The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-16
A TYPICAL FRoNTIERsMAN.
The Varied Career OF John j. Healey,
the Alaska Trader.

John j. Healey. VINO is known all over
the United States as the foremost Alas
kan trader, Is at the Rainier-Grand,
where he viii remains for some two
weeks. Mr.. Healey has from an early
day been identified with the frontier. and
although he has grown gray In the SER
vice ne ~ still active and vigorous. Dur
ing his life he has undergone more start
King adventures and thrilling escapes than
are COMMONLY experienced by dozen
ordinary mortals. and true 20 the innate
rnodesty OF the hardy pioneer. ne looks
upon his PAST as matter OF course. Lest
evening Mr.. Healey was enjoying a quiet
time with Frank l.. Thayer and l.. u.
Sayres, of the New York Life Insurance
COMPANY. When asked 10 tell something
OF himself he excused himself. saying
he had already been written up too eX-
fensively and that anything in reference
to him would come more appropriately
from some one else. The following brief
sketch has been furnished ny a friend
who knew him In Montana long before the
DAYS OF the railroad.
''Alr Heaiey Is an old-tifne Nontanian
going 10 that territory In early days with
his wife and family and locating AT Fort
Benton. Ch0teau county. He was At
times a miner. trader. trappsr. deputy
United states marshal and for six years
sheriff Of Choteau county. Upon rettr-
sng from the sheriff's Office he conducted
the Benton Record. one OF the leading
journals OF the territory.
Newspaper life being too slow for a
man Of his energetic temperament. and
his wife dying. leaving him with a num-
he- Of children. he sold out all his inter
estS ard went into the Northwest Terri
tory 10 develop a copper mine, upon
which he sunk his all. leaving him az he
started in life with his two hare hands,
a rugged constitution and large family
OF children.
From Canada ne struck out boldly Cor
Alaska. once there with tts vast knowi-
edge of frontier lie. he soon dernonstTat-
ea MS ability 70 conduct a large and ex-
tended trading post, which soon brought
almost unlimited capitalize his I'D
Mr.. Healey has uouS % the vices 50
common 10 the frcntiersnen. He j. mar
rief sga!u 90 very estimsble lady. y 10
SHARES life ia Alaska wssn ham and ac-
companies him on his travels, whether y
SO ~, a parior car rolling across the con
ttreut. or on foot accompanied by a dog
slasgve across tire see fieids 81 Alaska.
4 might also add tlat Johnny fss We
atpvavs called fy.rn 81 Montana IS a man
positively without fear. At the tire he
was sheriff % C'boteag county Sc was A
terror 10 all evA-soers. tfe has been a.
.tva7w engaged ia more than ore battlr
with the indians. ard was captured AID
hefa hy tneTm upon one occas3cn for sew
e~aI savs untst fne military rescued rim
he Indians hci3fng him en- such ave -
rssry we're afraid - pgt h3ru % death bat
he vas somewhat SUI And sore from his
confinement
A Few days azo Mr.. Healey recesyed a
letter from a San Francisco lawyer. ASK
ing me vsfnutest detasls as &C his business
affairs IN AiaskA- What the answer wsll
a. s-st~ga ~ -
~ Nj Healey that Esla1 - had acquired
had been through h&ra knocks. ami the
road he Rad Travelled was open 10 any
one who chose 20 follow st.