The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
FATHER DUNCAN ON GUARD.
ENTIoUS MINERS CANNOT GET FOOT.
HOLD ON ANNETTE ISLAND.

"VbD Wv hNNhl IN LbbhNDs
Tho Missionary Holds It For His RecIaime,
Indians Model Indian Town-Hov
Airport OF His Death Started n Stamped,
to the Island-Rich Gold Outcrops There
SEATTLE, Wash, Aug o-"Seems 10 M
wo ought OF DO pretty near that Ketchikan wharf
remarked Captain James Bonifed Of tho Alaskan
packet Humboldt TO tho pilot George bettei
known as "Snbad" along the southeastern Alask
an shore
Strange We can't make out no light" was the
reply. and Il boats mo what that floating thing
was We nearly ran down minute ago II looked
like a house but whoro could II have come FROM"
Tho night was foggy ono. lato in July. and
a drilling rain was falling. Capt Bonihold
and his pilot were pacing tho wet bridge trying
10 get their bearings In tho narrow channel that
passes Ketchikan. Tho Humboldt 10 have
landed at tho little Alaskan canning station but
her Skipper could not fnd tho wharf
-Hollo therei What steamers that
Tho CRY camo up from tho port bow with sud
denncss that startled tho skipper into his favorite
oxclAmahon-"well I'll be blowedl" Ono Of tho
miners from the little settlement had been reused
by the steamers whistle and was out In his canoe
10 get tho news
-This u the Humboldt from Seattle replied
the captain, and Tve boon trying for an hour
10 locate that shack you people call a wharf"
~Thore amt no wharf" was tho inform alton
that driftod up from the canoe through the fog.
Nsastwisc not since the Al-Ki called here yes
to-day. She knocked tho whole business of its
pins and it, floating down thn channel now. You'd
bcttor bet we'll sIo the company for Il though.
Whats tho ncws?"
Father Duncans dead" said tho captain and
be paused for the outbreak that he knew would
follow the tslling Of the most important bit of
tnf. nat h,j To-.
There was silence in the boat for full moment
while tho Alaskan managed To think out the
situation. The news Of tho death Of this good
priest welcome u him. 1t meant m any things
at leat a chance for n fortune
"Whatl When did he die? Whsro did you
hoar ~ Its too good 10 he true Arc you sure
Their, Is no mistaken
Capt Bonificld explained how tho United States
treasury agent in charge Of the custom house
at Mary Island had told him Of Father Duncan's
death few hours before Tho customs man said
he had learned il from tho Indians
Don't mention this at Juneau. Captain, and
I'll stake you claim that will give you the rocks
TO buy a fleet like tho Humboldt Say, you've
made my fortune. Haven't time to come ashore
:or drink suppose, and the man with the canoe
padded slowly of 10 shore while the Humboldt pro
cccded toward the northern terminal Of her voyage
Since the Al-ii had knocked tho wharf down
she certainly would have to pass by Ketchikan.
This is how Harvey Thompson got tho start
in tho latest stampede to Annette Island How
ne came out is tho rest Of the story.
That the death OF poor old priest Of the Church
Of England should cause such Joy 10 tho usually
good.heart Alaskan miner may need some ex-
PLANTATION TO those unaoquainted with Father
Duncan, one OF the most prominent characters
IN Alaska William Duncan is the most SUCCESS
ful mi that eve In orth
Ho has In forty years continuous work trans
formed the greater portion of tho fierce, cannibal-
site tribe Of Port Simpson. British Columbia,
liiiaus into satisfactory citizens OF tho United
ltataa The Government has given him the use
" Annette island for his reclaimed savages and
tho model Indian town Of tho world has been built
up al New Meuahkatlah-
Annette Island is unprepossessng az any
Of It's size along the southeastern coast Of Alaska
II Ia rougher than most Of tho others and, with
the exception OF a small portion OF ,he northeast
crn end. Is unsuitable for habitation. As il to
mako up for tho crude way In which the southern
portion OF tho island was finished OF nature seems
% have ribbed II with countless veins Of quartz
Many of tho other islands have quartz lodges
but nowhere docs the rock seem to be as rich as
on Annetta
Time and again have prospecting parties landed
on the southern end only to DO discovered after a
low days work by some OF Father Duncans
Indian policemen and promptly driven off The
teS days work done before discovery always
scezned TO develop some good finds This only
Increased the desire of tho miners to return. They
say That Father Duncan Is acting like dog in the
a:angrr. His Indians do not mine and as yet
he hns taken no steps to teach them 1t is true
The miners would some timber and that tho
scnnty herd OF deer that now runs on the lower
pnrt OF the island might be driven away, but they
are willing to pay hundred fold for the privilege
of getting at Annette's treasure store. Hun
dredB Of claims have been located at one time and
irother by sneaking ashore at night and working
under cover The locations could not be recorded
:nd extensive work was always stopped by tho
polio., who were not slow to lse force
Washington Cong rcssmcn and Senators receive
'ouX petitions every year asking that Annette be
thrown open to mineral settlement Names for
his petition not hardto get there is rcely
man ON tho southeastern Alaska shore but has
ane or more claims staked out on the Indian island
last year fund was raised to send a representa-
1.-Two TO Washington. D. c. TO lobby bill through
He might have succeeded had not war measures
demanded 10 much attention from the law ma kers
While working away on less valuable lodges
On surrounding islands the miners are keeping
weather eye on Annette, and thr slightest pre-
tcxt Is enough 10 send them stampedng in that
duncan Is OLD ana feeble and
his death has been looked for at any time The
miners If not actually hoping for II, have been
waiting for II, and this was the reason Thompson
Tas 30 dated at what he learned from the Hum
bcAdt on the rainy July night He had been put
Oh the island more times than any other miner In
Tho country. On his hairy breast when his blue
fnnnd shirt was pulled away. a crimson mark
showed where an Indian polioeman's rife bullet
had once struck when he refused to move on
Thompson nearly died from the wound but his
desire to work out tho rich gold lodges on Annette
ain lived II even seemed TO take new strength
along with his hatred for Father Duncan and his
Indians. although the latter had nursod him well
after his brush with the policeman
Thompson rowed slowly TO shore tied up the
canoe and climbed the little hill to the ca bin which
he occupied jointly with two other miners
-SquaWMAn" Porter and young Joo Fletcher wero
old Annette stampoders and loved Father Duncan
no batter than did Thompson They were quietly
awakened by tho alert newsgathersr and soon
became excited listeners
Father Duncans dead and his police force will