The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-08-27
FRASER RIVER RUSH
Old Montanians Tell About the STAN
pede to That Country.
HELENA MAN TELLS OF HIS TRIP
Dangerous Journey Through the Can
yon-How the Whirlpool Was
Safely Passed.


ulinviting country, should have ii
talk with some of the old timers who
were carried away with the Frazer
river rush late in the sos and in the
early COS. There are number of
them in Montana. and from the ac-
counts of the hardships they endured
and the chances they took. no matter
how much money they made. There
are q number of the Frazer river stam-
peders in Montana. Among them is
]. J. Hall, who lives near jefferson
City, IN Jeff rson county, Mr.. Burt,
the shecpmau of Meagher county, and
John f. Stanford, the furniture dealer
in Helena. The latter has "a pretty
good memory, and though it is almost
forty years since he followed or led
the rush into the Frazer river country.
and he is a much older man and not so
active today as be was then, the hard
ships he endured are still wildly i'm
pressed on his mind. lie left Fari
bault. MINI. in July or August, 1898,
and tie following year he was in
Hudson Bay compauy's country i'll
the far northwest Canadian provinces
He was accompanied by two other
venturesome spirits. On the trip to
the Frazer the little party had many
narrow escapes. but their first thrill
ing experience was when they made
their trip down the Frazer river.
Talking of it recently Mr.. Sanford s
description recalled the recent stories
of the attempts to shoot the rapids i'll
the klondille, certainly the trip down
the KlOndike is not more than that
down the Frazer river.
"Our party started down the Frazer
river,' said Mr. Sanford. Gin an In
dian canoe. For many miles the river
runs through steep banks, rapid and
dangerous, but the most dangerous
part is what is known as the canyon,
the rocky walls rise up for several hun
dred feet, while the whirlpools and
sand bars in addition TO the swift cur
rent make the trip doubly dangerous.
One of our party just before we reached
the CANYON, left the boat, taking with
him our guns and ammunition He
was to 20 overland and keep the pow
der dry. We had scarcely got started
in the canyon before the boat was up
set. Ny partner landed on little
projection Oh the main shore, while
managed to stick on little island
with the boat. There was no chance
for ne to get to him, and none fol
him to get to me, because the water
was running too swift He shouted
that he would try to climb the steer
wall, and climb it he did, cutting as
he went places for his fingers and toes
to rest IN. 1 exected to see him fall
every minute, and as he climbed
made up my mind I would take my
chances with the river. Finally he
reached the top and threw down bill
Of tree to let me know he had reached
solid ground. l told him il he reached
the top to 20 down to the end of the
canyon and watch for the boat; thai
if did not get through the boat might
and that they would need it.
l waited for an hour and half, anf
all the time l was watching whirl
pool that was not twenty feet from me
and which | feared more than any
thing else.
l saw great trees, seventy-ive fee,
high, come down the river, with the
roots and tops on. The pool would
suck them in, and then suddenly dis
appear, leaving chasm fifty feet deeI
into which the tree would disappea
and I would not see it again. Aftel
watching the pool for long time
came to the conclusion that if l coult
get my boat on it just the moment j
was full and calm, and then get owe
the center of it before it began
to boil, l could make it. At favor
able moment l pushed the boat off, 90
into it and started. I had just 60
over the centre of the pool when i
commenced to boil, but l was ia
enough ont of it for the force to sen,
me along all right. Then the tri
began. 1t was three miles down tn
, canyon, and I made it, it seemed t.
,, me, in two minutes | laid fiat in tn
boat, which was half filled wit
, water. and went a-flying. rose u
once and looking ahead saw three hug
rocks right ahead in my path. B
some fortunate circumstance the boa
; barely touched the one closest to tn
shore, threw me into comparativel
still water, and in a minute was O
the land. l beat both of my partner