The letters range in date from February 1898 to December 1899; almost all are addressed to Caroline Delaney in Utah. Though irregularly spaced—Delaney was often far from any postal service—they provide a full account of his experiences, as well as broader commentary on mining, the human hardships of the gold fields, and the cruel economy that left most prospectors busted. Many were written from Fort Wrangell, Alaska, where Delaney wintered in 1898-99. In addition to the narrative provided by the letters to his wife, Delaney wrote a 16-page epistolary account of his experiences during 1899, to a prospective business associate.