The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-26
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE
Mrs. Brns the Only Survivor OF a Party Of
Alaskan Gold ProSpectors.
SEVENTEEN LEFT AND ONE RETURNED
stcIntcd the Hardsbips and Priva-
lions which She Has Endured
for Year.

snn Francisco, July 25.-On the steamer
Bertha. which arrived today from Alaska,
was Mrs. II. w. Bens of Clay City, KY
the sole survivor of a party of seventeen
people who left Port Townsend, July H.
1895, for Kotzebue sound to prospect for
gold Sixteen members of the party died
during the winter or spring from scurvy,
and all were buried on small island.
| These unfortunates were as follows:
| Captain Smith, Frank Johnson, Earl
| Plummer, John Morrison, Duluth; Peter
johnson, Seattle; James Hutton, Il. Cow
der, Bay City, Mich; Daniel Mccall, Hi
nois Captain Hubbard and six men from
the steamer Eckert.
| Mrs. Bens told Of her terrible expert
ence in voice choked by emotion: We
arrived in Seattle in October 1897, from
the East, and after building little boat
named Elk No. ] started for Kotzebue,
reaching there July H. 1898. We anchored
several miles UP the Solwick river In
August Andrew Moore, Frank Bowen, An
drew Laird, Mr.. Noble and three others
went back their prospecting having shown
little or nothing nr. Better of Trenton,
N. j.. then joined the party, and with the
others remained on the vessel Of their
sad fate | have only recently been tod
Mr.. Bens built boat and he and | went
some eighty miles up the Tagrawack river
in search of gold. Here we found seven
men, including Captain Hubbard, from the
steamer Eckert. We erected Il cabin and
Mr.. Bens went back to the Elk for pro-
Visions He was caught in storm and
for sixty hours he was without food and
shelter This led to sickness, which
caused his death Captain Hubbard aud
his men joined the others on the Elk and
l went with my husband to the Hoosli
river tributary of the Koyukuk. There
we pitched our tent and after nearly three
months suffering from scurvy, Mr.. Bens
breathed his last
For twelve weeks Mrs. Bens watched
over her sick husband with none to aid
her, and when he died she was left alone
In the Wilderness. After walking nine
miles she found n cabin, in w.ich three
fishermen were wintering. She became
sick of scurvy and was tenderly cared
for and finally reached st. Michaels and
took passage for San Francisco on the
Bertha. 1t was not until reaching Nulate
on her way South that Mrs Bens learned
of the death OF the other members of the
party.
The Bertha brought ninety seven pas
sengers and Sl,000,0e0 in gold from St.
Michaels. OF the gold $500, 900 belong to
the Alaska Commercial company and $780,.
GOO are said to be in the hands OF three
fortunate miners and spectators, S. NJ.
Liggett G.. ID. McMirs and N. Meyer. OF
me nlnety-seyen passengers only thirty
hve bring out more than 500, while about
twenty are without a cent
previous stories of privations at ST.
Michaels are confirmed by the passengers.
Who say there are hundreds ii not thous-
ands of men there without beds or none,
to buy food. The rush from Dawson, where
labor can now be obtained at the cheaues,
rates, continues and is sure to add to the
restitution at the coast points. The re-
ports from Cape Nome are extremely con-
melting The officers of the Bertha S. NJ /
i4iggett and several other miners saw that
the district is even richer than has been
stated, but Others declare that nothing of
value has yet developed
The steamer Albion is reported to hay.
sold an entire cargo of liquor at Caue .
Nome In one day. the price ranging IA /
nigh as " bottle for whisky and ST. for
beer. The settlement grew from A dozen 1
tents to city Of several thousand people
within few weeks. There has been con-
siderable disorder and soldier ,A.ave been
sent from St Michaels ia that point.
There Is nothing left for newcomers. who
must purchase necessaries of life,