Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-28
LONG ABANDONED SAWMILL.
Complete Plant Found by Surveying
Party In Alaska Wildn.

Seattle (Wash) Correspondence Chicago Record.
The steamer Boscowitz, the last to ar
rive from the north, brings details Of one
of the strangest mysteries connected with
the exploration and development of Alaska.
For several months the Canadian gov
eminent has had laborers at work survey
ing and putting in a telegraph line from
Vancouver to Dawson. A few days ago
while working near the old Juneau trail,
in dense forest, about 100 miles from
the coast, where 1t was thought white men
had never been before, the surveying party,
that was several days ahead of the pole
and wire men. made strange and CHASTITY
discovery. AS they were working their
way through the forest they came to a
heavily timbered marsh, and near the CEN
Ter of this marsh they suddenly came upon
tract Of several acres on which all the
timber had been cut. Near one side of the
clearing was sawmill, still in a good
state Of preservation. The machinery had
evidently not been disturbed since these
premises were vacated by the operators.
With the exception of a little rust on some
of the bearings. the engine seemed to be
ready to fire up and start at moment 8
notice. The boiler was In good condition,
and in different parts of the mill were
cross-cut saws, cant hooks, axes beetles,
wedges. a blacksmiths forge with all it's
appurtenances, a kit of carpenters tools
anu OlHeT implements uSeu around a COM
pletely equipped sawmill. The lumber Of the
mill itself had evidently been cut on the
spot, and there were several thousand feet
of lumber which, to all appearances, had
been cut about three years.
Near the Sawmill was a shed that had
evidently been used for horses, and at in
tervals of a few feet around the shed were
the skeletons of twelve horses, most of
them, judging from the bones, being large
animals. The bones were entirely free from
flesh. Indicating that thew had hapn there
at least two summers. They were lying in
such positions as to show that they had
never been disturbed by man. Lying be-
side the skeletons were weatherbeaten
ropes and straps, the remains of the pack
blankets and a quantity of half-decayed
flour and other provisions that had rolled
from the backs of the horses
Near the mill were three small cabins
constructed or logs and sawed lumber, and
carefully stored away was a quantity of
provisions, canned goods, bacon and flour.
The hunks on the walls contained small
quantity of bedding, and a grindstone and
several pairs of overalls were found in one
corner of one Of them.
Search was made. but no human skele-
tons were found. The discovery was made
about forty miles off the old Juneau Indian
trail, and all conditions point to the con-
clusiOn that the clearing was made three
years ago, and the horses persisted the lat.
ter part of the same season The trees
were blazed on four sides, indicating that
the party In some mysterious way had sep
arated, and were unable to get together
again. The members of the surveying
party think that II the forest were search
ed the skeletons of the former owners of
the camp should be found. The theory of
murder by the Indians Is not entertained
for in that case the provisions and tools
would surely have been taken 1t Ia est
mated that the engine, boiler. circular saw
and the rest Of the mill outfit, when new.
must have cost at least 5000.