The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-05
NEWS FROM EADIAK.
y. A. Gardner Trading-wreck OF the
Earle Good sea Otter season.

Kadiak, Alaska, Aug. 1a--Speclal.-Sev-
srai schooners outftted on Puget sound
and went prospecting Into Cooks inlet this
summer, and about 300 men were I'm that
vicinity. Two-thIrds OF them nj least viii
leave this fall Those with whom have
talked do not have any faith in the locality
ms a mining camp. Few have made more
than scant living during the season.
T.. A. Gardner who left Seattle about
July Is with "A schooner loaded with mer-
chandise. bound for Cooks Inlet. did not so
any further than Kadiak. where he landed
his cargo and is doing a little coast trad
Ing hsreahouts.
The hull OF the sealing schooner Walter
A. Earle. OF Victoria. which was wrecked
of ley cape. near Prince william sound.
about April II. when the entire crew and
hunters. about thirty persons. were lost.
and had drlfted into Afognak hay. over 800
miles during fourteen weeks, was towed 20
Wood Island by the North American Com
mercial Compauy's steamer Francis Cut
ting on July 81. as salvage.
Lying on its s'arhoard side. the hull was
almost completely submerged II required
the work OF MANY men two days 20 right
the vessel and explore its hold. The result
was the discovery Of eleven dead bodies
The United States commissioner AZ ka-
diak ex offlcio coroner. and the United
States deputy marshal arranged for an IN
quest. and the jury reported that the men
came - their death by drowning The
spectacle was a CHASTITY one. as the nartlv
dcnudca and decomposed corpses were laid
out on the deck for inspection, There was
only one man identified. and that was from
tho name John Waite, IN India ink on the
left arm. lie had the appcarance Of q half
breed Indian, while the others judging
from their distorted features, were South
eastern or Vancouver Indians. 4 week
later. as the tanks and ballast were hoing
removed. four more bodies. making fifteen
s. all taken auf hHrfaA Fe
s'lrmiscd that during the Easter storms
the crew. all being on duty. were sWsnt
from tho deck 81 the Earle and that the
hunters were below and maybe asleep. and
the boat vas overturned, flooding the hold
and shutting them in.
The vessels lochook gives the business
az thc dsv April ls. consequently the Earle
must have hccu capsized that night or next
morning. A. near as can 10 JUDGED the
kcd vessel was standing or within
s.eht ~ Mount 81. Elias. when the storm
% April l. struck her.
There were number OF scalsl<iae
aboard. but The exposure - salt water for
three months rendered them useless for
far or leather. The bull OF the ssel
seems - he in fair condition. and IS worth
probably SioN as it lies.
The catch OF sea offers has been. 7 era
told ~ ola hunters the hest known In the
Northwest for Years. The North American
Commercial Companv's schooner Seventy
StN came iuto Wood Island July IS wifh
thjrty-oRr sea otter skins. and tire Alex
Rnder arrived there August s with seventy
FOUR skins. The -NeNaudrr was rcdttef AZ
onre and sent out hunting again THE
Alaska Cor9tNv~-j3l CrmpanN-s Schooner
3. Paul reached Iattak August . v,.h
rftv-3Ve Eea ottcrs. She returned for a
few weeks hunt TIE leftte came in the
nth inst with twentv-four Sklrs. and tire
lydia sailed into Port on the 18Th with
eighty-siN otter skins Everybody - hirh-
" pleased with the summers returns
ka,iiak never had g court cf Justice srtr
last Aprli when thc United States govern.
usent appointed Aiphonso g. Edwards o.
Spokane. United States commissioner f,-
Alaska. resident here. There has hesr
saach a marked change ~ tho cornrruFs. ~
that every one notices ft- Heretofore ta,
manufacture or whisky. beer and other la-
foNtcauts had been prevalent and +he
s5sbt of drunken men and women. en- the
streets was common View q Is the ex,s,-
tlon We have fearless fudge. sss,Stas
~ the eeputy marsh 81. AID tAey have sfone
TIER duty ". = NJ