Archives West Finding Aid

Written in album: Both of these pictures are of myself. While we were freighting the spring of 1935. When the snow is soft in the spring and the trails bad we have to use a gee pole to keep the sleds on the trail. "Snipper" the black and white lead dog [shown in foreground of item #1b.]

Written in album: Both of these pictures show Dad. Again we see "Snipper" the leader in the first team [shown in item #2a] Snip never fights."Tommy" leads the second team. He is a very good dog & seldom fights. Which is a good thing, for he's a killer. He has killed several very good dogs.

Written in album: The first [item #3a] shows Dad's team at rest. We killed all of these dogs but Tom & Jerry the two dark ones in front. Above [item #3b] shows me panning on Hearst Cr. 1934. If I remember rightly this particular pan showed 10c. And here at our left [item #3c] I'm prospecting on Grub Stake Cr. We spent about three weeks on this Cr. but couldn't find any pay 1934.

Written in album: (Hilton Wiedman) Seems rather disgusted at his prospect on Grub Stake Cr. year 1934 [item #4a]. Above Dad & our old leader (Monkey) [item #4b]. The best leader I've yet seen. We were compelled to kill him, Crippled up with old age. At camp on Hearst Cr. 1934. At left Hilton and a cache we built on Hearst Cr. Tin on the posts to prevent varmits from destroying the grub [item #4c].

Written in album: On Hearst Cr. 1934. An idea of mining by hand. Shovel the gravel into the boxes. The water washes it & carries it on through the boxes. The large rocks cleaned & piled out of the way. The gold being so heavy settles & lodges between. The riffle poles which naturally get filled in between with small stones making crevices for gold to lodge. At left [item # 5c] Myself, Louie Meyer, Hilton Wiedman & Henry Meyer.

Written in album: Top left [item #6a] we have Dad holding pan with about 1,450 worth of gold showing taken on Hearst Cr. 1934. Above [item #6b] Dad & Hilton with the old leader "Monkey". And at our left [item #6c] is Prince an intelligent little dog and a great worker. I wouldn't take a whole lot for him. He's mostly Police dog.

Written in album:Year 1935. Above [item #7a] shows one camp on Gold King. It's quite modern with running water in the kitchen during the summer. Below [item #7b] in the cut with 4 of the men I worked with. Left to R. Cris Sather, Darl Wiedman, Pete Oklinch, & Chas. [Charles] Freeman. Over Cris'es [sic] head we see one of the hydralic [sic] hoists used to move the rocks like the one shown.

Written in album: Above [item #8a] we have a picture taken at 2:30 in the morning. Showing a 4 in stream of water used to sweep the gravel into the boxes. Pressure to move 2 & 3 hundred lb. rocks at a distance of 200 ft or more. Lower [item #8b] we have a fair idea of the works. The sweeping jiant [sic] putting the gravel into boxes. Water carries it throught the boxes. Then the tailing jiant [sic] stacks it up. Keeping the drain clear.

Written in album: Showing the sweeping joint and a few of the rocks we handle daily. They don't look big but please notice size of man for comparison. Below [item #9b] Dad & a close up of tailing joint. We also see sweeping joint above reaching over nearly a hundred yards.

Written in album: Here we see both streams of water at work [item #10b]. Also a portion of the Gin Pole used to lift & swing rocks up & out of the cut. Next we have the sweeping joint at rest while we hoist & drag some of the large rocks out of the way so that the stream can work efficiently. Chris stands by the rock in the cut.

Written in album: Top left [item #11a] myself on sweeping joint. Notice deflecter rod I have hold of. By moving this rod the water swings the jiant [sic] to either side up or down thus directing the stream where you want it with very little effort on your part. Above [item #11b] showing the [sluice] boxes and the style of riffles used in hydralicing [sic]. Railroad iron. The lower end they are short & put cross wise in the boxes. At left [item #11c] Cleaning up. Notice rails taken out of boxes. We see Cris enjoying a refresing drink of Mt. water.

