Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, March 3, 1898 Monday afternoon a large crowd gathered at the D.M. & K.C. depot to witness the departure of a party of Leon and Decatur County men who go to seek their fortune in the famous Klondyke country. The party consisted of W.S. CHANDLER, and JOHN JOHNSON, of Leon; GREER SPRINGER and CHARLES WOODARD, of Decatur; NEWTON SYLVESTER and LON BULLOCK, of Davis City; LEO RAMBO, of Center Township, left with the party but will stop at Kalispell, Montana, near where his brother resided. Tickets were purchased from Leon to Victoria, B.C. via the D.M. & K.C. and Great Northern Route. The party took with them four dogs, MR. CHANDLER securing MIKE KIRWIN's mastiff; JOE JOHNSON buying a Newfoundland from MR. OWENS, the north side clothier, the other two coming from Davis City. They will outfit at Victoria or Juneau and strike into the interior and go up to the Yukon basin, their destination being determined after they reach Alaska. No party ever left Leon with more friends to wish them success than the one which took the train Monday afternoon, and if well wishes has anything to do in securing them wealth, each one will return a millionaire. Agent THARP scored quite a victory in securing this party, for Klondyke business is well looked after by all the roads, there being great rivalry for passengers, and it is quite a feather in the cap of the D.M. & K.C. to get this party in competition with all other roads. Copied by Cordelia Suzann November 7, 2002

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, March 3l, l898 'An interesting Letter from H.D. Dekalb, a Former Resident of this County.' Big Piney, Wyoming, March l0, l898 EDITOR REPORTER: On August 26, l896, I left the classic banks of Long Creek for Western Wyoming. We of Decatur are situated here in one of the most beautiful and fertile valleys of Wyoming. We can raise barley, oats, wheat and the more hardy garden vegetables. Our elevation is 7,500 feet above sea level; we are surrounded on three sides with snow capped mountains. If in summer we get too hot, we have only to go out, sit down under the shade of a sage bush if we can find one big enough, and gaze on the snow capped summit of Fremont's peak and cool off. The scenery in these mountains is grand, many who have been here say it is finer than the Alps. The mountains are covered with hemlock, spruce and pine interespersed here and there by little open parks or dotted with lakes abounding with the rainbow and speckled trout. And what sport to hook one of them weighing about four pounds, and after a hard l5 minutes fight, after many darts and savage runs, and just as you reach out to land him, he gives one last desperate lunge, the line has parted and your first trout gone, but you have some consolation left, you can swear and your minister is none the wiser. You put on the extra line and try it once more, this time more successful; how proud you feel while handling this one standing on the bank of that sylvan lake, when lo and behold it gives a flounce and goes to join its fellows in some deep hole. This time the air smells of brimstone and you resolve to secure the next one. You soon have a strike then a royal battle, your rod and line are strained to the utmost, now you land him and carry him back from the water at least twenty feet lest he too should get away. For fully five minutes you admire him then into the creel he goes to be again taken out and prepared for the evening meal, and herein lays the joy of trout fishing. When you are seated on a stump for a chair, your knees for a table and a tin pan piled high with the finest fish, together with hot biscuits from the dutch oven, potatoes, coffee without cream and in a tin cup you can eat until everything has vanished and then sigh for more. Last fall a Mr. P. came out and we left for the mountains on an elk hunt. Our first experience was to upset in a creek the first night, getting everything wet. Next morning we feasted on trout and hot rolls as only found in camp, coffee, maple syrup with pears for dessert. After packing our wagon we were off again for the hills and that ride over the hills and down the canyon. Every now and then we could see game trails running up the canyon sides while antelopes were every where in sight. Will I ever forget that ride, the distant mountain peaks we passed seemed to stand out like sentinels in our way until a bend in the road hidden by some hill bid us welcome and on we sped. The gritty, firm surface of the road seemed to lend wings to our steeds as we sped down that beautiful canyon past fast running brooks and magnificent waterfalls, on we sped far out on the grassy plain past herds of cattle, through bunches of antelopes taking their morning meals, past rocky crevices and picturesque glens, shady nooks, mountain streams and shimmering lakes all filled with trout, on, on until we halted at our old camp of the year before. Midst nature's most inviting charms no band ever welcomed heroes home with sweeter music than did the birds as they bid us welcome that beautiful October evening. After supper we took our trusty rifles and went into the forest in search of the noble elk. Scarcely had we gone a hundred yards when we were halted by the most beautiful of sounds, the bugle of the monarch of the forest; it seemed not a greater distance than a fourth of a mile. Every few minutes we could hear it and by the sound we knew it was coming nearer, our sportsman blood was all of a tingle as patiently we awaited his coming. We had not long to wait when all at once the low undergrowth suddenly parted and there in a little opening stood the most beautiful creature of the mountains, his magnificent head of horns from the tips of which the sunlight seemed to fall and glint like the waters from an electric fountain, that head and neck so beautifully arched with its long flowing mane seemed to bid defiance to all of creation, the light, golden-hued body seemed as perfect as could be made; little did he dream of the danger he was then in. Twice my comrade's gun was leveled, once my own eye was hunting the sights but by a wave of the head he stood us off until not 50 yards away he raised his head, sniffed the air, gave one last bugle and turned to go when my companion raised his rifle, fired and the bull gave one mighty lunge and fell dead with a bullet through the lungs. He was a lovely animal, his head and horns now adorn my comrade's home while his hide is used for a rug in the same household. We secured three more on this hunt but none as fine as our first. I wish my many friends in old Decatur could enjoy one of our fall hunts here. We have here antelope, deer, elk, bear, coyote, grey wolf, wolverine, bob cat, lynx, mountain lion, goats, mountain sheep, moose and some few caribou, grouse, pine hens, sage chicken, geese, ducks, cranes and plenty of fine trout and white fish, no poisonous insects, no snakes (and St. Patrick never visited us either.) I am going to take up a ranch of 320 acres in the near future about 40 miles north of here on what is known as Beaver creek. This is the finest cattle country I ever saw, every one here is making money without a single exception. Wages are from $25 to $35 per month with board. We have only a few lunatics here and they all are goldbug republicans. --H.D. DEKALB. Copied by Nancee (McMurtrey) Siefert November 7, 2002

