The San Francisco call., 1896-10-01
Travels Over a Snow. Covered
Pass With His Twin Boys
on His Shoulders.
THEY ARE BUT TWO YEARS OLD.
How the First White Children Born
at Six.Mile Crossed the
Mountains.

WlluiI tue pOTueTS VI d ldHu OWHcu ny LIE
United States and yet farther away from
the center of their own country civillza-
tion than any other child or children, is
the distinction which will follow Joseph
and Bernard Day through life. They are
two-year-old twins, and arrived in this
city to-day on the steamer Willapa direct
from Alaska, and the place of their birth
is not the only thing remarkable thus far
in their lives, for with the aid of their
father they made. in order to reach Ju-
neau and make connections with the Will
lapa, trip of many days, coming from
the Yukon mining district and crossing
the grand but dangerous summit by the
Chilcat Pass. Others many years their
senoirs have attempted to make that
same trip and were never heard of again,
but the babes are alive and well, and
while they can't talk yet they hope to
some day be able to discuss the trip as it
comes TO them from the lips OF their
father, q. Day.
The story of their birth, of their re-
markable trip and other facts connected
with them is one that does not find its
way into print very often. U. Day is
miner. He is a big, fine-looking man and
for years before he decided to go to Alas
ka he worked in the silver mines of the
East. He was experienced in his busi-
ness and when he made trip to Alaska
four years ago and took a look at the coun-
try he made up his mind that he would
come back to the United States and get
his wife, bride of few months, and re-
turn to the land of gold. He came back
and his wife, who was at that time living
with some well.to-do relatives in suburb
of Minneapolis, Mimi, consented to re-
turn with him to Alaska. She was not
very strong, but had plenty of nerve, and
in the spring, with the aid of her hus-
band, she reached the Yukon mining dis
triet in safety.
Her coming was great event among
the miners. But one or two women had
aloof from the common miners. Mrs. Day
took an interest i'll them and endeavored
to bring happiness into their lives.
Just two years ago she gave birth to
twin boys. They were big and healthy,
had eyes that were black as coal and
cheeks as red as apples. The exact date of
their birth was October 13 1894, and the
place Sixty-Mile Creek. Never did the
coming of any one, not even of the hardy
men who carry the mail, create such a
fervor in the Yukon district. Miners who
came down to-day say that for three
months after the birth of the twins MIR.
and Mrs Day received presents from min
ers far away who heard of the new arriv-
ais. They were the first children ever
porn in the Yukon district, and they were
petted and caressed and humored as
though they were the children of some
great king.
On June 3, this wear, Mrs. Day, who had
not been well since the birth of the chill
dren, died, and there was general mourn
ing in camp.
Every body wondered what would become
of the twins. Day told his friends that in
the fall he would take Them to the United
States and place them with their mothers
relatives at Minneapolis. The miners
laughed at him and said that it would be
impossible for him to make the trip until
the babies were old enough to walk.
Two months ago Day decided to leave
the Yukon with his little ones. The
miners generally were of the opinion that
it would mean death for the children and
probably for the father if he undertook
the trip. Day was determined. He said
that to keep the children at Sixty Mile
would mean a life of ignorance and suffer-
ing. So early in July Day started for
Juneau with the prides of the Yukon.
Before his departure old and hardened
safety of the children. Day said that if
they died he would die with them
They were dressed in clothes of heavy
wooden cloth and, strange as it may SEEM
made the trip the greater part of the way
strapped on the shoulders of their father
He carried them similar to the way In
dian women pack their papooses about.
They were q great burden, when the
length of the trip is taken into considera-
ton and the further fact that Day had
pack of provisions and blankets to carry
with him. Day says that at times the
weather was very cold and when his
babies would not even cry he would think
that probably they were benumbed by the
cold. Then he would take peep at them
and they would either be laughing or
sleeping. Once he says they amused
themselves all day long playing with his
long hair.
When night came on and he was ready
to rest, Day would remove the children
from his back and they would sleep in his
arms
mot once did they ever SO much as
cry" says Day.
The trip across the summit of the Chill
cat Pass was the most severe of all, but
the little ones stood it all right, though
Day says they must have suffered some.
because he did himself. Several times, in
crossing the summit. Day, weak with the
long Trip anu tue heaVy Duruen, slpped,
and but for the precious ones on his back,
he says, he believes he would have given
up, sunk down and perished. Their COO
ing, he says, aroused him, and he would
struggle on.
Juneau was finally reached and safely;
there the babes were weighed and it was
found that they had grown fat during
their remarkable journey. They re-
mained there little while. and when the
Willapa arrived took passage on it for the
Sound.
In a day or two Day will leave with his
sons for Minneapolis, where they will be
placed with relatives and educated. old
miners say the trip will go down as the
most remarkable ever made from the