The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-05-07
FROM KLONDIKE.
Interesting Letter from Former
Well Known Caldwellite.

~ Oh0 HoI5ulpltl MaSl6F, OIncerb
and Brethren, Essence Lodge, No.
%, A. F. & A. N.
Dear Brethren; After a hard days
work-a day which will never be for
gotten-Iam sitting in ny tent to
write few lines to those / left behind.
What l have to write you is interest
ing to men, as we'll as masons. About I
3 o'clock yesterday afternoon one of
the most terrible and heartrending
catastrophes ever recorded took place |
here and was an eye witness 1t had |
rained and showed for four days and |
yesterday an avalanche came down.
"Chilkoot pass" and ightfortyrKlon
dikers are lying dead here in tent,
and sixty more are lying dead under
the snow. We worked since yesterday
to recover the bodies. We dug out %
today from under 20 to 80 feet of snow.
| helped dig out and carry in six men
myself. God only knows how many
more are buried there. The canyon
was full of people, and slowly and con
tinuosly men are coming up iHquiring
for lost partners.
The Yukon Tramway company lost
its entire crew of % men, and l have
, been helping dig them out today. A
continued line of hand sleds was com
ing from the pass, and on every one
was corpse taken from the snow,
! No Fo,yd r,,,r Z nivbt rNarov,lor
Morgan of Emporin, Kansas. The
masons made call, and in less than
no time 100 masons were assembled.
We elected a president and commit
tee Of five to take care Of all dead
masons, their valuables and effects.
Brother Morgan had 800, one gold
watch, one diamond ring and a Knight
Templars charm also travelling pass
from his lodge, asking all 5masons to
take care of him. The president made
call for funds and, brethren, right here
/ saw, as did the world, what masonry
is and means. Every one stepped for
ward and in less than five minutes there
was big sum of moLey piled in a
gunny sack. You conld see many a
tear on the weather beaten faces
gathered around. It was a touching
sight to see these masters of the square
obey the teachings received in their
home lodges. The impression made in
the gathered thrOng was profound. /
heard Que say: "If l live. to get home,
will become a mason" We have
found two masOns SO far. We will
. take them tomorrow, to Dyea to bury,
!. and from there we will inform their
= lodges and relatives. We had rough
cofins made, and on top is painted in
/, rude form the old emblem, square and
compass. AS emblems of mourning we
: used crepe, not of fne silk or of satin
but an old white handkerchief anC
the black sleeve of an old Overshirt.
Bretheru wish my pen were ready
t enough to give you line des
t criptiOn of what have seen and wen
Q through. Death reigns supreme here
: tonight Wherever you go you SCI
h bodies lying on sleds or in the snow
0 10 each body is attached little-t al
d telling you the name of the dead one
l. and his home address. There is one
}. Clark, from Idaho. "Who he is, dom
?, know. / will try and find out abOu
!. him. The sight is sickeniug. Al
strong, young men, cut down i'll thu
}. prime of life. l will never, never for
e get what have seen and went throug'
= since l left Caldwell, and, if God viii
t. | will be with you next winter. On
l. woman lost her life after being res
q cued twice the same day. Thousand
r. of tons of provisions, tents and outfit
are buried under the snow never to b
If found. One OK was found alive ant
I'd well, and within ten feet of him la
rs three young men dead. The paper
ye will give full descriptions, but l don
think paper in all the world cOul
Of give accurate details We found me
TO lying in all shapes and positions. w
III found three embraced-one with
rope. one with a saw and one with
IF shovel in his hand. Some were Der
Ot forward, some backward; Others WEI
by fiat on stomach One man, Mr.. Wilt
wood from Baker City, Ore. lay 9
peacefully as though asleep. lie W.
the only corpse that | saw that was ne
+, diaEgured. Same people are in dispal
d. They have lost every thing they mad O
= edFJH. SOIuG are T6JuIuLnS HoulO w u
a. states. An looked strange to me dir
70 ging after dead men. Mr.. Ralph Gov
~; den came IN, and was touched to Il
~ core. Gen l5men, tell you this W
al never be forgotten by any of US. wi
g. see those dead bodies as long as | liv
rs and say again, if God pleases, W
nd be home next winter. Hoping | ha'
h not taken up too much of your yaluab
time, l am,
at Yours most fraternally.
w. F. SCHNABE