|
In The News
The Daily Alaskan.
Skagway, Alaska.
Wednesday Morning, January 28, 1900.
Vol. III, No. 24.
Page 1.
ANOTHER MAN LOST ON THE YUKON TRAIL.
Lone Traveler a Victim of The Late Storm.
POLICE WATCHING ALL.
Everyone Passing Caribou Must Register - Authorities Believe Clayson Fell
Through the Ice.
Gus P. D'Amour, formerly stationed at Skagway as a member of the Northwest
Mounted Police, arrived yesterday enroute from Dawson to South Africa, and
reports that a man who was on the way out from Klondike was lost in a snow storm
Jan. 15 near McKay, and is supposed to have frozen to death. He also reports
that the police at Hootchikoo believe Clayson, Reife and Olson must have walked
over thin river ice unknowingly and gone through. The arrest of a man on a
charge of breaking into a cache at Selkirk, and the fact that hereafter all
travelers coming and going in the Yukon country by the upper route must register
with the police at Caribou.
Mr. D'Amour was last summer one of the most conspicuous characters of Skagway's
streets, being rendered specially attractive in full mounted police uniform,
including bright spurs and riding stick, which he always had with him. He was
fifteen and one half days coming from Dawson and ten and one-half hours actual
traveling time from Bennett to Skagway. Concerning matters in general as he
found them in the Interior, Mrs. D'Amour says:
"The police at Hootchikoo have searched all the country round about in that
vicinity, and have not found the slightest clue to the whereabouts of Messrs.
Clayson, Reife and Olsen. This is exceptional. In nearly every case here foul
crimes are committed some article of apparel or some thing that the attackers
had with them is dropped and later found and used as a clue. But in this case
there has been nothing of the kind. This fact has so impressed itself upon the
police at Hootchikoo that they have come to believe another theory as to the end
of the missing men, and that is that where they walked up the river the ice was
thin at places, and at some one point they all happened to be walking close
together, literally in a bunch, when they came upon one of the think places and
went through without warning and disappeared so quickly that they carried all
their packs and parcels with them into their unspeakable watery graves, and left
no more trace of their going than were they suddenly to be swallowed by a chasm
opening in the earth beneath their feet.
"It was December when they came over the trail. The ice was not hard then and it
was no doubt necessary for the regular travelers to shift the trail constantly
in order to avoid breaking down the texture of the ice so it would give way
beneath their weight. Even when I came over on my way out some days ago it was
necessary to take a fresh trail along the ice in order to avoid the danger of a
worn path.
"The wires along the road have not been cut. I have been along the line much of
the time this winter and have seen many of the wires that have parted. They were
reveled where they came apart. Had they been cut they would have been blunt at
the ends.
"In order to more easily trace the whereabouts of anyone that may become lost on
the trail, or in any way inquired for, the authorities have made it a rule that
all men passing Caribou bound in or out, must register their names and their
home addresses. I believe this is a wise provision. A similar practice was made
at Tagish during the Klondike rush of 1898.
"The unknown man last near McKay's was enroute to the outside with two other
men. They had gotten some distance this side of McKay's when the man now lost
recalled that he had left something of his at McKay's. He started back for it
alone, and the other men went on to Tantulus police post, eighteen miles from
McKay's, where they reported him. It was storming and ws very cold. Nothing has
since been heard from him and it is feared he succumbed to the cold.
"A man named Fortier has been arrested at Selkirk for breaking into a cache
along the river, and is held for trial. Instances in which travelers have helped
themselves to goods in caches all along the river are not few. It is best they
beware.
"I believe there is nothing in the report of a placer strike along the river
having been made and attracted Clayson, Reife and Olson, but I think that
probably the old prospects on Big Salmon will later prove good and quite an
attraction.
"The boys in the police force and the field force in the Yukon country would all
like to get away to go to Africa to fight the Boers but it is not possible for
them to do so.
"My time has expired and I am going to South Africa on my own expenses. I cannot
say that I shall enlist, but I shall be in the fighting country. I have been in
the army and the police service combined twenty years. On my way to Africa I
shall visit my old garrison at Victoria, my home, Montreal and the city of
Quebec. I shall leave Monday.
"When I left here last fall I went down the river in charge of a fleet of three
scows loaded with police provisions. We got as far as Selkirk when we were
blockaded by the ice. We got no farther with the scows, but I went on to Dawson
and remained there eighteen days. Then I secured my discharge and started for
the coast."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BIG REWARD OFFERED FOR F. H. CLAYSON.
Relatives Will Give $1000 for Him Dead or Alive.
DESCRIPTION OF MAN.
