The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-26
A ADEATH-STR|CKEN ROUTE
Butte Mans Thrilling Escape on
the Edmonton Trail.
He Is A PHYSICAL WRECK
Gagnon's Partner Drowned in the Laird
Stories of Frightful Suffering Told
by Thirty-Two of the
Survivors.

| tie, Aug. 25.-The Stickeen river steamer
| Strathcona has arrived here with 80
| survivors of the Edmonton route Their
names follow: Il. Daucey, Ontario; w.
Thornton, Selkirk; A. McCulloch, Phil
adelphia; b. E. Palmer, Chicago; G.
Johnson, Chicago; A. Laroway, Can
ada; H. Aberhalden, Manitoba F. F.
| Andette, Wisconsin; d. S. Daley, Sell
kirk; N. Johnson, Winnipeg; j. 4.
Howell, Winnipeg; E. C. Butterfied, St.
| Louis; N. ID. Jackson, ontario; B. A.
Hoffner, Minnesota; G. Page, Detroit;
| William Barker, Akron, Ohio; G. Mac
Haffie, Canada; f. S Cole, A. Lathrop,
| w. Harris, Pelican Rapids, Mimi; D.
! Dunn Canada; c. Huson, Lansing,
| Mich; E. Godall, Canada; DR.. Dornhoff,
CINCINNATI; j. Ashton, London, Eng
land; c. Ashton, London, England; r..
Mansel, London. England; A. F. Be
| Isle, Ontario; r. Belisle, Ontario; J. B.
| Caldwell, Chicago: I. Gagnon, Butte
| Mont; A. Hutton. Chicago.
Many are suffering from scurvy and
frozen limbs, several are on crutches
and all are broken down physically and
financially
william Harris and A. Lathrop Of
Pelican Rapids Mimi, and r. Leary Of
Edgerton, Wis. three of a party of nine
that left Edmonton in April of last
year, suffered almost indescriba BILE hor-
rors, narrowly escaping starvation sew
eral times. They owe their lives to
the active relief parties sent out by the
Hudson Bay company at the orders Of
the Canadian government. Harris lost
| the toes off one foot and is on crutchas.
AS the toes We're chopped off. an ampu-
tation Will be necessary at once
Lathrop is a scurvy victim and was
brought in on a Stretcher from Deas
lake to GlenOra. G. Page of Ontario
walks with canes, another victim of
the dreaded scurvy, contracted six
months ago. William Barber of Akron
Ohio, member of the johnson party
from Philadelphia, is in a precarous
condition from scurvy.
Thomas Gagnon of Butte, Mont, tells
story of thrilling escapes from drown
ing and starvation. With two Compan-
lens and AZ horses he left Edmonton in
March of last year. Twenty of the
horses We're drowned about 80 miles
above Athabasca landing, where the
water route was abandoned for the land
trail by way of St Johns landing. Once
when they ran short of provisions a
horse was killed and the flesh eaten.
Late in December Fort Nelson was
reached and the horses numbered 81,
Jones, one of the party, remained there.
while Edward Barton and Gagnon
started for Lizard post in the dead of
winter, when the thermometer regis
tered 60 below. Their camp was pitched
wherever night overlook them. Gagnon
finally reached his destination last
April. Barton was drowned while at
tempting to cross the Lizard river on
raft. Gagnon is a physical wreck, hav-
ing fallen off in weight about 60
pounds.
G. MacHaffie of Ontario and Charles
johnson of Chicago, members of the
White mounted party from Chicago,
were once four days without food and
would have died had they not fallen in
with other miners on the trail 40 miles
below Lizard post. This party killed
and ate their sleigh dogs The rest of
this party, six in number are still in
the Cassiar region working on the rail-
road.
J. b. Caldwell, one of party of
three from Chicago, attempted the over
land route and reached the Pelly
banks after eight months on the trail
Frank Morgan and Fred Smith, part
ners OF Caldwell, are among those still
on the trail, afflicted with scurvy.
A man by the name of Jack Bolton
was accidentally shot last winter at
Burleigh portage, on the banks of Mud
dy river, 45 miles from Atln lake.
d. Dunn of Chicago, who is now bed
ridden with scurvy. tells a ptful tale
of the death of his partner, Kanute
Nelson. Dunn, Nelson and four others
ran out of provisions at Cranberry
Rapids camp last spring. These six
journeyed TO Lizard post to get supplies
Having no money, F. Edwards. in
charge Of the Hudson Bay post there.
refused them food unless security was
furnished. Their guns and ammunition
had been left at the abandoned camp
and an arrangement was made by
which Dunn and Nelson volunteered to
retrace their steps and secure the guns
as security. On the return trip when
they We're still 20 miles from Lizard post.
the snow softened so much that snow
shoes were abandoned. Nelson became
exhausted and almost demented from
hunger Dunn pushed on alone to
Lizard post and returned to assist Mel
son. only to find him dead. He had
been dead but few hours as the body
was not yet stiff.
Captain ]. A. Howell of Winnipeg
states that provisions We're scare and
high-priced at all the military posts
along the Muddy and Lizard rivers At
Lizard post, for instance, sugar was 90
cents per pound, lard go cents and -four
s2S per sack.
o. Perry of Minnesota and r. P. Van
Orden of Lisbon. n. D., are in from
the Telegraph creek trail from Ash
croft. B. c. There We're six in the party
which reached Glenora last spring
ahir having been on the trail for 1876
days. Telegraph trail is purely a map
tran, as these men found when about
100 miles out of Hazleton. Their horses,
Al in number, were drowned and when
Glenora was reached the men were !
starving, having eaten nothing for
three days. No game whatever WAS
seen en- route.
Most of the Edmonton trail sur |
vivors are without money, and in aC- !
cordance with instructions recently re-
ceived from Washington. those in need |
will be cared fer and transported to |
Seattle at once.
The steamer Strathclna will make /
another trip to Glenora shortly to .
bring down the 80 OF 40 stragglers that |,
are being brought in by the Hudson !
Bay company. Most of those left OH !!