The herald., 1897-08-28

Choir Point gold mine, at Cooks inlet
Alaska, was the scene of miners riot
in July, according to news which has
just been received in thi scity. About
fifty men are At work there, employed by
Boston corporation, which owns the
mines, and in July the fund for the pay
ment OF the men ran short. The men
quit work and the company withheld
their food and supplies to force them
into submission. On the third day of
this treatment the men demanded their
usual rations, and when the food was
not given they shot at the foreman and
his assistant, seriously but not fatally
wounding both of them.
SEATTLE, Wash, Aug. 27.-Duncan
McKinnon, leading merchant of Fort
Wrangle, Alaska is in the city, and says
that there is strong likelihood that d
railroad will be pushed through from
Telegraph creek, at the head of navi-
cation on the Stickeen river, to Lake
Teslin. The Dunsmuirs of Victoria and
San Francisco and some English capital
lists are said to be behind the scheme
SEEKING NEW ROUTES
WASHINGTON, August 27.-The
Coast and Geodetc Survey has author
lied Augustus F. Rodgers, in charge OF
the bureaus of the San Francisco office,
to proceed with an assistant to the head
ofLynn canal, Alaska, and make a thor
ough survey of that part of the Klon-
dye route. Particular attention will be
given to the topography and photography
Of the Skaguay and Dyea localities
Rodgers will leave at once.
POLICE EXPLORERS
OTTAWA, Ont, August 27.-The Do
minion government has determined to
test the feasibility of reaching the Klon-
dyke by way of Edmonton and the Peace
river and practical trial of the proposed
route will be made at once under the di
rection of the Interior Department 1t
has been claimed for this route that it
affords the advantage of a continuous
stretch Of country available for horses
and could therefore be utilized by pack
trains. To ascertain the character Of
this route it has been decided by the
Minister of the Interior to dispatch a
small party of Northwest mounted po-
lice as soon as possible. They will move
north by way of the Peace river to the
Lair and thence by way of the Dease to
the Pelly, which joins the Yukon at Fort
but one hundred miles above the Stewart
river, where, according to present in
dica tions the bulk Of prospecting will be
done next year.
The proposed new route has been COW
cred by Mr.. Dawson by canoes from
Dawes lake by way OF the upper Laird
but the proposed land journey from Ed
monton by way of the Peace river is
projected through about four hundred
miles of absolutely unknown territory.
Should the police exploration party re-
port favorably upon this route it will
doubtless become the cattle trail of the
future. 1t may be impossible to make
the drive through in one season but
abundance of feed is reported along the
route as far as known so that the cattle
can be wintered at some point on the
way.
TURNED BACK
SAN FRANCISCO, August 27-R. H.
Kay, special correspondent of the Bulle-
| tin, writes from Skaguay, Alaska, to the
| effect that after making the trip over
the famous White Pass to Lake Bennett
for the purpose of testing it's reported
impractical bility he and party of four
returned to Skaguay and will now take
the Chilcoot Pass route to Klondyke,
owing to the wretched condition in which
they found the former trail.
THE PORTLAND'S CARGO
PORT TOWNSEND, August 27.-Tha
steamer Portland, due from st. Michaels,
has on board a murderer who was chased
by detectives half way around the world.
He is in irons and under constant watch
of two Pinkerton detectives. The pris-
oner, William Smith, was pursued over
the continent to Juneau, to Dyea and
across Chilcoot pass, over the lakes and
down the rivers to the gold fields of
Klondyke, where he was taken into Gus
tody.
Smith was a store-keeper in a town
near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, up to several
months ago. One night the store was
burned and in the ruins was found the
charred body of a man. Smiths rela-
tives claimed that he was burned to
death in the fire. His life was insured
for $35, 900 and a demand was made for
the money. An investigation led to the
belief that the body was not that of
Smith but that of watchman. Tbs
theory was a once advanced that Smith
had committed murder and burned his
store in the hope that the body would
be roasted beyond recognition and his
relatives obtain the insurance money
after he had disappeared. Pinkertor
men were put on the trail and after ona
of the longest chases on record, arrested
Smith at Dawson City on July 18th. He
was taken to st. Michaels to await the
sailing of the Portland.
IPANL[ NOJrAIy
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, August 81
Smith, the prisone on the steamer Port
land, is apparently Frank Novak store
keeper at Walford, who murdered Ed.
ward Murray and burned the body. No
vaks relatives claimed the body as No
walks. Insurance companies fought the
collection of the policies and placed de-
tective on the trail.
HANDY TO HAVE
CHICAGO. Aug. 27.-A rapid fire
Maxim gun for the protection of the gold
for the returning Klondikers was re-
ceived at Chicago. 1t was en- route for
Seattle, where it will be placed in posi-
ton on the steamer Portland. Fifty
rounds of ammunition accompanied the
gun. 1t will be placed in position on the
vessel where it can be used on possible
pirating vessel or sweep the decks of the
Portland in case of mutiny.
Hop Pickers Wanted