the confounded English. We left Victoria at 2:15 PM at 5 PM we are passing Gulf of Georgie then we pass out of U.S. teritory for 400 miles. 20th up at 5 AM and on deck viewing the grand scenary such that words cannot express 3 PM a fog the first and only we get in while on the trip can see plenty hanging below the mountain tops and continuous mountains with snow on, many little streams come down from the mountains the fall making the watter look like white rocks from a distance or frozen ice which is only spray. at 6 PM we are in the open sea I was playing checkers with a man the ship began to roll and bound forward I stood it for an hour & one half finely got so dizzy had to go to bed. Tom, Lee & Frank went to bed soon as reaching sea to keep from getting sick. we had our bunks nearly in the center of the ship and of course was in a good place not to get very sick. but there was a dozzen or more that fed the fish but we went through ok. To see the boat we were on you would not think that there would be any thing shake it but when in the open sea it was like a skif on the Missouri. Well it would rock so that you had to hold to something as you walked-freight on upper deck had to be tied down to keep from slipping and yet they said that it was a very calm sea. we had about 48 miles of that. 21st 6 AM up we passed several noted places. one was Dixons entrance. 22 6 AM up nice weather and on Alaska teritory (coast) 5:30 PM raining. 8:45 PM just passed an iceberg I seen several in the distance also several ice glaciers in the mountains where the ice is several hundred feet thick and never thaws out. 23 1AM arrive at Juneau it was raining. so did not go up to see the Treadwell mine (the largest Gold mine in the world.) we stop at Hains mission a place where the Catholics educate the Indians. at 8:30 PM we anchor at Skagway. Our goods are put on a scow and the evening of the 24th $100,000 dollars freight is beached the next morning it is high & dry caused by the tide going out. we get in to camp in good shape take a days rest. Tom& I go up the trail about 7 miles we saw two horses killed on the trail there was about 300 men at work on same they wont let any one go over same till it is fixed or for about 3 or 4 days. Lee and Tom went up 11 miles to day they say it is terrible bad quite a number of horses were found dead. dont see how we can get over this winter. All day long the trees are being chopped down in the New town which has all kinds of houses. There are a dozzen or more saloons here all kinds gambling houses. one Saloon called the Nuget has a lot of girls and a dance hall in front of the bar I was there for 5 minutes it was so disgusting I did not care to see any more. the toughest kind of women are there. There are about 2000 people here and about 6000 in all from the beach to the trail which is 4 miles distance. I am feeling fine can't get enough to eat weigh 155 but a part of that is my clothing. I have on one Leather coat corduroy lined on a reversable coat cost 6.00 a pair of blue overalls over my pants and a heavy over shirt (a silk pair of socks with one pair (you knit me) and a pair of mountain shoes no. 7 I got them one size to large but get a long very well. I got for myself as follows 1 fur robe $35.00 a dandy 2 pr mitts one pr lined with sheep skin with wool on the other line with wool one fur cap 2 suits heavy underware 2 overshirts 2 pr overalls 1 Leather coat 2 pr German socks, they are made for moccasins 1 rain coat 2 pr blankets 1 pr high gum boots 1 pr shoes 2 pr moccasins. I told the boys would write you that I had grown to wearing no 7 shoes. Frank or some of us are going to Deya tomorrow for mail. hope there will be one from my little girl for me as am very anxious to hear from you Address your next letter to Skagway instead of Deya. There are reports from Klondike stating that big strikes are being found on the Stewart river, where we intended to go. but as I said before dont see how we are going to get over this winter as the trail is in such a fix. Frank & I are going to Deya this morning to look at that trail will be out of camp several days. I have a silver 5$ piece I got in victoria which enclosed you will find same. Probibly you had better not change my address till you hear from me as this place (Skagway) has no office yet.
Now Georgie dont think hard of me for not writing often as it makes me feel bad to write. The other fellows write oftner than I but they dont have the care that I feel. This is all for this time as Frank is waiting for me to go so goodby for this time
From your boy
Everett