(3:09 min.) (01 of 09) 1. Early life Les's father went north with the gold rush; when he found that the claims had all been staked, he and his partners opened up a paint and wallpaper store. Les moved to Fairbanks with his wife and eldest...
(3:36 min) (02 of 19) Young adult #1 Got a job CB& Q railroad working on a coal chute. Next, had to wipe the locomotives down. Went to help Uncle thresh grain. Went home to shuck corn and went north.
(3:36 min.) (09 of 28) 9. WWII in North Africa
George worked his way across North Africa. He describes air raids in Cairo, how Rommel was pushed back, how war was declared while he was on the ship to Africa. Bombers ferried across the...
(4:03 min) (03 of 19) Young adult #2 Traveled north. Shucked corn and by the end he was averaging 95 bushels a day. Went back home and got a job with his brother-in-law on a dairy farm. Took a class to become a railroad fireman. Train...
(4:08 min) (16 of 27) Haul Road
Road built to get supplies to oil fields up north. Word from Juneau said to go ahead and build from Livengood to Yukon River.
(4:15 min) (19 of 27) Haul Road -- Bettles
Once they made it to Bettles they had to refit equipment. There was too much wind north of Bettles, canvas was okay for a while but had to build with more substantial metal and wood. Snow ramps to...
(4:53 min.) (10 of 24) 10 Main job of the Steward was in the dining room and the cabins Steward had to deal with the people, had to do the ordering, had to balance all the overtime. On the "North Sea" had to print up the menus. Had to sit...
(5:11 min) (27 of 27) Final Comments
Winter road north from Eagle and Circle to the DEW line. Built by Alaska Freightline. LaTourneau trains, made for the desert, were not very successful here. Less paperwork makes for more fun in the...
(5:18 min) (17 of 27) Haul Road II
Bids to build from Yukon River north were too high so Juneau said go ahead and finish it. The crew got more equipment and people and fuel. The temperature dropped to -70 degrees. Juneau kept asking --...
(9:56 min.) (06 of 09)
River conditions
villages; Galena; Fairbanks; hauled horses; north slope; big wheels; Yukon River bridge; couldn't get passed rapids; pushed it over; Lyndon transport; rapids downstream; fast; Rampart; advertising; Bush...
May 9, 1903 THE FAIRBANKS MINER Fairbanks, Alaska 26 26.May 1903 Vol. 1. No. 1. James Wickersham Editor ORIGINAL of THE FAIRBANKS MINER Written by James Wickersham and typed by Geo. Jeffery at Fairbanks in May, 1903 & sold by Jeffery and Stevens...