The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-06-01
TALE or ALASKAN HARDSHIPS
A Returned Klondiker kaTates Some Of His
Experiences in the Frozen North


the city enroute to Paris, France. Ac-
cording to facts elected by herald
representative, he got experience with a
vengeance, having been taken sick last
winter on the Tanana river, nearly per-
ishing in the extreme temperature of "a
degrees below zero to which he was ex-
posed four days and four nights until a
party of Indians fell in with him and
conveyed him to Eagle City. From there
he journeyed to Dawson, where he lay
in the Catholic hospital for five months.
His life was eventually saved by dan.
gerous operation to the spinal column.
Mr. Johnson speaks IN the highest terms
of the treatment afforded patients in the
hospital by the officers and nurses. as
well az of the skill and consideration
shown both the INDECENT and paying pa.
tients by the members of the medical
fraternity.
What was your principal occupation
in the frozen mort, Mr.. Johnson" the
interviewer asked.
When went up there entered the
employ of the N. A. T. Co. and was at
their station at st. Michael . few months.
after trip up the river to Dawson,
where | met my old friend T. 5. Humes,
whose father is now mayor Of Seattle. |
decided to throw up my situation. We
procured through Mr.. Annibal, who was
the L. S. travelling postoffice inspector of
Alaska. the mail carrying contract from
Skagway to the headwaters of Tanana.
After securing a team of the finest Maria
moots to be bought in the Yukon valley.
we started for the Key City of Alaska
Skagway, which was at that time only a
faint promise of what she has since
bossomed into-the liveliest, most pic.
turesque and intensely interesting CITY
in the territory
did YOU have many hardsbIps on
your trip?'
"Hsrdships Say, going in search of
the north pole is recreation in compaii'
son. We travelled POO miles-that is,
1850 into Tanana and the same out. 1t
was hard trip, especially as we. in or
der to make quick trip, took our route
mostly over unbeaten territory. We re-
ceived $4,000 for the round trip. and it
was we'll worth it. We had about 300
pounds of mail matter, of which only So
pounds were for Uncle Sam; the rest
was Canadian, which the latter govern
ment makes it obligatory for the L. S..
carriers to take gratis for the privilege of
traversing Canadian territory. Oh, those
Canadians know what they are about.
For graspng, greedy, grinding Coy
eminent and corps of officials, even
Russia will have to take back seat.
Apropos OF that trip have just read in
the papers that my former partner,
Humes, has with two companions made
a recordbreaking trip up the river from
Dawson to Skagway, and was the first
to bring out the news of the last big fire
in the metropolis on the Yukon. That
young Humes is a wonderful fellow. For
grit, push and energy have never met
his equal What ! used to consider in.
surmountable barriers he only laughed
at. This last trip of his is, think, the
seventh he has undertaken to or from
the interior.
Did You ever meet anv people from
North Yakima while you were travelling
in Alaska Mr.. Johnson?"
well, recollect two. Horace Leach,
printer was engaged in business with
hist partner, Stohl, in Sksgway. They
afterward went into the Atlin region,
where they acquired some holdings be-
fore the alien exclusion act was passed.
Whether his claims amount to anything
cannot say, but they are in good To-
cation"
You spoke of two Yakima BOYS"
sob, yes; up on the Stewart | met Pete
Norby with his partner, whose name |
cannot recall. but who, | think, also
halls from your. city,"
'Jungst?'
Yes, probably that was his name,
though | don't remember. They had
followed a stampede to the Stewart and
were working away at some old holes
that had been abandoned by earlier pros
pectors. You must know that traces
have been found on the bars at the
mouth OF the Stewart which prove con-
clusIvely that work was done there as
far back as fifteen or twenty years ago.
If remember correctly these boys had
already been down the river about 2S