The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-01
Everybody Laughed at This Nan,
But Success Came to Him.
GOT % A Doz. FOR HIS GOODS.
Charles Vest, 81 Psrtlana. Journeys
IN Dewssa VITA Ira Dos~n Eggs
Packed In Tin Cans-Had Then
stolen-Lest Them In the Yukon.
wslsh fer Over ss,0OO-Now Here.

Searly every man who has come our OF
Dawson during the pas; two months or
more has had something 20 say Of the
frozen egg man" They met him at
various points between the Caiik0ot sum
mi. and the Yukon river. trudging along
with one companion and four dogs pull
ing a cargo OF frozen eggs bound for the
KlondIke. Eggs at Dawson are worth
a dollar or more each and this high price
proved such an incentive 10 Portland
man that he resolved TO freeze lot Of
them and take them IN. The egg man
has been the source Of no little amuse-
neEt for the Kiondikers who have come
out. They have frequently laughed 1t
his fooihardy speculation and often pre-
dicted his failure. He has been q pro-
life land mark and one Of the stock ques-
ITEMS which Klondikers have asked each
other here has been where did you meet
the egg man.
The egg man n In Seattle. He has sold
his eggs and returned with "A sack which
many a kiondiker might well envy. His
name h Charles Vest.
Mr. Vest left Portland last October On
the steamer Elder. Before leaving he OBJ
tanned 1,7f3 dozen eggs. Tie broke ard
packed them In tin cans. holding one
gallon each, or six dozen. The cans
were sealed. frozen and put on Ice. They
weighed 2.Vz pounds in cold storage.
With one man TO help him and his dogs
Mr.. Vest hurried the eggs up to Sheep
camp and buried them in the snow lie
nut In -1Hlr "A Id 81.
over tho dogs backs. Each dog earried
twenty-eight pounds in this way. Once
over the summit the cans were piled on
sleds. pulled by the dogs and the journey
continued.
Several adventures befell Mr.. Vest and
HIS companion on the WY. On Deem
Der Il they stopped at cabin and bough.
supper and lodging They bought some
moccasins Of one OF their hosts. In the
morning one can OF the eggs. now becom-
iEg moro and more precious, was gone.
Mr. Vest had his suspicious but had no
evidence. He asked his host about the
missing can but got no satisfaction al
though his suspicious were confirmed.
There were others camping at the cabin
end from these two or three days later
Vest obtained ccrroborative evidence as
70 the guilt OF the suspect. The thief had
Rone towards the coast but Vest followed
him and took him before the police Con-
fronted with the evidence of his crime the
fellow confessed. The police decreed
tfat the man SHOULD be punished by Civ
shg up his outfit to the man he mad
wronged. This was done and Mr.. Vest
got SIS per dozen for the can OF eggs.
or ti.Ifo In all.
AT Thfrty-mile river an adventure OF a
different sort overlook the egg man. A
raft was built TO float down the river
Vest stayed on shore 10 line the raj, down
and his Companion was aboard the raft
The Ice at one place was not strong
enough 10 support MIR. Vests weight and
Ee was forced to let the line go. The
raft went spinning down the river at a
fearful rate. the anxious owner running
along shore 10 keep up with IL. Sudden
~ a rock trimmed with ice appeared IN
the track OF tho raft. In moment the
raft had Owed under the ice, the rider
had jumped for his life 10 the rock and
the cargo had spilled into the swift
stream. The stove and tent OF the mon
sank but tho sacks OF egg cans went
floating down stream.
II was bitter cold but the situation was
desperate. Vest did not ponder Ions. upon
what 10 do. He plunged into the straam
ard pulled out the sacks one at n time.
To do this he had 10 run along and into
tho stream for a mile and half His
clothes froze TO him but ne saved his
eggs, Then he went back 10 his COM
RAMON and threw out a rope and towad
him ashore. Three men who happened
20 he camping near by gave the two wet
men shelter untn they had dried and
warmed themselves.
Sixty-fvc miles further down Vest
reached the Big Salmon where Major
Walsh was camping. Major Walsh want
ed srrpiies and he bought Mr.. Vests eggs
NJ 81 per dozen. The eggs yielded Sslf
which. added 10 the sl.ii0 amounted 10
sssi as the total product OF Mr.. Vests
undertaking.