HAZELET'S JOURNAL A Riveting Alaska Gold Rush Saga: Travel Edition, Backpack Tested, Wifi Not Required

By George Cheever Hazelet

"This is no staid diary. There are forest fires, floods, gunplay, and many other death-defying episodes." ~ Reviewer, Mark McLaughlin

HAZELET'S JOURNAL is a true 1898 Gold Rush story that gives us insight into the character of those who went before us, a sense of passion

• Language: English
• Publisher: Old Stone Press
• Release date: Dec 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781938462603

Book preview

BOOK ONE

{FEBRUARY 17 - AUGUST 30, 1898}

"IN ALL THINGS IT SHALL TRY TO TELL THE TRUTH,

YET IT MAY NOT TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH.

IT SHALL NOT LIE, FOR THE WRITER HATES A LIE,

WHETHER TOLD, LIVED OR ACTED."

THE EPIGRAPHS FOUND AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH BOOK DIVISION AND HEAD OF EVERY CHAPTER ARE TAKEN FROM THROUGHOUT HAZELET’S JOURNAL

Harriet Potter Hazelet, 1898.

Courtesy of Hazelet-Clark families.

I

LEAVING HOME BEHIND

OH, THERE ARE THINGS IN THIS LIFE TOO SACRED TO SPEAK ABOUT, AND ONE IS THE LOVE OF A GOOD WIFE.

1898

FEB 17, 1898 Left home this day for Alaska, 4:35 PM. Have thought before that I had endured many hard things in this life, but never came across anything like parting from my family. I walked to school with my boys, to say goodbye out of sight of my wife. I can plainly see their little forms as they passed out of sight into the school house. The only thought that keeps me up is that I am going for the good of them and their darling mother.

And if the parting from my boys was hard, that from my wife was torture. I had known for days that it would be difficult but the sad look in those eyes I can never forget as she said, I know I shall never see you again. But she shall. I will come back to her and the boys, and prepare to take care of them as they deserve.

Oh, there are things in this life too sacred to speak about, and one is the love of a good wife. I left the house with dire forebodings, but somehow since the train has pulled out, I have gained confidence, and especially determination. Determination to go forward and make one great effort to place my family on the plane to which they belong.

I have taken a second class ticket and shall sit in chair car all night and for the next three nights, at least. I can’t write, my heart’s full.

FEB 18 Friday. Jack met me at Alliance with a large basket full of many good things to eat prepared by his sister-in-law, Mrs. Watkin. We rapidly left Nebraska and crossed into South Dakota.

Took breakfast at Edgemont, the town of the promoter Francis Gioblo who has lately created so much talk by a heavy failure. From Edgemont we pulled rapidly away through the foothills of the Black Hills spur, seeing nothing of particular interest except the Devil’s Tower which is, or seems to be, a lone rock standing many feet above the surrounding country, and looks at a distance as if it might have been built by hand of man. I think the country along the B&M from the time one leaves Alliance till after he reaches Fort Custer is the most dreary to look at of any I have ever seen, except it be the sand hills of Holt County, Nebraska.

About 10:00 AM we reached Newcastle, and at 2:00 PM Sheridan, Wyoming, both of which points produce a good deal of soft coal. 4:00 PM brought us to the Crow Agency and Custer Battlefield, white slabs mark the graves of each of the brave boys just where they fell. Fort Custer is now abandoned. These points are in southern Montana from which we reached Billings at 6:25 PM.

At Billings we took the Northern Pacific; train was two and a half hours late and running in two sections, we to take the second section. Well, we had thought that train crowded from Lincoln, Nebraska to Billings, but it was nothing to compare with the jam on this car. Don’t expect much sleep tonight. Train consists of 11 coaches, 2 baggage, 1 dog, 2 day coaches, 4 emigrant sleepers, 1 Pullman and 1 dining car. The dogs are 90 in number, and belong to 65 Klondikers or rather prospective Klondikers, not quite 1½ dogs to the man. This party comes from Wisconsin and Michigan, and is made up of men, women and children. The conductor tells me he has 145 bound for the Klondike on this section.

FEB 19 Well, I got more sleep last night than the nights before. Went in to one of the emigrant sleepers, pulled down a bunk, climbed up and lay down on the slats with nothing under me and my overcoat over me. If I had brought a quilt would have been wise. However, I slept most of the time till 3:00 AM, then got up and sat rest of night.

Could see nothing from Billings to Helena, but from Helena on, scenery grand. Bought breakfast in diner, cost $1.00 each. Scenery still beautiful. Passed Lake Pend Oreille which lies between high mountains close to Hope, Idaho. It is hard to see what keeps this country up unless it is that there is mining back in the mountains, we are now three hours behind time and in quite a good deal of snow. Lake Pend Oreille is 65 miles long and RR runs whole length, crossing several times. Timber has become much larger and the mountains higher. We are passing the Bitter Root Range and now the streams flow west joining the Columbia. This must be fine fishing country, also a delightful place to hunt in. Saw two deer drinking from one stream. Snow everywhere, but the day has been a good one on the eyes as the sun had not shone at all. Darkness is coming on fast and I’ll stop for today. Train awfully crowded, can hardly move round at all.

