Iditarod pioneer., 1915-01-30
TOM KILLEA
 WAS NOT LOST

The many friends of Tom Killea were agreeably surprised when he quietly put in an appearance at Flat City yesterday after noon, having just arrived from the lower Kuskokwim country, where he had been prospecting during the summer, Fears had been entertained for his safety, for while it is not unusual for Kilea to spend summer alone on prospecting trip he gen orally showed up early in December
 Killca has host of friends in this com munty, and on learning that he was con siderably overdue, Al Walsh fitted out dog team and left here more than month ago in search of him.
 KilIea left here early last March for the lower Kuskokwim country. Outhtung at Bethel. he went over to Canyon creek, and from there cut across country to the Ioglak and Ouinhagak rivers, which empty into Bristol bay between the Kuskokwm and Nushagak rivers. He prospected all through there on various side streams, ana found colors in nearly every prospect, put not in paving quantities. All summer long he never saw white man, but he heard from natives who were on a hunting trip that about forty miles from his camp over on the Quinhagak river, there were two white men prospecting. Dropping down later to see them, he found they were not at home, but he learned that they were Jimmy Orr and Herman Oman, both we'll known here On his way back this fall he stopped at Togiak, which is small Indian village close to tide-water where IS located a government school for natives. Here ne was marooned for nearly month, owing to the exceptionally mild fall weather. The streams overfiowed their banks and flooded the country, and it was impossible for hlm to leave. JTnon his arrival at Bethel he learned that Al Walsh was in search ot hlm, ana that Walsh had left for Canyon creek, so he laid over at Bethel, awaiting his return. Tn the meantime Walsh vas joined by Me Cam at Canyon creek. and both proceeded across country to the Quinhagal. Here the natives told them that killea had passed through on his way to Bethel. Walsh joined him there shortly afterward.
 Killea left Togiak, which is about 45O miles from here, soon after New Years, and reports that the trip was nothing out of the ordinary It had been an exception ally wet season, and this retarded prospect ing to great extent, but the general out look of the country was not encouraging Big game was scarce, but there were plenty of birds, and for dog feed, he said, it was great sport shooting salmon as they nosed their way over the rifles to the spawning grounds
 KilIea came from the Fairbanks country in 1889, and has been prospecting m Varl- ous parts of the country ever since, always going out alone in the early spring and re- turning in the late fall. In 1912 he spent the summer in the AniaE country and m 1913 prospected on the kiserohc river which is also in the lower kuskokwlm country.
 KilIea says that Al Walsh and Manager Joaquin of the Kuskokwim Commercial Company at Bethel will arrive here today. Mir. Joaquin is on his way to the Outside via the Seward trail. Bethel is short Of provisions in some lines, and also clothing, Aside from this, there is little news of in terest from the lower Kuskokwi mcountry.