High Compliments for the Missing Skagwayan Come From His Old Home.
elatives of Fred H. Clayson, of Skagway, supposed to have been murdered on the
Dawson trail between Minto and Hootchinoo December 25, have just made an offer
of a reward of $1000 for his recovery dead or alive, information to be wired to
F. H. Clayson & Co., Skagway.
Posters announcing the offer have been printed for general distribution, and
bear in part the following description of the missing man:
"Description - Age 27 years; height 5 ft. 8 in.; eyes, grey-blue; hair, brown
and thin; weight, about 155 pounds.
"Peculiarities - Very long fingers, prominent knuckles, very long first toe,
scar on forearm and breast near nipple, upper front teeth wide apart. Was clean
shaven when last seen; had Columbian bicycle with search lamp; probably wore
bicycle pants."
The Evening Telegram, of Portland, Or., has the following to say regarding Mr.
Clayson:
"Fred H. Clayson is well known in Portland, and the news of his assassination
came as a heavy blow to his numerous friends and acquaintances in this city.
"For many years the murdered man was in business here and became very popular.
Previous to going to Alaska he was employed by Moyer & Co. When the Klondike
excitement was raging and the steamer George W. Elder started for Alaska on her
first trip, crowded with gold hunters, Fred Clayson and his brother -in-law, Dr.
Pohl,, were among the passengers. Business was exceptionally good with the
Clayson firm, and Fred was accredited with having accumulated $40,000.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING.
Skagway Newspaper Agent Taken Before Major Wood.
WAS PERMITTED TO GO.
R. E. West Attempted to Go Over the Red Line Road Without a Permit, and is Taken
into Custody.
R.. E. West, Alaskan agent for the Seattle Times and several other papers in the
states, was arrested several days ago by Northwest Mounted Police for attempting
to go over the Red Line Transportation company's road from Caribou to Close
Leigh without a permit from the contractor or paying for his freight. He was put
in jail and then taken to Tagish, the police headquarters for the district, and
given a hearing before Maj. Wood.
The Major reprimanded West and allowed him to go. West has returned to Skagway.
M. J. Heney, manager o the Red Line company, is in the city, and in regard to
the West case says:
"I sometimes extend compliments to friends and allow them to go over the grade
free. West wrote to me some time ago on the strength of a friendly understanding
with the Times, in whom I have a personal friend in its editor, and demanded of
me passes over my road and accommodations at my camps. I refused to be
responsive to a demand, and granted Mr. West nothing.
"When Mr. West reached Caribou he reported to my representative there that he
had permission from me to go over the road. Many others have made similar
representations there, and I have given positive orders that no one be allowed
to pass without a written permit from myself. He told my men there that he had
come to make a test case in the matter. The police warned him not to proceed,
but he defied them and started over the trail, when one of the corporals
arrested him and took him to Tagish.
"West was brought before Major Wood, where he said he had been informed that the
Red Line had no authority and that the police were only bluffing. He was
reprimanded and allowed to go as Major Wood thought he was only a 'stool pigeon'
for others.
"I have a perfect right to charge others for going over what is known as the
railroad cut-off road or grade between Caribou and Closeleigh. I can, if I
choose, keep all off the road, but I permit pedestrians, men with horse teams
and with dog teams and sleds to go over the road free. I also permit them to go
with their baggage free, but I do require that men taking sleds with single
horse to so arrange the animals as not to break down the ridge in the middle of
the road and make it impassible for double teams.
"I permit no one to haul freight over the road, but will take it in my own rigs
from Caribou to Closeleigh, or White Horse, for three and a half cents per
pound.
"The wagon road or sled road in question is one and the same as the railroad
grade. The company backing the railroad enterprise has a franchise or charter to
build, and there is o question as to who controls the right-of-way or is of
right entitled to its use. I, as contractor, own the grade until it is accepted
by the railroad. It is in every sense a private road. Should any harm come to
the road bed before it is accepted by the railroad company, it is my lookout to
see that it is in good condition before turned over to the railroad.
"The road around by Tagish is not in condition for travel. The new assistant
gold commissioner and the sheriff for the Yukon Territory attempted to get
around that way not long ago. They encountered a number of holes, and had to
turn back and go by the cut off.
"I not only keep the railroad grade open as a road but also keep Lake Bennett
open from Bennett to Caribou. Everyone travels the road between Caribou and
Bennett free, and I cannot help myself because that part of the route has been
used as a public road heretofore. But I must keep it open to get my own teams
through. Day before yesterday I started a snow plow from Bennett and one from
Caribou to open the road, and the public will get the benefit of the work.
"The Red Line is giving a passenger and freight service from Bennett to
Closeleigh and if wanted to Carmack's."
Mr. West feels much put out by the arrest. He says had they imposed a fine on
him he would have had a chance for appeal, but as it is he supposes he will have
to stand it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOTEL ARRIVALS.
Occidental - G. P. D'Amour, D. M. S. Bennett.