FEB 20 Crossed Columbia River in the night and when we woke were being pulled by three engines. Snow had increased in depth and it was hard pulling up the east side of the Cascade Range. All at once we plunged through a tunnel and over a mountain stream and we were across the mountains. The snow all gone and in its stead green grass and trees budding. From this time on had mud and rain, mud and rain everywhere. The old timers say it rains seven months in the year and I surely think it looks it. We passed many hop farms. Some indication that they are going out of the business as many fields seemed to be plowed up and sowed to wheat.

Great Northern Railroad locomotive in the Cascade Mountains.

Museum of History & Industry, Seattle, Washington. All Rights Reserved. c 1910. Photo: Asahel Curtis, 2002.3.3931.

II

OUTFITTING IN SEATTLE

I THINK I COULD GO FORWARD WITH A GOOD DEAL MORE HEART IF I COULD KNOW EACH DAY THAT THEY WERE ALL RIGHT, BUT SUCH CAN’T BE, SO SHUT YOUR EYES, FORWARD MARCH! INTO THE FUTURE, OLD MAN. YOU KNOW NOT WHERE.

1898

FEB 20 Arrived Seattle 10:30 AM in heavy rain. Went to New England Hotel and got room, $1.00 a day each, and sleep in same bed. Lots of people on street, everything wide open. Seattle is making the most out of Klondike rush. Many men in fun Klondike dress around town. Vessels being loaded, repaired and built. Not so much of a crowd as I expected to see, but still plenty here. Talked with one party who is taking horses to Skagway. Had secured passage on Lucille, but they went off without him. So he had to wait for another vessel, has been here two weeks. If it takes me that long will get the blues. We are going to look up Copper River route tomorrow. Jack has gone to bed and I’m awfully sleepy, so will not write any more tonight. Wrote H– this PM.

FEB 21 Well, we moved today, left the New England and came, I don’t know where, all I do know is that it costs us but $1.00 per week each. Too cheap to be much good, however it will do for a Klondiker. Have about decided to go to the Copper River and find we will have a hard time to get passage. Have been looking around all day. Two fellows who came in on the train with us are going to Copper River on a sailing vessel, don’t care for any of it in mine, both vessels that are going to sail are small and a sail this time of year is not to be desired. Big stories in from Copper River and but few people there yet, so we will stand a better show than where there are so many. The sights around Seattle are only to be witnessed once in a lifetime. I could enjoy it were it not for the anxiety for my family and the desire to be off and doing something for them.

FEB 22 Am catching an awful cold, but will be alright in the morning. Sold some chicory today and engaged passage on board the Excelsior. Expect to sail 25th or 26th of this month. Just happened to get hold of four fellows from Canada who wanted to sell their tickets and change their route, so we took them. Well, I feel so badly can’t write more today. Wrote Oldfield this AM and will write all of them tomorrow. No letters today. Am anxious to hear from H–.

FEB 23 First beautiful day I have seen since coming here. Purchased our outfit, or at least most of it today and now feel we are well on our way. The cost of outfit was less than we expected. Think prices here quite reasonable. Seattle merchants and hotel keepers are doing a big business. Our outfit is as follows, and we expect it to last Meals and I one year:

GROCERY LIST

Total cost $129.35, packing extra, not to exceed six dollars.

Consider this a good day’s work. Seattle is not trying to beat the poor devils that come here to outfit.

FEB 24 This has been a beast of a day. If I had to live in Washington think I’d move. However, the natives say it is lovely here in summer. Well it should be to make up for winter in this clime. Have caught cold every day since coming but one. Have taken a lot of quinine, drank camphor, whiskey, rubbed snuff and done all sorts of things but cannot keep from it. It seems to have gotten to be a habit.

We finished up making a few purchases today, got a few extra medicines, etc., magnetic equipment, pain killer and such, and now think we are ready for our ship to sail. Went out to see the largest sawmill in the world this PM, or at least it is said to be the largest. Belongs to Stimson, those of Sherwood fame. Did not get to see it in operation. Shut down for repair.

A nice letter from my dear ones today. How it brightens things up in this dreary grind! I think I could go forward with a good deal more heart if I could know each day that they were all right, but such can’t be, so shut your eyes, forward March! Into the future, old man. You know not where.

FEB 25 Expected Excelsior in today but did not come. Finished up buying what we think we need to carry us through, but can’t tell yet. Supposed we think of more tomorrow. Had a letter from my dear ones, all of which was thankfully rec’d. This has been quite an experience to a land man, never having seen much of the ocean and shipping. Everything is new and interesting. Agent tells us that our boat will surely be in tonight, 24 hours overdue. Must be in a storm.

FEB 26 Saturday and boat arrived at coaling dock at 12 M. Will not get away before 2 PM Sunday. Was introduced to the Purser of the boat by the Agent of the Company here. The Purser provided us with free berth, but having no blankets we got so cold that we could not stand it and went to the hotel to stay all night, fortunately we had reserved the bed that we were using and got some much needed rest. Left a call for 5 AM and went immediately to the wharf where vessel was soon berthed at freight wharf.

Andrew Jackson Meals c 1885, Courtesy of the Meals/William Harris families.

Steamer Excelsior leaving San Francisco for the Klondike, July 28, 1897. Excelsior was the first steamer to carry passengers to the Klondike Gold Rush including Valdez, Alaska, with a 350-passenger capacity and as much as 800 tons of