The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-13

When the treasure ship Portland. laden
| win geld and returning argoazuts, reach
| &c Seattle on her FIRST trip from ST. MI
eh2sA bringing the substantial evidence
| OF The unrIvs4eG richness Of the land Of
me midnight sun none paused in their
excited contemplation Of marvellous
| wealth 20 listen 10 the simple though pa
| heuc story Of = bronxed and griSziea
miner as he Bonded ever the PROSTATE
form OF his disesse-stsicGen partner. The
Partner" IS dead now. ard the miner
has gene 20 hts native land. The nurses
at the hospital only are EFT to tell the
story % = modern Damon and Pythias. or
OF David and Jonathan 81 the present
time.
To those who believe romance exists In
fiction only. and that mans love FOR man
was an Institution Of oldsn time. listen TO
the life story OF William Sim and Jehu
Anderson. Both were natives of Scotland.
sim having been born at Eigin. and Ander-
son On his fathers farm near Elgfn. The
two learned the carpenters trade to-
gether. serving as apprentices IN the same
shop. Eleven years ago Sim came 10
America. locating in Chicago a year
later Anderson followed HIM He spent
his FIRST year in ST. Paul. whence he went
TO Chicago and Joined his friend. The
comrades came together 10 Seattle. where
they arrived about two weeks after the
great FIRE. Then things doomed There
was plenty of building going on. and the
carpenters trade was = good one 10 fol-
low.
They Went to Alaska.
But the years rolled on and business
grew dun and times grew hard. Two
years ago last March there came quietly
irto Seattle the news that there were some
wonderful gold finds being made In Al
aska. Sim and Anderson heard the name
OF Birch creek. near Circle City, mention
ed with special favor by some Of their
friends, and they determined TO SO thither
and try their fortunes. Leaving Seattle
they made their way as far SIS Forty Mile.
In that neighborhood they prospected in
various directions but met with no sue
cess until year ago last spring, when on
Forty-MIle they struck pay dirt. Pa
tlently they toiled on TIL summer. averag-
ing from $50 TO so per day. Last fan the
Klondike excitement arose. Wonderful
stories were told along the bank OF Forty
Mile about the richness OF the klondike
dggings. There was a stampede. The
friends resolved 10 go. They got to the
new fields too late 10 locate. but in con-
nection with two companions bought
claim No s3 below discovery on Bonanza,
for which they paid the modest sum OK
800. It did not take long 70 discover that
this claim would not pan out according to
their expectations. and II was decided TO
return 10 their old claims on Forty-Miie.
struck Wealth and ui-henfth.
Upon reaching their claims new shaft
was sunk to bedrock. which yielded re-
turns that well nigh turned the heads OF
those sturdy Scotchmen. AS the claims
became richer the men worked harder.
not even leaving their work 10 take neces-
sary rest and repast, so intoxicated were
they with their mad desire 10 rob the
earth Of It's wealth. Hardships and ex-
posture I'm that northern CLINE lays its
hold upon the strongest. II laid It's hold
upon John Anderson in the fruiton OF
his fondest hopes after they had taken
about 500 600 out OF the claim Day by day
the brouzed face became paier, and little
by little the strong arm grew weaker. until
AZ last Il became evident 10 Sim that his
friend would surely die If he remained
there longer.
I'VE didn't know then" said sim, what
we know now, that he had Bright's dis
ease and was a doomed man. We did all
we could 20 minister 10 his comfort We
had DR. Chambers from Circle city. Then
we sent down to Dawson and got horse.
II was a tedious undertaking. We mount
ed Anderson on the horse, and one OF US
walked on each side all the way 10 steady
invalid.
Ionged for Ola Scotland.
His one wish during his sickness had
been to get back 20 OLD Scotland again
and see his parents. When / promised 10
take him back he broke down and cried.
The doctors at Dawson City told me his
ca Sc was absolutely hopeless, and that
would never get as far as st. Michael with
him simply told them / would take ths
chances
1--WE left Dawson city June 10 on the p.
3 weare Anderson was then getting
worse but was stih conscious His
strongest wish az THIS time seemed 10 he
that ne might be able to reach Seattle.
He believed that II he could once reach
tht. city he would be able TO rally enough
20 get back home again.
at Forty Mile the surgeon Of the
mounted police came 70 see Anderson and
his diagnosis was fully as unfavorable as
that Of the other physicians had been At
81. Michael again we had Or. Chase He
was lust as positive that the poor man
could not last long. Sun he stood tie
voyage down remarkably Well He grew
a little stronger after we had left 81. Mi
chaei and did very well, indeed, untn
about three DAYS before we reached Seat
tie we left 81 Michael on July and
reached here two weeks later on the first
trip of 10. Portland. I turned Anderson's
case over 20 DR.. wotherspoon. ana We
brough; him up to the hospital
sr'II Never Get Home Again"
For the two weeks before the end
came ne lay In a stupor. now and then
roussnr sufficiently 20 recognize me. or
some other old friend. al his bedside.
coretsTnes half incohersntiy he would I'M
agfus himself shoveling dirt at the mines
ana tell Of the good he would DO with nis
money when he reached his native home.
lie would call 10 ne Bin Bin. take me
homer IN tones pathetic enough 70 melt
ones heart Again when ia urge him 20
get stronger 80 that We would he able 20
get home. he'd say tespondentfyi BILL
I'll never get home again
The end came September ! last AMI
John Anderson was given q burial be-
sting A gentleman. Among the n1ournsrs
AZ the funeral were ell Of the dead min
era old-tfrne friends. prominent among
them careworn and eolcrisss. with head
bowed low was William Sim. the man
whose friendship had teen put 20 the
crucial test, the man who had forsaksn
riches and fortune In order 20 convey his
friend ara partner back 20 die with the
ola folks or the little farm In Scotland.
Anderson vas ~ years old ard unmsr-
red A they had nuggets In plenty all
The financial Affairs OF tire partners we're
ca refully arranged ans SIN started on a
tourney 20 spend the winter IN Scotland.
where re expects 20 rscupsrsie his health
ard return 80 his nine in the eprf~x Be-
fore ne left a company was organized for
re further development of the claim with