Mondamin - J. G. Larkin.
Spokane - Miss Kelly, E. G. Corwin, A. McKay.
Dewey - W. O. Reilly, H. E. Caswell.
Pacific - L. L. House, J. G. Morrison, A. Giles, Duncan Little, E. Helgrin, P.
E. Dagel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO LEAVE FOR BENNETT.
R. E. West, the newsdealer and agent for the Seattle Times, will leave for
Bennett with a dog team tomorrow, taking newspapers and magazines to supply his
customers in the Interior. Mr. West has just returned from a successful, though
hard and laborious, journey from Tagish. He started for Dawson but at Tagish he
made arrangements to forward his matter to the Klondike metropolis. Mr. West may
go to Atlin before he returns. He will at least send a man to that point.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW NAMES COME OUT.
Northern Pacific Attorneys Appear in the Dyea Work.
It is a significant fact that the articles of incorporation of the Dyea &
Chilkoot Railroad company were filed at Olympia,, Wash., by Crowley & Grosscup,
counsel for the Northern Pacific Railway. Crowley & Grossup have their offices
in the headquarters building of the general western offices of the Northern
Pacific, at Tacoma.
The principal place of the Dyea & Chilkoot road is specified at Tacoma. Thomas
B. Wallace, one of the incorporates of the company, is a brother to Hugh G.
Wallace, of the Washington & Alaska Steamship company, operating the steamer
City of Seattle to this port from the Sound, and which has its chief offices in
the Northern Pacific's headquarters building, the same building with the
attorneys who filed the aforementioned articles.
Among the chief stockholders and officers of the Washington & Alaska company is
Dodwell & Co., general agents of the Northern Pacific Steamship company, running
steamers between Tacoma and China and Japan. Dodwell & Co. were heavily
interested in the Dyea tramway, sold last July to the White Pass & Yukon
railroad. T. B. Wallace was manager of the tramway.
The capital stock of the company is $50,000 divided into 500 shares of the par
value of $100 each.
The trustees, who shall manage the company from April 1, 1900, are Michael King,
Thomas B. Wallace, and Norman McLean, and the principal place of business shall
be Tacoma.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Page 2.
LOSES ALL FINGERS.
Rescue Work Brings a Sad Affliction to Dan Ryan.
Dan Ryan, the section foreman from Fraser, who recently suffered severely frozen
hands will have to have all his fingers amputated at the base tomorrow. Dr.
Whiting, who is attending the sufferer, is waiting for the line of demarcation
for form between the health and unhealthy tissues.
It was through his humanity for man that Ryan will hereafter be required to
submit to the great inconvenience of life without those valuable appendages for
helping oneself.
It was reported at Fraser during the first extreme cold weather that someone had
been lost not far from there. Ryan went in search for the alleged missing one.
While out he himself became lost and was away for hours with nothing covering
his hands. When had at last found his way to the station his hands were so badly
frozen that in spite of all his friends there could do they could not be
restored to the normal condition.
Iowa was Mr. Ryan's home in the states. He is a single man.
Although h will have no hands the condition will not incapacitate him for
service as foreman on this railroad or in some other position in which it is
customary for railroads to place men who are injured seriously in their employ.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DR. MOORE ON SKAGWAY.
Dr. I. H. Moore, a prominent physician of Skagway, is visiting he family of his
friend, George W. Hazen, of Portland. The doctor has great faith in Skagway as
being the gateway of the richest, as well as the most permanent gold mining
region the world has ever known. He had been in the Interior, and says of the
Upper Yukon gold fields that "only the high places have been touched." Skagway
has a population of 4500 and is still growing. A $5000 club house was built
there lasts summer and a number of permanent structures are in course of
ejection. The climate he finds mild and equable, considering the latitude, and
he would as soon live in Skagway as anywhere so far as the winters are
concerned. -- Oregonian.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Page 4.
TWO BOYS ARE MISSING.
Parents in the East Inquiring for Wandering Sons.
Two boys from the states have disappeared in or from Skagway or vicinity and
solicitous friends have written here making anxious inquiries.
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Russell, of Corning, Iowa, have written to Judge Sehlbrede as
to the whereabouts of their son Allen. He is supposed to have left Skagway for
Dawson about September 28, 1899, since which he has not been heard from.. He is
a brother of Ed Russel of the Juneau Dispatch and his father formerly ran a
paper at Dyea. Young Russel is 17 years old.
Bertron C. Matthews is also missing. He has a mother in Salt Lake who thinks her
son came to Skagway from Juneau where he was singing in a theater.
H. O. Nell, of 245 West Fifth South street, Salt Lake City, writes to Judge
Sehlbrede for the mother and encloses a picture of the missing one. Matthews is
17 years old, has brown hair, blue eyes and a large scar on the right side of
the head just above the temple.
