The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-14
TWO MEN DROWNED.
Disaster to Alaska Prospectors
in Taku River.
TWO OTHERS BARELY ESCAPE.
All Four Are From Washington-Rush
of Miners TO Cooks Inlet-Sen-
tence on Timmins.
TWO OTHERS BARELY ESCAPE

The Alaska news of June s. which was
brought down by the steamer Chilcat yes
terday. contains the news OF the drowning
OF two Washington prospectors in the
Taku. and a large budget OF other news.
Following is the account Of the drown
ing:
IS. J. Johnson, of whatcom, Leon L..
Milem. of Liberty. and G.. a. Ross, OF
Centralia, Wash returned TO Juneau
June 5 from up the Taku river in open
boats. bearing the news of the drowning
of two OF their companions In the Taku
river. The lost men were Cornelius Spoo.
OF Port Angeles. and John Whitmore. of
Liberty. Wash. both single and aged 80
and q years, respectively. The parties
left Juneau on the 18th and 9th of April,
and by hard polling and wading were en-
abled to ascend the Taku river seventy
Ave miles from the inlet, selecting the
right-hand fork at the division, They
We're in search OF bar which had been
worked by Whtmore's father in 1890, who
claimed to have found gravel that yielded
20 10 s. cents TO the pan. Leaving the boat
at the head of navigation. they left Spoo
at the camp. and, crossing IN boat 10 the
right bank II the fork. assembled the same
about thirty miles. On May 20 they re-
turned without having found the bar or
discovering pay dirt.
''Spoo started to ferry them over 10 camp
in canoe. but the swift current carried
him down to a series of rapids. and the
canoe filled and he was drowned They
went up the bank mile and built raft
to cross TO the camp and boats. The next
day Milem and Whitmore attempted the
passage. They could not manage the raft
and were swept down a mile below the
camp. Checking the raft in an eddy on
the left bank for a moment, they both
struck for the shore. Milem Just managed
to grab a bush and pull himself onto the
bank, but Whitmore was carried down by
the current and drowned. Milem then went
to the camp and brought Johnson and
Ross across the stream In one of the
boats. They searched for the bodies in
vain, and never saw a vestige of the raft
or canoe. The survivors broke camp and
descended the river. having narrow es-
capes from drowning. A brother of Spoo
lives in Minnesota and his mother in
Pennsylvania, while the father and sis
ter Of Whitmore reside at Liberty, Wash,
and brother in Colorado"
Fully 300 men passed through Juneau
for the gold discovery at the head OF
Cooks inlet, and upon the extensive bars
of the famous Copper river. Evidences
of galena ore have been found on the
creek. showing that the lodes carry sill
yer with the gold. The formation rock
as slate, granite and porphyry. and the
opinion prevails that the mineral belt of
the Yukon valley strikes the coast
through Cooks inlet.
News from Cooks inlet under date of
April Is corroborates previous reports
about placer gold strikes discovered in
Turn Again Arm last July. The richest
nugget taken out on Bear creek was
worth S3.75,
The building boom in Juneau Is assum-
ing large proportions and the many new
ssl3iy ota SnfS a rAafnrpCnHn n
pearance from the water front.
William Mclean. who sued the Alaska
Mexican Gold Mining Company for SIS. 600
for injuries received in March, 1891, by
the premature explosion of frozen giant
powder. lost his case before Judge Trultt
in the circuit court, the judge instructing
the jury that. If the company bought good
and safe powder, IL was not responsible
if the powder underwent changes on ac-
count OF climatic conditions.
John Tammins. found guilty OF assault
with a deadly weapon on Frank +. How
ard. was sentenced TO San Quentin peni-
tertiary by Judge Truitt.
Frank Bach was given judgment for
BIS as commission for selling an interest
In mine at Berner's bay. against c. w.
Young, the administrator of the estate
of Patrick Brady, deceased.
Miss Ella Riley. of Seattle, who went
up on the Topeka. was married 10 John
Mel ,ughlin. the clerk Of the Juneau
Trading Company's store, Saturday.
June !.
The governments public school closed for
the term Friday. May II. for the summer
vacation OF three months.
Coal I'm Juneau is worth s. ton
Miss Mabel Bridges came down on the
WiIlapa 10 visit friends in Seattle.
Max EndelTnan came down to Seattle TO
engage a comedy troupe for the Juneau
opera house.
The sloop Mayfower left for Rocky
mass Tuesday. June 4. with A cargo OF mer-
chandise for the new trading post located
by Ralph Levy.
Tho steamer Chehals. formerly OF Sc
attic. was last reported al Kayak island,
where she was under shelter from rag
ing storm,
The Yukon travel IL practically over for
this season and has fallen short by sew
eral hundreds OF The thousand persons who
were expected TO go over the Dyea route
this year. The reason for this is the re-
ports OF hardships Of the Journey which
were freely circulated below