Written in album: Above at left [item #12a] we see the boxes in the process of cleaning up. We see Pete sweeping the boxes with a whisk broom. Above [item #12b] we have "Minck" dog showing glacier in Creek June 10th 1935. At left [item #12c] Myself & Mr. Freeman with mule packed just reday to leave to hunt moose for the camp for the coming year. We got 3 moose each while we were gone.

Written in album: Here we have two dog teams, while hauling in the moose this fall. We see Mr. Freeman on the sled behind. I'm taking pictures of course. We have Jerry as the loose dog at left of Charlie. A very good dog but when he gets loose its almost impossible to catch him. He is more sly than a wolf when it come to traps. We got him after three days of trying [item #13a]. Written on verso [item #13b]: a-2 Alaska 1943. Icle [sic] The water running through the sluice boxes washes the gravel & frees the gold which is caught in the riffles while the lighter material is carried out of the boxes by the water. (Sounds fishy? but that's the way it's done). Written on verso [item #13c]: a-3 Icle [sic] Carabo [sic] I killed Sept 17, 1934. Alaska. The head is resting on top of the shoulders. Under the head is the flesh of the neck showing. Always dress the animal as soon as I kill it. This is the next day after I had shot it. And that's the old 30:40 rifle the shoot anywhere but where you look.

Written on verso [item #14a]: a-4 "Icle" [sic] (YoursTruly) I believe I got about a nickle out of this pan of dirt. I'm picking out some some [sic] small rocks during the process of panning in the picture. "Art".Written on verso [item #14b]: Icle [sic] Does this look any more like me? Prospecting for gold on Grubstake Cr. in Alaska. August 1934. Didn't find very much either. Oh! Well such is life in the far north. "Art".Written on verso [item #14c]: Icle [sic] Myself & one of our dogs (Bob). The Grub cashe [sic] that Darl & I built on Hearst Cr. Notice tin around top pf posts to prevent mice etc from getting in. When grub is high & you haul it so far & you are where you can't get any more for 8 or 9 mo. You take care of it believe me.Written on verso [item #14d]: a-2 Icle [sic] Alaska 1934. Darl & I. Sluice boxes showing pole riffles. The gold settles as it is heavier. It lodges between the poles & rocks, gravel etc that collects between the poles. You first keep shoveling gravel into the boxes as long as you can get any close enough so you don't have to carry it.

Written in album: A corner of the saw mill on Gold King. Run by water Hydralic [sic] pressure [item #15a]. Old cabin on Discovery claim [item #15b]. Also ice in creek yet 10th of April. Gold King Cr. 1935. Alaska

Written in album: Dogs. "Mink" & "Bob" showing ditch line picked through glacier. Picture taken in June (Gold King) [item #16a]. Hearst Cr. 1934. Mr. Darl Weidman Mr. Henry Meyer Myself [and] Mr. Louis Meyer.

Written in album: Moose I killed last fall. Yeah that's me. [item #17a] Yes I know I look old. But then you know I'm really not young either. These moose in cashe [sic] waiting snow so they can be hauled in to camp.

Written in album: Darl Wiedman & moose killed on Rosevelt Cr. Fall 1934 [item #18a]. Moose killed on last fall. 1934.

Written on verso [item #19a]: "Icle" [sic] It's only a 1000 lb moose & quite harmless when this was taken. One Darl shot about 5 min after death. I got one about the same size a week earlier. The were fatter then, but this was a good piece of meat. "Art"Written on verso [item #19b]: Icle [sic] Moose about 5 min after I killed it. Over 700 lbs of good meat here after dressing. I was too far away to take picture before I shot it. How would you like to go moose hunting with me some time? Sorry but I didn't take any pictures of the sheep we killed.

Written in album: (Opposite page) Mt sheep I killed fall 1936 [item #23a]. Hunting cabin in Sheep hills. Used when sheep hunting [item #23b]. Picture taken at midnite [sic], snap shot, sort of a failure. The streak is stream of water from one of the jiants [item #23c]

Written in album: An idea of hay making in Alaska. Home made rakes for raking hay after being cut with sythe [sic]. Dad & Chris are the hay makers. Relay cabin & hunting camp. Hauling meat with the dogs last fall.