The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-13

all along the valley of the Klondike river.
Charlie Andersons claim was No. 70
Eldorado. 1t cost him $500, and the
deal was made when he was too drunk
to know what he was doing. Anderson
was living at Forty Mile at the time,
and he had saved this money from his
wages as a pick and shovel miner. He
bought the mine at night and when he
awoke the next day he cried bitter tears
and asked the men who thought they
had swindled him to take back the claim
and give him his money. They refused
and he walked so miles to the Klondike
and started to work. He found only a
hole in the ground, but he thawed and dug
IS feet further, and the result was a for
tune. When he made the first strike the
men who sold him his claim were nearby.
They saw he was panning, and asked
with a sheer what he had found. He re
piled: "Ay tank Ay got some gold here
and he showed them MS pan. There was
S14OO worth of gold nuggets in 1t, and
the claim eventually yielded between ST.
100000 and 100000.
Swift Water Bill was Portuguese,
who got his nickname from story ne
told of having swan down the rapids Of
the Yukon on his way to the gold fields.
He began his work on the Yukon, some
distance below Dawson, as a waiter IN
an eating house. One day while serv-
ing two miners he heard one tell the other
of the gold discovery in the Klondike. He
left the order untitled, and got dog team
and rushed on to Dawson. He was in at
the first and picked out number OF
claims, including that on Eldorado, when
made him a fortune. He was successful
for years, but was so dissipated that he
ran through the millions he made, and
finally left with the stampede to Fair
banks. He had then only so cents in his
pockets. but he made a second great
strike and a fortune. He lost that for
tune as WELL, and is poor man to-
day.
Speaking of the extravaganza of Swift
Water Bill, he was the man who cornered
the egg market in Dawson at dollar
per egg There were 5000 in all, and 1t
cost him more than $4,000 The reason for
the corner was his love for Miss Gussie
Lahore, a popular and beautiful young
lady, who had been nicknamed THE
Little Klondike Nugget AS the story
goes, Swift Water was counting her, but
the course of true love was rough, and
for time it seemed as though Bits cake
was all dough. Then he remembered that
Gussie dotted on eggs and he prepared
for the corner. He slipped about from
store to store and bought every egg in
the town. He then remarked that If Gus
sic wanted more eggs she would have 10
eat out Of his hand, or If she stuck to
his rival "she sure wouldn't eat no eggs"
The result was Gussie succumbed. and so
Cupid won by an egg.
The antics of Charlie Anderson were
quite as wild as those Of Swift Water
Bill. He ran through his money as fast
as it came. He was cheated by everyone,
and I understand that he is now poor,
doing days work somewhere in the states.
In coming up to Dawson I had a chat
with Capt. E. G. Baughman, who COM
manded the steamer Humboldt, which
has piled between Seattle and Skagway
since the days of the gold rush. He
knew Charlie Anderson well, and told
me many stories about him. Said he:
Anderson was known as the Lucky
Swede. He had been at work on the
railroad in the states, but was discharged
and that drove him to Alaska. When
he struck it rich he took out more than
100000 the first year, and during the
next four years his claim yielded him
almost $2000.000."
What did he do with the money!? I
asked.
HE spent 1t as fast as it came. He
kept gang of gamblers and dance hall
girls about him and gave away thou
sands. When he was at the height OF
his fortune he had an income of half a
million dollars a year. He then fell in
love and was married. He took his wife
to San Francisco, where he bought a
house and gave it to her, He gave her
other money, and when he was about AT
the end of his fortune he told me she
had cost him quarter of million. With
that he pulled out of his pocket garter
which had diamond clasp as big as
the end of your thumb, and showed it
to me, saying: And that is all I have
for it. I am almost broke now, but I
will go back and find some more
His claim was then played out. He