The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-28
Three Men Perish in the Copper
River Country.
Net With Death While Attempting to Cross
the Valdez GIacier.
Two Others Missing, Thought to
Have Succumbed to the Cold,
and Many Badly Frozen, Three
of Whom Will Suffer the Ampu-
tation Of Some Of their Limbs.


of Whom Will Suffer the Ampu-
tation Of Some Of their Limbs.
SEATTLE, Jan. 27.-News of the
freezing to death of three prospectors
on the Valdes glacier, near the mouth
of Copper River, Alaska, was brought
to this city to-day by passengers on
the steamer Cottage City from Skag-
uay and Juneau, Alaska
The names of those who persisted are:
Henry Khron, New York City; --
Smith, Chicago; - Emerson, Bald
win, Wis.
The following were badly frozen and
will suffer amputation of some of their
limbs: George Paulovoitsch, New York
City; Sylvester Grog, St. Joseph, Mo;
H. Emerson, Baldwin, Wis.
George Sweezy of New York and a
man named Henderson of Wisconsin
are missing, and it is feared that they
have succumbed to the cold.
There are six men at Valdez suffer
ing from frozen feet, hands and faces.
Quite a hospital has been established
at Twelve Mile Camp, on the other
side of the glacier, and some fifteen
men are suffering there from the same
cause. All were frozen trying to cross
the glacier, but managed to get back
into camp.
The freezing of the Emersons, father
and son, is particularly sad. They
started for Valdez, but on getting well
toward the summit of the glacier found
their feet freezing. Both started back
The son gave his father soma extra
wrappings for his feet, and as a result
froze both his legs in few minutes,
and was unable to proceed. He babe
his father good-by, and compelled him
to move on without him. Then the boy
lay down I'M the snow to die. His body
will probably never be recovered. The
father reached Twelve Mile Camp very
badly frozen, and is not expected to
live.
Smith and Khron, who also gave up
their lives, were members Of the same
party, in company with George Poalo-
WITT, Sylvester Grog and several 9TH
ers. They started across the glacier
early IN Decembe 3 Smith was the first
to freeze his feet. After they had
III OkoCd l1.C diniiliI anu were utOrtuS
down the long stretch toward Valdez
his strength began to fail him. AT last
he could keep up no longer. Calling
his companions around him, he told
them he was doomed, even if they got
him into camp, and that they must try
and save themselves. Telling them to
tell his wife and children back in Chi
cago how he died, he lay down in the
snow, and was soon lulled into a last
sleep by the deadly frost. He was a
jeweler by trade.
Charles Khron wanted to lie down
and die when the trip was almost at
an end. His comrades forced him to
keep moving, in spite of the pain of
his badly frozen feet, and at last got
him into Valdez. His toes We're so bad
ly frozen that they fell off when his
boots We're cut away. Blood poisoning
set in soon after, and in ten days the
miners buried him in a rough grave.
He was a member of the Manhattan
Mining Company of New York, a Ger
man, and leaves a widow and family
in that city.
The third man of the party to lose his
life was a miner named Henderson
from some small town in Wisconsin. He
started out with the party, but was
frozen before they reached the summit
Of the glacier. He decided that his
only hope was to turn back Soon af-
ter he left the party terrible blizzard
swept over the glacier, obliterating all
trails. and making travel impossible
He probably lost his way in this and
persisted. At any rate, he never reach
ed Twelve Mile Camp, the only place
Of refuge for miles around
George Poalowitz of the Manhattan
Mining Company of New York was the
fourth member to be badly frozen. He
returned on the Cottage City to-day in
charge of DR.. Lewis of Chicago. lie
will lose the greater part of both feet,
and is in danger of losing his life from
blood poisoning. He would not let Dr.
Lewis amputate his feet in the north
He said: Tt was bitter cold, and for
four days we wandered around the
glacier trying to find our way down.
We had little food, as we were going
out for supplies. The other four menu
bers of the Manhattan Company were
waiting on short rations at the foot of
the lake. l do not know what will be-
come of them, now that Khron is dead
and I am here in almost as bad a nix.
l don't want my wife to know of my
condition, so will not tell you my New
York address,
George Sweesey, also of New York,
was a blacksmith at Valdez for a long
time He started across the glacier
early in the winter drawing a heavy
sled. The details of his death are un-
known, for he was alone He never
reached the other side
The miners who arrived on the Cot
tage City say that many others perish
ed like Sweesey. They are unable to
give names. The men starting out in
pairs or singly were never heard, of
again.
To-day's arrivals from Copper River
are the first since last fall Some Of
them had been three months at Valdes
waiting for steamer. The last party
from the interior left Copper Center
December LIST. They are A. P. Wedum
of Glasgow, Mont; John Eckland. Hay
nan, Wis; ]. r. Marshall. Mexico, Mo-.
and Nels Hyland, Appleton, Wis
They penetrated the interior as far as
Catcham Stockades, a branch of the
Forty Mile River. They crossed the
Tananu Valley, but heard of no gold
strikes. They have been travelling to-
ward the coast since August 1st
DR. w l. Lewis OF Cbica 90 saws there