LETOURNEAU, LORENZO
Lorenzo Létourneau was originally from Saint-Constant-de-Napierville, in Qebec. This 31-year-old man left for the Yukon on January 9, 1898. He went by way of Chicago and Seattle, US, before getting on a steamboat in Victoria, BC, to Wrangle, Alaska accompanied by a friend from his village, Domina de Montigny. They then took the road to Stikine and they travelled together up to Teslin where each took a different direction. Létourneau then went to Glenora, BC, where he worked for one month in the construction of a railroad. Then he attempted to become a seeker for gold in Atlin, BC, with a friend named Brodeur. There he was not successful. Létourneau then left for Dawson City where he arrived on July 8, 1899.
In 1899 and in 1900, he worked for Narcisse Picotte on the mining concession no. 17 Eldorado with about 30 men from his native region and his friend Domina DeMontigny was amongst them. In June 1900 he demarcated a mining concession, Lorendyke, along the Indian River. From July on, he worked on the no. 14 Eldorado which belonged to Narcisse Picotte and he was named Emile Picotte’s representative on a mining concession on Bonanza Creek which belonged to Picotte. Lorenzo Létourneau did the accounting for these owners and also prepared the pay-cheques for their employees. In February 1901, he demarcated another mining concession, this time on Dominion Creek, then in December two more on Duncan Creek and Parent Creek. In July 1902, he sold all his properties and goods and returned to his native region and became an accountant for different enterprises. “I will not come out of the Klondike a rich man” he noted in his 425- page diary, “but as a true miner, poor but free.” His diary describes his four years in the Yukon.
Ref: Empreinte, vol.11, pages 37-38
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