The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
NAVAL FIGHTING In ALASKA
MARINES WHIPPED BY SAILORS OF
4 KLONDIDE STEA MSHIP.
Dutch Harbor Was the scene Dutch Cour-
age Was the Cause, and Coal Was tho
Destructive Agent-A Lively scrap while
1t Lasted 80 Capt. kilgore stopped 1t.
From the ST. Lom, Globe Democrat

the sea are known the world over for carrying
chips on their shoulders and for The eagcrncsa
with which they take up a quarrel. whether in
the right or in the wrong The sailors who man
the big treasure ships Of the Alaskan fleet ara
no exception.
There have been many fierce fights in the north
since the rush to the Klondike began. Crews
Of rival steamships have fought to bloody finish:
crews have taken sides with their officers md
fought unruly passengers. At other times they
have fought Just as hard against tho officers
Only once has the crew Of treasure ship taken
issue with the men in Government service,
This is story Of the only defeat the revenue
marine has suffered since their fighting ability
was recognized by their being given part TO play
in the Spanish American The scene Of tho
contest was Dutch tiarbor the coaling station
for the Alaskan gold flee, and the BchrinE Sea
revenue patrol
The crews Of the United States cutters Perry
and Grant were defeated in an extended battle
at the Dutch Harhor coal bunkcrs by the crew VI
the North American Transportation and Trad.
ing Companys steamer Roanoke This samo
Roanoke is now n Government ship. having ell
tered the transport service between Seattle and
Manila She has three stripes around her fun.
mel. and the crew is drawing Government pay.
This has nothing 10 do with the fight at Dutch
Harbor however for the transport contract was
signed before that was known.
TWAS about the middle of August that the Roam
oko finished loading at st Michael for the return
trip to Seattle Nearly 500 Klondikers and Capo
Nome miners board. The Northern
agents Of the company knew nothing Of the char
ter To the Government and decided that il would
be We for the big steamer to make two round trips
before the Yukon closed To do this it would be
necessary to leave at once allhough the connect
treasure ON board had not vet arrived Cant
Weaver was instructed 10 beat the eleven day
reC"rd i"I the run from ST Michael 10 Seattle.
stantial reward if the record should be beaten.
;, The Roanoke was steaming rapidly across
he had not sufficient conl in the bunkers for the
1000 mile run There was no way 10 remedy
for a new supply This meant the loss of almost
a, day. Amid much grumbling the course was
little coaling station on the .Alcutian Peninsula
She steamed into the harbor on warm Sunday
efernoon, and tied up at once a, the bunkets.
dirtiest working clothes and started to coal the
ship. Speed, was absolutely necessary if the
The revenue cutters Grant and Perry were az
anchor in the bay The Grant had just returned
from unsuccessful search for the OF tho
missing Oriental liner Pelican, while the Perry
had been searching for naughty sealers among
| had been given shore liberty. Having nothing
better to do they started in to cause liquor famine
| ably and when the Roanoke arrived all were more
| or less under the. influence of cheap but deadly
| Alaska ln0ldn Whisky.
The whistle Of the incoming steamer attracted
| them TO the wharf in body. Many of them had
| friends among n Roan9ke,s sailors They saw
| liable. because the men from the gold boat would
| surely have money. Tn" bueJackets had spent
Great was their astonishment when the crew
swarmcd ashore in their working clothes as soon
| as the lines were ont They wondered even moro
| when the men began 10 hustle" coal on board.
hardly taking TIM" TO say hello
Was il not Sunday argued the revenue man.
w hat need there for the sailors 10 work a
day that was always given over TO pleasure when
| Ii was plainly beyond all reason"
| A few Of the sailors crowded on board 10 see II
some liquor could not be secured from the generous
| klondikerS Capt Weaver. noticing their cen
| dition and fearing trouble, ordered that no moro
| be allowed To come on board.
| Mate ShGtfcrt reached the gangway with his
prohibitory instructions Just as hg sailor from
| the Perry staggered up the plank lie was known
| came from San Francisco and had fought all his
| life. lie was cock Of the walk ON ship OF on
This Sunday afternoon Mike was lighting drunk.
ShafIcrt is a little man. but long service as an
be enforced with the fists, made him good fighter;
He told the fighting sailor Ia go ashore al once and
was dehrd with v9Iley Of deep sea oaths.
| ing oil this boomin' old tub" began Mike You
Scoudn. put me on in year ii you were twice as
| and m coming on this ship Just as often as want
An interesting round Of sailor curses followed
Shaifrrt could not stand such talk from CONF
mon sailor He grabbed big Mike by the collar and
hitting HIM coup c Of time, between thr eyes.
ns a hm @Sa Rs G % Ee oGf
came back like mad bull. y crowd Of shirmatcs
gathered to urge him %, on Again he was ,iprsd of
He was helped oil the dock by some slirmates
The other sallors began TO guy, the Roanokcs
things and called bad names, but attempted no
gI1lcnee They were waiting for Te, en-
their faces were black with the dust They paid
no more attention To the taunts OF the cutter men
| than All old time klondikcf docs 10 mosquito
In due time the men who had gone off with in
iured Mike" returned with twenty five drunken
sailors al their heels, and the fight was not lcng
in commencing. II started with shower Of coal.
! which struck several Of the working crew. For
few minutes Mate Shanc kcrt his men a work.
He saw that trouble was bound 70 come and finally
ordered them togo at the nSsNiling party. ~,
y Like gool leader H." lead The chHr ar Tho
sailors, They threw in order, and nearly every
piec" Of coal struck home. Several Of tn" -c t
was black with the coal they threw Nearly
| every piece passed over the head OF the men from
the gold ship ar fell short.
| two young officers from the cutter, who had also
been drinking came running up to see what tho
| tn" dock, as they should haNc done, they en-
couragcd them /" keep up the fight and for a time
Give il 10 them. boys" shouted one Of the Of
ycr% Think ,hcy are SE%4inrds p nao sh"w
I 70 Wnr instead Of h"rbor patrol duty hill tho
| struggle began. Many Of the RoanDke's crew
! fought Nv" or three sailors single handed. Shat
| frrt was SURROUNDED time and again His Coat
! wa, oil ms arc bleeding from wound in his
forehead With u long club he beat back ~ fcN
enue men every time they came at him, lilo
| knocked several iuScIlsiblr and every time ho
| struck left wound. No one ON either side was
armed, 20 snmr would nav" been killed. Tho
, sailor, iur ,omo rrnsru or other RETAINED from
, using their Ions; knives \ half hour had passed
and the night was stIll being waEcd. with honors
all on the side oi the Roanoke fighters.
! How long the battle would have lasted is hard
10 NY had not the noise attracted the Hitcnti,
Of capt hllc"rc ~ the Perry, senior officer IN
command al the feet lie scut u lieutenant ASHORE
with IN armed guard and made the revenue men
20 10 their ships.
! Later On h" sent an officer to the Roanoke aud
| placed Mate ShHcrt under arrest. Capt Weaver
secured S release the next morning after explain
4 ing the truuhlr Several men from the Perry and
Grant had 20 be carried "ti in strctccrs and given
, hamm"cks IN the hospital wards The surgeons
sand uuur were seriously injured 50 the matter
T was dropped after apologies On both sides
The Roanoke was finally Cualch and sailed for
this port She msI" the long run in less than
. seven DAYS and established new record of niHS