The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-03-01
NORTH YAKIMA 4 DEPOT
Opium SmuesIsrs Continue to Defy the
Authorities.
DOPE DISTRIBUTED FRox THIS POINT.
Brought Through sne siecan min.
Ing District In ID. c. and Packed
over q mounsain Trail 10 This
Ctty-Three Persons spotted.

About four weeks ago Ii was quietly dis
Guessed among few that persons residing
in this city, in company with two or thres
others who live In the lower part Of the
county, had been discovered 10 be In the
combination that is engaged In extern
sively smuggling opium from British Co
lumbia into this section and psrcelling Il
out to TRUSTEES" in this city for distribu.
ton throughout the interior. Enough 10.
formation was obtained to warrant the
belief that the chief headquarters was
located in North Yakima and chief oil
the ring was an old resident Of this city,
yet in business here. Other parties were
spotted" in the lower part OF the county,
but who are much OF the time In this
city. Voluntarily interested parties here
have kept a close watch on the move
ments OF these people and are confiden,
that they are operating in conjunction
with the Puget Sound ring which lately
established its headquarters here. Ia.
coma and Seattle papers Of Tuesday ex.
posed the plan briefly and the published
warning may have the effect to circum.
vent the purpose Of those in this city who
were secretly planning to make seizure.
Following is their report;
1.-THE opium smuggling ring on ruge,
Sound is not yet broken up. II is even
more active right now than 1t has been
for many months. Hundreds Of pounds
Of the drug are being struggled across the
line every week. shipped to North Yak.
ina. and there distributed. Some OF the
smuggled opium is brought by way Of
Nelson, b. c., carried by pack mules
across the boundary and sent from con-
venient points to the general headquarters
at North Yakima. That city was only re-
Gently chosen as the center OF operations,
as means Of aiding tie ring to avoid
suspicion.
THE opium that comes through Pugei
Sound is brought over at night from Vic
toria in sloops which run under the guise
Of fishing vessels. They land their goods
chiefly at New Whatcom, Fairhaven, An.
acortes and Port Blakely, aud always
under cover of darkness. At each Of
these points person regularly employed
about the wharf is in with the ring and
gets share OF the profits. He helps IL
repack the opium and sees that 1t gets of
in trunks or furniture boxes.
"Once at North Yakima the opium !,
seat to trusted dealers throughout the
northwest. 1t goes as canned fruit, a,
hooks, as hardware or tinware. or In any
other form that will best conceal the true
contents.
at is reported on good authority thai
at least FIVE sloops are running CONSTANT,
between Victoria and Sound points, al
engaged in the opium smuggling trade.
This information comes directly from
a person who knows many members o.
the ring. who had its plans unfUlded tc
him. and was repeatedly entrested I,
enter the combine, az he would have been
8 valuable assistant. The operations Of
the ring, says this man, extend to Port.
land and San Francisco, where some Of
its most prominent members are respected
citizens. The informant would not allow
his narle to be used, saying that some Of
the men engaged in the business would
not hesitate to take his life II they knew
he had given away their plans"