The Alaska citizen., 1910-07-30
HOW FITZPATRICK
 WAS LOST
ALEX NICOL THINKS PARTNER MUST HAVE LOST LIFE
 IN WILDERNESS.
PROBABLY MET WITH ACCIDENT
Diigent Search Has Failed to Re veal Any Trace of Missing Man Who Disappeared Last Septem- ber-Came from Canada.

Alex Nicol. who has just arrived in town from the Hosiana country reports that no trace whatever has been found of his partner, Joe Fitz- patrick, who disappeared in Septem- Der last. and has not been heard of or seen since.
 Alex Nicol. T. McSmart, Joe FftZ- patrick, and several others left Fair banks on May 19. of last year, bound for the Hosiana country. Arriving at the mouth of the Hosiana, they poled up that river for a distance of l1o miles, carrying 5000 pounds of pro visions Two weeks were consumed on the journey, owing to the heavy load. A second trip was made with $500 pounds of goods. ill seven days.
 The party which numbered six men worked along during the sum mer doing assessment and develop ment work. The summer being over four of the party came out, leaving Alex Nicol and Joe Fitzpatrick to spend the winter there. They con, tinued to sink and prospect until late in September, doing assessment work as they went along At the end of September they concluded to prepare for the winter, building cabin and getting stock of hsh and meat. They got plenty Of fish and berries, and only needed a moose to complete their winter sup plies.
 The two partners took turn about hunting, d day out and day in camp.
 On September 19 it was F'itzpat- rick's turn to go out. He left the cabin about s o'clock in the morn ing. There was every indication of a bright day, a little frosty, and good weather for hunting. But hardly an hour after Fitzpatrick left the cabin it commenced to snow-the first snow of the season.
 On account of the snow Nicol ex- pected that his partner would re turn, but Fitzpatrick did not show up. Toward o'clock, or as near thereto as NicOl can remember, he heard some shooting. Five shots were fired in all, and the last three shots were certainly rife shots. As the shots came from a direction op- posite to that in which Fitzpatrick had gone. Nicol did not connect the shots with his partner, think ing that they were fired by party which was expected to arrive in the country to spend the winter. So he was not alarmed. Later on, when his partner failed to return, Nicol thought perhaps he had gone to the hot spring some thirty miles to the west, in search of moose, as Fitzpatrick had previously stated his determination to visit that place some time or other. This journey would occupy three days, but on ac- count of the snow Nicol did not think his partner could make the return journey then.
 The ice was now running in the river and it was freezing hard. On the Fist the river froZe over, and as the party which Nicol had imag- ined were camped about three miles down river had not come up to the camp, he concluded that they had decided to remain where they were So he walked down river to pay them visit. But no trace Of a camp could he find.
 Nicol then thought that he must have been deceived as to the direc- tion from which the sounds of the firing had been heard. He went back to the cabin and immediately started out to look for Fitzpatrick. He searched all the next day, and on the 23d in the direction of the springs, but found no signs of his missing partner.
 Next day Nj ol went up the main river to a point little above the right fork. Here he met two In dians of the Kobuk tribe. Question ed, they said they had come from Coldfoot. They had been in the neighborhood for two days, but had seen no white man, nor any traces of their presence. Nicol gave them a note to the Commissioner at Cold foot, asking that someone might be sent to aid him In the search fol Fitzpatrick, and returned to his camp by way of Mud Fork, to the southwest.
 Snow had been falling steadily and was now knee-deep. Not hay oh with hin, Nicn