Subject
Alaska -- Gold discoveries -- Fiction Books
Best books
James B. (James Beardsley) Hendryx
North
"North" by James B. Hendryx is a novel written in the early 20th century. Set in the Yukon during the first fever of the Klondike discoveries, it follows the legendary sourdough Burr MacShane, whose skill, generosity, and restless urge for new country shape a vivid portrait of frontier life. Around him gather miners, gamblers, and dance-hall girls in early Dawson, where hard work, risk, and rough fellowship define the camp. The story blends gold-rush stakes with frontier ethics as MacShane turns from certain riches toward the unknown “north.” The opening of the novel plunges into Dawson’s first winter after Bonanza and Gold Bottom, where men “burn in” frozen ground, then drift to town for Christmas. MacShane proves his claim’s richness with a pan worth over a hundred dollars, organizes a joyous, improvised children’s Christmas at the Golden North Saloon, and watches Horse Face Joe play an inspired night that ends in a fatal binge. Old Man Gordon—pious, stubborn, and poor—loses at cribbage, tries to wager his claim, and is refused; later, MacShane quietly returns the gold he won by salting Gordon’s shaft for the sake of Gordon’s wife and daughter. When Gordon washes a spectacular pan the next day and a stampede brews, Camillo Bill reveals the truth, averts chaos, and forms a working partnership on MacShane’s claims—just as MacShane slips out of Dawson, following his hunch farther into the dark, frigid North.
John A. Thompson
No stop-overs
"No stop-overs by John A. Thompson" is a short story originally published in the late 1920s. Set against the backdrop of an Alaskan gold rush, it is a work of adventure fiction focusing on the relentless railroad operations needed to supply booming mining camps. The narrative follows the trials of a railroad engineer and his fireman during a time when labor was scarce and the lure of gold was drawing men away from their regular work. At its core, the story deals with loyalty, perseverance, and the conflict between duty and personal ambition. The story centers on Sam Tebbetts, a small but feisty railroad engineer determined to both do his job and seek his fortune in gold, alongside his loyal and powerful fireman, Plapp. Despite repeated attempts by prospectors and railroad men alike to pull them off course, Sam and Plapp stick to their jobs, though Sam cannot resist stopping his train to prospect whenever he glimpses a glimmer of gold. This habit repeatedly gets them into trouble, culminating in a dramatic showdown with claim jumpers on their own gold claim. Fired for his unscheduled "stop-overs" but ultimately forgiven after his actions prevent a train collision, Sam is rewarded with another run and a paid vacation to work his claim. The story blends moments of humor, action, and heartfelt camaraderie, offering a lively snapshot of frontier life and the colorful characters who lived it.
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