The Alaska daily empire., 1917-01-17
CHARACTER OF
 ALASKA KILLED
 IN SNOW SLIDE
Picturesque Figure o Northern WiIdS, the MapaSpina Glacier
 DiSCOverer, Dead.

James Barclay, better known as
 Jimmy the Bear" was killed in a
 nowslide on Mccarthy Mountain ai
 he end of the Copper River & North
 western Railway, ln Alaska over a
 week ago, along Gi,l Alexander Her mann. another old.timc prOspcctOr,
 while doing assessment work for claims owned by the Bonanza Min 'ng Company He was one of the
 pest known characters in Alaska. He was given the name of Jimmy
 the Bear" in the Washington State logging woods in the early days. He was camp cook. He returned to the cook house after a trip ia the woods, while the men were away one day, and as he entered the place there was a loud "woof, wool" and ] large-sized cub bumped into him and rushed out.
 Jimmy" got to his feet. It was somewhat dark in the interior. With another "woof, wool" a second cub knocked him down and rushed out. Scarcely before he reached his feet he mother rushed out Then follow cd the male bear. Jimmy" contn- ued to sit on the floor, and when some of the men returned he asked them to please look and see if there were any more bears in the place.
 The appellation of Jimmy the Bear" followed him to Alaska, and
 many knew him by that name and do not know his real name.
 First to Cross Big Glacier
 Barclay was the first white man 10 cross the Malaspina glacier. He had mined in early days on the Yaku. tat beach and conceived the idea hat the gold, instead of being wash. ed up from the sea, as many believed and still believe, comes from the in. terior through glacial action His companions of the beach called 1t a crazy idea, since short excursions in- to the ice fields showed many dangers and difficulties.
 Barclay, however, was determined. Few men in Alaska knew how to live better off the country" He had been on long trips on numerous occasions when all the grub was gone and lived on roots and game. Barclay had really wonderful know. ledge of the nutritious qualities of many growing plants and herbs.
 The Malaspina glacier extends to the base of Mount St. Elias, with oc- casional breaks, as he found on his | trip. It also connects with the great Miles Glacier which extends south. ward from the Copper River Valley at Mile 50, and in that section of Alaska are the most extensive ice fields, reaching to the Alaska range.
 Barclay kept a diary of his trip and 1t tells a wonderful story Many times his life was in danger. He came across samples of quartz which were extremely rick, but so surround. ed by ice fields that no one else has ever visited them. At one place he camped near Q lake. While sleeping he was awakened by @ terrible roar Ing sound, and saw a sight permit. ted to few men. An immense lake stretching before him suddenly dis, appeared. It was one of the lakes hat are continually forming in the glaciers, only to break loose when he ice gives away A few hours before he had been in the track Of { his raging flood l
 Barclay came out on that trip to he head of the Nizina river and to Mccarthy, where he met his death, C Ie had discovered a great ledge, he mineral of which was unfamiliar | o him at that time, but three years go he was convinced that 1t was