Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-24
THEY SUED FIRST.
Worcester Klondikers Brought
Suit as Well as Steamboat Co.
CHARGE coUNTERcHARGE
Some Interesting Statements
From Seattle Payer.
Worcester Friends of the Northwest Min
ing and Trading Co. Start Board of
lnqury-LocaI Relatives Surprised.
CHARGE & coUNTERcHARGE


by the Pacific Steam Whaling Company
of San Francisco, for alleged breaking
of contract, created a sensation among
the many Worcester friends and ad-
mirers of the members. To none more
than to James Wilkinson, son of Presi-
dent Charles Wilkinson of the company
did the news come as a surprise. During
the week, Mr.. Wilkinson had received
letters from his father to the effect that
full plans were made for the voyage
from Seattle, and the last letter, in par
ticular, was to the effect that they
were ready to sail. The only change
In the plans so far as had been init
mated to Mr.. Wilkinson, was the deci-
sion to go temporarily to Disenchant-
ment Bay owing TO the probable late
ness of the season in the opening of the
Copper river for travel.
Wednesday evening Mr.. Wilkinson
stated that he had private information,
the authority for which could not be
questioned, to the effect that the Wor-
cester and Northwestern Mining and
Trading Company had not been at
tached, but that if any suit had been
brought, it was against the sailing
company instead. According to his
statement, as learned from letters from
Seattle on a certain date early in the
present month; but that when the party
arrived there, the vessel had not put
In an appearance in the harbor, and of
course they could not sail until it land
ed at the wharf
This is the claim of some Of the Wor-
cester men, while that of the steamship
company's agent, according to the
terms of a dispatch received by Ticket
Agent ]. f. Healy, is that before the
party reached Seattle they wired ahead
that they could not possibly get
through over the Northern Pacific until
Feb. 11th, and that word was theh sent
that the boat would not sail until the
18th inst. Further, that when the party
did reach Seattle they refused to sail
on the Alliance. The agent offered to
try and dispose of the berths, which had
been reserved for them; but, as the time
was short and he had but little time
in which to make known the failure of
the Worcester men to take the berths
the boat sailed with SO berths empty.
Mr.. Wilkinson hesitates to accept the
dispatch, as he has yet received no
word from his father that the outfits
have been attached, and he feels that if
such an incident had occurred he or
other members of the family would have
been notified Ticket Agent j. f. Healy
who made the arrangements for the
overland trip to Seattle for the COM
pany, was seen by a Spy man Wednes-
day evening, and in talking OF the mat
ter, said that he did not understand it.
The question seemed to him to have
several sides, and was much entangled
with doubts and reports. He himself had
received no word that the Worcester
company had met with misfortune, and,
according to the last dispatches sent
him by members of the company, all
plans were complete, and everything
seemed to augur a successful trip to
Alaska. Mr.. Healy stated that he had
Just received a letter from the Pacific
Steam Whaling Company through their
agent at Seattle, which stated that after
the failure of the Worcester men to take
the boat Through fault of their own or
through the fault of the steamship com
pany), there had been a satisfactory ad-
justment, and that the deposita of $25 a
man which had been made by the Wor-
eester people before leaving this city had
been refunded.
Mr.. Healy remarked further that he
himself had not represented the Pacific
Steam Whaling Company, but that as
matter of personal accommodation to
the WorceSterites who had come to him
and told him that they had made no for
NAL arrangements for the ocean voyage,
he made the arrangements; the price of
the passage being $40 and the company
stipulating that $35 should be paid by
each member in advance. Mr.. Healy said
that a protest was made against this
sum, as the company, without levying
an extra assessment, had enough to
make am average payment of $25 per
man. He succeeded in inducing the com
panys agent to reduce the deposit of $35
by $40, making an everage of S25 as de-
sired. In doing this Mr. Healy stated
that he assumed no responsibility what
ever.
Illustrating another phase of this
question: the following item presents a
different side of the troubles of the COM
pany, with side light upon the troubles
of the steamship company itself:
''The Worcester and Northwestern
Mining and Trading Association, Of
Alaska, yesterday filed suit against the
Pacific Steam Whaling Company, for
the return of $1o25 paid to reserve pass
age to COPIED river on the steamer Al
lance. The complaint alleges that on
Jan. 2S, an agreement was made with
Andrew Chilberg, agent of the COM
pany. to transport the 40 members of
the association to Copper river on the
steamer Alliance. They were to sail on
Feb. TO- The price agreed on was $287O
and $1025 was paid to bind the parties.
The Alliance came into port before Feb.
10 and was sent away again, although it
steamer could not return by Feb. 10.
The complaint alleges that the demand
of the plaintiffs for the return of the
money was refused. Accordingly, they
brought suit"
The above is from the Seattle Post
Intelligencer of Feb. II.
Speakfng of the Worcester party and
their reception in Seattle, the Seattle
Post-InteHigencer, under the date of
Thursday. Feb H. has something to say
about the Worcester Klondikers which
will be of interest to Worcester peo-
Pile:
The largest single party in the Blake
ley expedition is from Worcester, Mass.
It consists of 43 men, led by Capt. G.
a. wilkinson, veteran of the war of
the rebellion. and man who has seen
much of life on the frontier in British
Columbia.
THE Worcester party of 43 men was
organized six months ago and includes
representatives of many professions and
business pursuits. lt IS incorporated
under the title of the Worcester and
Northwestern Mining. and Trading Co.
Cant wilkinson is president of the
company and the leader of the party.
He is wealthy candy manufacturer
and merchant of Worcester. To Post
Intelligencer reporter he said yesterday:
eve determined when we organized
the Worcester party not TO go to the
Klondike, but to try our fortunes in
American territory. We were booked
to sail for the mouth of the Copper
river on the steamer Alliance, but ow-
ing to the delay in the arrival of that
vessel, we Cancelled our reservations
for passage and chartered the brigan-
tine Blakeley
ut was after we had examined the re-
mort of Lieut.. Allen, who explored
the Copper river country, and other Off