Douglas Island news., 1907-05-08
cANADA's ONLY INDIAN CITIZEN
Skookum Jim, KIondike's Discoverer, Rewarded by Government, Takes
 Advantage of His Freedom
Thirteenth Anniversary of Discovery of Gold in Yukon Will be Celebrated at Alaska
 Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Iooo.
By c. H. E. AsoUITH.


 cathedral of St. Michaels and the city Charleston, and all similar stories that adorn the pages of history coincide, insomuch as in each case the slave asks as ar only reward his freedom. And since slavery has passed forever over the horizon of civilization, it may be assumed that the last of these stories also has been acted, and no matter how humble may be the portion of the hero of the future, he at least will have his freedom. and will thus be able to ask grateful government for more substantial recognition of heroism.
 And yet, it will surprise many to hear that in the last half decade a story exactly of the kind above men, toned. has been played on this conti- neut with the conventional ending.
 The hero is Skookum Jim, the Indian who accompanied George Carmack the discoverer of the Klondike gold fields on that fateful sixteenth day of Au- gust when accident led him to uncover the richest placer deposits since the days that Solomon and Hiram, fling of Tyre exhausted the great placer de- posits of Central Africa. Some ac' counts indeed give Skookum Jim the credit for the actual discovery of the first handful of nuggets that revealed the richness to the little party of isolated prospectors.
 George Carmack the discoverer of the Klondike is now resident of the city of Seattle. He is taking an active interest in the Alaska I Yukon-EXposi- tion which will be held in Seattle in 1909. and August 18th will be set aside as Discovery Day at the great ESposi- tion, and there will be special effort to present on that day all the old soar- doughs of the vintage '96 and '91, An interesting exhibit on that day will be the first handful of nuggets that Cor mack obtained from the original discov- cry on Bonanza creek, that handful of gold that was the forerunner of two hundred millions. Claim No. 1 be- low discovery was that ofSkookum Jim, and Claim No. above discovery was that of Pisgah Charlie brother of Jim.
 Now, all of those who were instru- mental in the discovery of Klondike were remembered gratefully by the government of the Dominion of Can ada. Bob Henderson who was in the nelgl Go-hood at the time of the dis covery, who had, in fact, told Cormack that he thought there was gold in the ne;ghborhood of the Klondike, and for whom many claim the honor of the discovery, was made an official of the government at a substantial salary. Cormack obtained big pot of money, and so did not need any assistance. There remained but Skookum Jim and Pisgah Charlie to reward. Jim had not been fortunate in retaining much of the gold from his claim for reasons that will be obvious later.
 The Dominion government has strict laws concerning the care of the Indians. An Indian cannot obtain whiskey in Canada under any pretence. It is true that the different tribes each make a whiskey of their own out of molasses, flour and kindred substances, bat even this vile concoction is difficult to ob- tain. The Mounted Police of Yukon has kept on marrying the pocr redman till nearly all the stills in possession of the tribes are confiscated.
 The thirst of Skookum Jim was the right, royal, double distilled brand Every expedient that his fertile mind could suggest was tested, and still the whiskey could not be obtained. One whole winters wages was expended or Pe-ru-na, but even this was rapidly ex hausted.
 The Canadian penalty for giving ar Indian whiskey is long jail sentence and the enforcement of several hao acted as asplendid moral lesson.
 So, when the Canadian government anxious to reward all that had any hand in the discovery that so enriched the nation, reached Skookum Jim, anc asked him what he desired as toker of a fond country's gratitude, Jim be gan to think. He wanted many things but chief of his desires was the one fol strong water.
 And so, with nobility that at thC . 4;,O .nncr nll nrar tha Dnmininn lin