FROM THE FAR NORTH. Thought perhaps some of the people back there might be interested to know about our trip from Pasadena, Cal., to Nome.

We left Long Beach, Cal., on the schooner Mary Dodge, July 16. Landed at Nome, Alaska, on Aug. 20, being on the water 34 days and out of sight of land nearly all that time and only saw a couple of vessels in the whole distance. We really seemed very much like being out of the world. There were 126 people on board; 8 horses, 20 sheep, 2 pigs, hay, grain, coal and provisions to last going and returning; also for the camps while at Nome.

Nome is a small mining town of about 3,000 inhabitants. It is very dirty looking and the buildings are mostly shacks with some good buildings, but not a great many. The Eskimo village is interesting, it is in the outskirts of the town. The one thing Nome can boast of is its dogs. There are hundreds of them and they certainly make things interesting at night with their noise. They do not bark like dogs at home, but make such unearthly noises, sounds about like children yelling, as near as anything I can compare it to.

The weather has been nice most of the time since we came. It is warm like early fall. Had one snow squall and several rains but they have not lasted long. Has frozen ice a few nights but it is warmer again now. We have seen ptarmigan and eaten them. They are also called arctic grouse, they change colors with the season, in winter being pure white. We have also seen a great many reindeer. They are also eaten, but as yet, we haven’t had any but expect to sample them some day. We saw a herd of about 500 one day and another day were within a couple of hundred yards of a few of them and took some pictures. They are pretty creatures and not very wild.

We expect to leave here about Oct. 10. Hope we will make better time than we did in coming up. We shall be glad to see California and the Crown city again. There is certainly a great contrast between California and Alaska. “California for mine.”

I may perhaps write you more at length about our trip and things in Alaska when we return home.

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THE MASONS ARE BUSY. The near completion of the beautiful Masonic Temple now being built in Altamont by Noah Lodge, and the near approach of the Fair, November 19, 20, 21 and 22, which will be the first public function held in edifice, makes matters relating thereto of more than passing notice.

The building committee have well performed their part as you will say when you attend the Fair as you will on the above dates and see more beauty and commodity of the building in all its parts.

The fair committee are now getting busy, in fact have been so for some time. Soliciting committees, both ladies and gentlemen, have been appointed for Altamont and nearby places and these are working to get together a fine lot of goods that will be on sale at the Fair.