The following is a very interesting letter about the Franklin Garage.
Included is a gem of information about the Brady brothers.
Also, a sample is shown of the garage’s old cheques.
A big thank you to Gerald T. Ahnert for this.
His letter follows:
Jim:
Saw your article in the paper on Franklin’s Garage.
Years ago, it was bulldozed and much went to the Dawson dump. I got to the dump (it was raining) and managed to gather up 400 cheques.
They are identical in format to those from 1898.
I got them and realized many were from 1945-’53.
I am sending them along as they will tell you the names of some who worked there during that time. Also, it is interesting to note that since these are monthly cheques that it appears they worked for $1 to $1.50 an hour.
Also, I’m including a cheque for an auto licence in 1946.
The auto in the photo looks like it is from 1936-’41 and might even be for that vehicle.
I have always been a big fan of yours as you took an interest in the Brady brothers.
I have mined on the Right Fork for about 30 years and, as you know, this was the area they mined.
Over the years, I have restored Pete Brady’s cabin since it is the last original cabin on the Right Fork.
It was ready to fall down, but is now very usable.
A good friend from France, who is a writer and Klondike romantic, sometimes uses it.
I copied some photos of yours of Brady and have them hung on the walls of his old cabin.
They say that no one ever completely dies, as a little of them stays with us.
Pete Brady is still on the Right Fork of Hunker Creek.
If you are ever up this way, I would very much like to show you his old cabin. He certainly was a colourful character and I can see that a little of him still lives through you.
Gerald Ahnert
Dawson