Yellowknife, N. W. T.
April 11th, 1939.
Dear Mother:
Rumours said today that the last outgoing mail that could be guaranted would be tomorrow so I thought I had better get busy.
It has been very warm during the last few days and the snow is disappearing very quickly. The road up to the mine is getting very muddy already.
The Peace River tractor train arrived today. I didn’t see it but heard that there were three tractors, the first pushing a snowplow and pulling two sleighs and each of the others about four sleighs. I suppose it is two [sic] late for it to return all the way but there wouldn’t be much demand for more tractors in Yellowknife.
The final hockey game was played last night for the Howe Memorial Cup in the Negus Rink. The ice was in poor shape after the heat of the day particularly the blue lines which had become shallows [sic] ditches causing the game to be rather ragged but nevertheless exciting. It was won by our Con team 2 – 1 to nearly everyone’s approval I think as town had become rather cocky after their early season victories. Gray Arnold made the most spectacular goal when he carried the puck right thru the defense by himself to score. There was a terrific crowd at the game—at least 95% of the town population I should think which would mean several hundred.
After the game the players had group pictures taken at the recreation hall by Tudor and I and then about half the camp went over town to celebrate. This morning a wire came from the
General Supt. And the General Manager of Mines in Trail congratulating the champion hockey team of the Northwest Territories.
Gray Arnold went out with Page today for his holidays. I thnk Tudor had purposely kept him here until after the hockey series and it is lucky he did.
A terrific number of men are applying for work here and the supt. Got so tired of these perpetual interruptions he shoved this public relations job, as he calls it, on to me. All I have to do is take their name and a record of what work they do as we do not want to take on men at this time of year. In two days I have had 5 men from one small town in Alberta, none of whom had mining experience. I wonder where they got the idea to come up here.
Last week I went to town by dog team. After two winters here this is the first time I have tried this mode of travel and I found it very enjoyable to recline in the toboggan and watch the dogs do the work.
Bud Potter, who you will remember was to pick me up in McMurray has left the company and is now with McKenzies [sic] Airways. Ever since his ship, the Fox Moth had its sing damaged it has been in the hangars at Edmonton. Another pilot from Trail is supposed to bring the ship in before breakup as its floats are here but he will have to hurry if he is going to make it.
I have sold my skiis [sic] to one of our field men who has just quit. He has been in the country for several years without going out and he decided to take a holiday. His idea of a holiday is to ski accross [sic] the lake to the south shore with only a dog team for company and trap around Yoshi River until the beginning of June and then fly in again.
I am hoping the mail service will continue for a while yet but it seems unlikely. I intend to keep a diary or write a progressive letter this year until the end of break instead of trying to remember what happened until the end of the close period as I did last year.
With love to all of you
Tony.