Judge Sehlbrede would be pleased to receive and forward any information anyone
may be able to furnish as to the present whereabouts of the missing men.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. J. Baker, of the Atlin Lumber and Mining company, arrived from Seattle where
he had gone on business.
M. F. Thompson, the Wright creek hydraulic miner, is in the city. Mr. Thompson
will go to Dawson shortly.
O. J. Laird, chief of customs inspectors afloat, with headquarters at Mary
Island, and formerly of Skagway, has been granted leave of absence for two
months on account of ill health. He is spending his vacation at his old home in
Portland.
The steamer Amur will arrive a week from tomorrow in place of the British
steamer Danube, which is to have her machinery overhauled and receive a new
propeller. She broke one blade from her wheel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Lamon Gordon was tendered a surprise party on Tuesday night at the M. E.
parsonage by several members of his congregation. By clever scheming, the doctor
was sent out on apparent business and upon his return home found the house
filled with guests. The occasion was the anniversary of his forty-ninth
birthday. Dr. Gordon received some handsome and useful birthday presents. The
involuntary host and hostess served the guests with appropriate refreshments.
Those present were: Mesdames Sengfelder, Luke, Short, Fife, I. H. Moore, B.
Moore, Royal and L. Gordon; Messrs. Royal, Auben and Luke and the Misses: Ethel
Luke, Helene Moore, Kathleen and Jessia Gordon.
~~~~~
Mrs. F. M. Woodruff entertained the Ladies' Aid Society and several friends of
the organization at her home Friday afternoon. Sewing was the chief occupation
of the hour. Light refreshments were served. Those present were Mesdames
Harrison, Sehlbrede, Henton Keller, Snyder, Hillery, Whiting,, Allen, King,
Peoples, Hooker, Green, Mrs. Will Green, M. H. Ford, Bailey, Heacock, Cortes
Ford, Pearce, Woodruff; Misses Case and Whiting, and the Rev. Mr. Harrison.
~~~~~
Mrs. F. H. Whiting gave a pleasant little entertainment at her home Wednesday
evening to members of her Bible class and a few other friends. She was assisted
by Miss Whiting. Games and refreshments were the order of the evening. Those
entertained were: Dr. and Mrs. Lamont Gordon, Mrs. Hitchcock, Mrs. Cortes Ford,
Miss Lewis, Miss Henton, Rev. Harrison, Messrs. Tichner, Zincan, Williams,
Johnson, Draper, Reid, Patterson, Kinney, King and Masters. Herbert and Robert
Whiting.
~~~~~
Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Cheney, who are Seattle guests at the Rainier-Grand hotel,
are expected to leave for Skagway as soon as the weather moderates. Mr. Cheney
has been absent from the city visiting relatives and friends at Boston and
touring the country for several months.
~~~~~
Mr. and Mrs. G. H. McHeaney entertained a few friends at a card party at their
residence at the corner of First avenue and Main street. Refreshments were
served and a delightful evening spent.
~~~~~
Dr. Esther C. Pohl, of Portland, who arrived during the week to visit her
mother, Mrs. Clayson, and her brothers, will return early this week to resume
her practice of medicine.
~~~~~
Mrs. J. P. Rogers and family and her sister, Miss Ella Brodie, arrived during
the week. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers will soon occupy their fine residence, being built
on Second avenue.
~~~~~
Charles S. DeSucca returned during the week from an extended visit of several
months to all principal ccities on the coast. He will soon leave over the ice
for Nome.
~~~~~
One of the principal society attractions scheduled to take place in the future
is the Company A ball, which will occur one week from tomorrow night.
~~~~~
F. H.. Vining, formerly a Skagway merchant, arrived Thursday from the south, and
will likely go to the Interior.
~~~~~
Mr. A. L. Berdoe and Mrs. I. W. Young, White Pass & Yukon railroad officials,
arrived Thursday from Seattle.
~~~~~
Postmaster W. B. Sampson left Monday or the states where he will sojourn
indefinitely in quest of better health.
~~~~~
Mrs. Thomas Luke will entertain the Ladies' and Pastor's Union Wednesday.
~~~~~
The Rev. Dr. J. J. Walter returned during the week from an extended trip East.
~~~~~
Dr. I. H. Moore returned during the week from a visit to Oregon and Washington.
~~~~~
Mr. Morton E. Stevens returned during the week from a visit to Seattle.
~~~~~
Mrs. S. M. Irwin left Thursday night for Seattle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FRATERNAL.
Mrs. Evans, who has been endeavoring to secure members for a proposed Ladies'
Auxiliary to the Skagway tent of Maccabees has met encouragement and already has
a number of names.
~~~~~
William Dick was initiated Wednesday night by the Maccabees.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
