The daily progressive-miner., 1916-04-04
KETCH|KAN' $ RIP VAN TWINKLE FOR SEVEN YEARS HE NEVER VISITED THE CENTER
 OF THE TOWN. LEFT HOME 50 YEARS Claims That He Never Met Any Of His Relatives During
 That Period.
LEFT HOME 50 YEARS

Ketchikan has had its Rip Van Wrinkle, he has made his return to town, been amazed at its growth. seen old. friends, most of whom had thought him dead, and is now hap oily located at the Pioneers Home in Sitka.
 For fifteen years the old gentle man - for gentleman he was, ip speech, in action, and in the clear ness of his skin, showing absolute ly no sign of dissipation-had lived alone in his cabin in Newtown. about a block from Sparhawk's store. He was but seldom seen by even his nearest neighbors, and for seven years he had not been down town. He had never seen the new concrete buildings, nor the new streets, nor the general growth and improvement of the town, although he had read about 1t all in the Progressive--Miner He was happy in his quiet loneliness, was well supplied with good magazines and other reading matter, and refused to accept charity from those who offered it. His loneliness was not of course from choice, for he was badly paralyzed on one side, and it was difficult for him to get around.
 About two years ago he fell. knocking over his lamp, burning off his hair and beard and severely scarring the side of his face. He lay on the floor two days before being accidentally discovered and helped back into his bunk. From then on he was more willing to ac- cept the help of the many kind neighbors who were glad to wait on him, and for the first time per mitted a woman to enter his cab in. Shortly after that Dr. Brown was called in and he soon regained the measure of health he had en- joyed before his accident. From then on he was helped by some of his friends, who did errands for him, helped him in his cooking. etc., while the nearby laundry washed his clothes.
 About the middle of last month his condition seemed bad again, and he asked that the same doctor be called. Dr. Brown readily respond ed, found that dropsy and old age were telling on his strength-he is "A years old-and that careful care and treatment were essential if he was to pull through at all. Ar engagements were accordingly made to take him to the Yates Memorial Hospital, and Mir. Chapman, of the Ketchikan Steam Laundry volunteer ed to take him down in his auto delivery car. About this same time Councilman Paup learned of the old mans plight, had talk with him, and the town council arrang- ed to send him to the Sitka Pio- neers.
 The trip down town to the hos pitai was one of the events of his life. Several friends were at the cabin to help him get started. To use his own words, he was "all submission" and gladly accepted their help. Some of his clothes he had not worn for years. and one Of th1 men took from hook hat that he had bought T. years ago st Heckjnan's, but whIcr he had not had on for four years. It was almost as good as new, having been protected from soot and dust by the cloth that had covered it. He was smiling and jolly, and his eyes twinkled merrily. Councilman Paup, strong of body as he is strong of heart, packed the old pioneer down the narrow cabin steps to the waiting auto, and with the help of others set him comfortably on the seat next to Mir. Chapman. One of the men stood on the step to hold the aged passenger in, while the other two climbed inside where the clean clothes usually ride. It was his first automobile ride, and