The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-28
GOLD SEEKERS FROZEN.
Copper River Prospeotors Perish in
the Valdez Glacier.
TERRIBLE STRUGGLES FOR LIFE,

| Heroic selfsacriflce ofn Son, who Laid
| Down to Die After Prolonging the
Life of His Father. Who Is Dying at
Twelve Mile Camp.
Seattle, Wash, Jan. 2S.-The steamer
Cottage City. from Alaska, brings news
that number of Copper river prospec-
tors perished in Valdez glacier. The
following are known to have been lost
Charles Ktron, New York city; d. p.
Smith. Chicago: Ole Evjen, Baldwin,
Wis; - Henderson, Wisconsin:
George Sweesey, New York. Among the
many badly frozen miners are: George
Pohowitz, New York city; Sylvester
Grog, st. Joseph, Mo-; Holven Eyjens,
Baldwin, Wis.
There are six men at Valdez suffering
from frozen feet. hands and face. A
hospital has been established at
Twelve Mile camp, OH the other side
of'the glacier, and Ii men arc suffering
there from the same cause. All were
frozcil trying to cross the glacier, but
managed to get back to camp. The
freezing of the IIyjans fatharand son. IL
particularly sad. They started for Val
dez, but ON getting well toward the
summit of the glacier found their feet
freezing. Both started back. The son
gave his father extra wrapping for his
feet, and as Il result both the sons legs
were frozen in few minutes, and he
Was unable to proceed. he badc his
father good bye and compelled him to
go on without him. Then the boy lay
down in the snow to die. The body will
probably never be recovered. The
father reached Twelve Mile camp, but
is not expected to live.
Smith and khrcn were members of
the same party. In cOh1pany with
George FoaloWiiz, Sylvester Grog and
several others they started across the
glacier early in December. Smith was
the first to freeze his faet. After they
had crossed the summit and were going
down the long stretch toward Valdez
his strength began to fai! 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. Then he lay down in
the Snow and was lulled into a last
sleep by the deadly frost.
Charles Khron wanted to lie down
and die when. the Trip was clmcst at
an end. His comrades kept him NOV
ing, in spite Of the pain Of his badly
frozen feet, and at last got him into
rs,
that they fell off when ma boots were
cut away. Blood poisoning set in soon
after, and in ten days he was dead. He
was member of the Manhattan Min
ing company, Of New York, a German,
and leaves a widow and family In that
city.
The third man of the party to lose
his life was q miner named Henderson,
from some small town in Wisconsin.
He started out with the party, Elt was
frozen before rhey reached the summit
of the glacier. lie decided that his
only hope was to turn back. Soon after
he left the party a blizzard swept
over the glacier, oblilerating all trails
and making travel impossible. He prob
ably lest his way then and perished
NttlEe l1bdlONllH, OF tne mammalian
Mining company, Of New York. was the
fourth member to be badly frozen. He
returned on the Cottage City He will
lose the greater part of both feet, and
is in danger of losing his life from
blood poisoning. Ee would not let DR..
Lewis amputate his feat in the north.
George SWeesey also of New York.
was blacksmith at Valdez for long
time. He started acrcss the glacier
early in the winter. drawing a heavy |
sled. The details of his death are un-
tnown. for he was alone.
The miners who arrived on the Cot
age City say that many others per-
shed like Sweesey. They are unable
% give names. The men starting out
n pairs or singly We're never heard Of
again,
Captain John Mason, of a large Phil
adeiphia party bound for the gold
ields, was accidentally drowned in the
Nelson river, three miles above Its
mouth, on the afternoon Of Aug. a.