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, March 3l, l898 G.P. Arnold, of Garden Grove, Who is now in that Country, Writes Us a Very Interesting Letter this Week. Sheep Camp, Feb. 2l, l898: We are early birds but not the earliest, Alaskans are veracious, perhaps voracious at times. The Dyea Trail a sheet published at Tide Water says that there are l0,000 people camped on the trail between there and the summit; 3,000 is nearer the correct figure. It is a mostly gang nevertheless. The camp is l6 miles from Dyea and four miles from the Summit. Horses and sleds bring your traps to this point for 3/4 cents per pound, and the price from here to the Summit is 4 cents per pound. If you are husky you can pack your own stuff from here up. Nearly all pay for transportation this far and pack their own stuff further. It blows here, Barens or Chilkat keeps it boiling all the time. The thermometer registers l0 deg. to l5 deg. below and the peculiarity of the situation is that there is little variation night or day. Few are now going over on account of the severe weather. A number are packing on their backs to the Summit. A man straps to this back 75 or l00 lbs., covers his face with a mask of cloth, grasps an alpenstock, fastens ungainly creepers upon his feet and goes forward. It is no May Day proposition at best. Here at the camp the snow is five feet deep. There is plenty of wood, water, provisions and no suffering. There are a number of women in camp and they go about their work dressed in a modified Eskimo habit. Day before yesterday a man came from Lindeman to the Summit, intending to return, but the wind was so strong that he was compelled to come this way. Christie, an old timer from Wayne County, is here; he is going to try to put horses over for the Canadian police. He will employ blocks and tackle, swings and such things. This feat has never been performed. The Chilkoot and Dyea tramway is moving its slow length along and men are of various mind as to the time when the line shall be open for traffic. You can read in the truthful Sound Press that the company is now ready for business. All men are liars, especially men engaged in outfitting, living on the coast. If Sankey or John E. Vail could have struck Dyea last fall it would have been a great strike, $500 and $l,000 lots are common. There is no drinking here. In this tent town of 2,000 the publican complains of having sold but four drinks in one day. It is absolutely dangerous in this climate for any outside man to use alcohol. One is surprised at first sight of glacier ice; because of the ultra marine color of the stuff you recognize it at sight. Our party of five outfitted at Douglas Island and are well pleased with our choice. Every man here is possessed of a hand sled and many have dogs. There is one yoke of steers in camp besides a diminutive burro. Rustling for fire wood is the main occupation. This is the usual way, pack all your stuff including sleds to the Summit, then load sleds and go down grade to the lakes. Where our tent is pitched the surface of the snow lies even with the tent walls while there is an unknown depth below the tent floor. We cover the floor with aromatic spruce boughs, spread our blanket and are at home. Here is the proper dress for a man, or a woman for that matter. First a light suit of pure wool under clothing, over this a buckskin garment and over all a parka made of light cotton duck with hood attached, the hood and inside of sleeves protected with lynx fur. Overalls, blanket lined are better than mackinaw. The wool retains too much of the fine snow. I prefer felt boots covered with artics, many wear moccasins. The best known personage in Alaska is Switt Water William, Inaquin Miller and Captain Healy, pale in insignificance in his presence. Said William brushing with his handkerchief dramatically, a headlight diamond flashing upon his manly breast. "I cut you the cards for a thousand." I guess that Wrangel and Dyea are coming coast towns. When the weather moderates a bit we will attack the pass. We have in store our creepers, have made our masks and only lack our steel pointed sticks to complete the necessities of a storming party. If we go into the boat building business at Bennet, will advise you further. Newspapers are only a reminiscence here. Great is Alaska, her glaciers and canyons, her snows and nipping blasts. Many are coming but few will be chosen to mine a stake out of her eternal hills. Large will be one's store of experience at any rate. It is this law of compensation that keeps one moving. --G.P.A. Copied by Nancee (McMurtrey) Siefert

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