Department of Interior, Office of the Board of Mineral Land Commissioners, Helena, Montana, Nov. 22, 1895: Troy "has charge of the Field Outfit of the United States Bureau of Mineral Land Commissioners in the Helena, Montana Land District ... from May until the end of November 1895" plus general letter of recommendation., 1895

Letters written by John B. Troy to his family in Spencer and Ithaca, N.Y. from Helena, Montana, Dawson City, Yukon Territory; and Skaguay, Alaska during the gold rush. His letters discuss a gold miner's life in the Klondike district and include descriptions of the gold mining process, harsh weather and working conditions, fluctuating wages, the high cost of living, medical care, gambling and lawlessness, and the difficulty of making a fortune. The collection also includes photographs, a picture book, photocopies of newspaper clippings, and several personal documents.