Douglas Island news., 1918-06-21
ANCIENT HISTORY
 HEREWITH GIVEN
Anton Marks, Starred as Pioneer l6 Years Ago, Still Resident
 of Douglas

WNu lh yet IcalutHl NHu iN'p'Nt'" citizen of Douglas:
 Tho familiar face of Anton Marks on tho strcots of Juneau during thc past week recalls vividly Co mind | the pa ( thh pioneer played in early history of Alaska The old residents | win recall thc fact that Mir. Marks was one of Che first white mon that crossed Che Chilkoot pass after Cap tain Bcardslec's council with Che . Chikat Indians in 1879. at which time he persuaded them to with draw their objection Co white men going into thc interior.
 The Chlkat tribe was very strong and had up Co that time maintained monopoly of che trade with the. Wood or stick" Indians of the in- tcrior. refusing to allow any white men. or Indians from other tribes, to visit their customers on the other side of che coast range, and up Co. that time only one man, Mir George Holt. had succeeded in cluding the viEilaut eye of Che Chilkats and crossed Che range at Chilkoot pass.
 Mr. Marks and his party left Sit ka in April. and upon their arrival at Dyca. they were turned back by Che Indians. as they could not sat- isfy thc Chukats that they had ob- taincd Captain Bcardslcc's permits sion Go make Che trip They re- turned Co sitka and reported the fact Co Captain Bcardslcc, who was in charge of the government vessel Jamestown. and he then furnished thcm with an escort back Co Dyca. The Indians received satisfactory evidence that Captain Boardslce de- sired Che white men Co pass unmo- tested. and Mir. Marks with his party crossed Chilkoot Pass June 17 1880. Che first party of white men Co do so openly and undisturbcd.
 By this time about 20 prospcc- tors had gathered at Dyca and fol- lowed them over. Mr. Marks conn pauious were aside from himself President Claudman. Tom Herman. Jim Farlen, John Lofty. man call- ed Tom. and Jack Lemon in honor of whom Lemon creek was named
 Mir. Marks returned to sitka dur ing Che Inst Of November of Che same year. and was told of the rich strike made by Richard r. Harris and Joseph Juneau on Gold creek On tho 2nd of Deccmbeer. 1880, Mir. Marks. John Prior. Wm. Mehan. Frank Berry and James Roswal left Sitka in am old Indian canoe with one Indian. started for Gold creek. Severe storms arose soon after their departure and continued for a week or more and in Che meantime R. T. ! Harris and Joscph Juneau returned Go Sitko with about $15,OOO, com taincd in 9GO pounds Of quartz. and reported that they had not seen Mir. Marks and his party which SO in- creased tho anxiety already felt for their safety that their friends start ed out Co search for them. and i- naIy Captain Bcardslce sent out the steam launch Of the Jamestown. After a search that lasted for about 10 days they were given up as lost.
 On December 22nd. just 20 days after they left Sitka. Mir. Marks and his party arrived in Gostineau chan mel. While passing along the shore Douglas Island one of the party ob- served what seemed to be the cror- ping of a lode of quartz, which they stopped Co examine. James Roswal scoopcd up pan of gravel from about the base of the lode where it was exposed on the beach, and after banning it down called Che others Go see the result. The amount Of gold in the pan was SO large that Wm. Mchan cheerfully remarked; "Wo have it. boys; almost the ready bullion" So they staked the claim and named it the Ready Bullion, which name it bears today. They reached Juneau that evening, and found only two white men here, John McKinnon and Bnl Bennett, though within a week or two nearly all of the town of Sitlla was here. as result of the rich quartz Richard IT. Harris and Joseph Juneau dis played iu Mir. Whiuords store dur ing the early part of the month.
 or the five hardy prospcctors who made Che trip from sitka to Juneau
 in the fierce December storm of 1SSO, there are two living in Juneau, Mr.
 John Prior and Frank Berry. Mr.
 Marks lives at Douglas; Wm Me-
 han is dead, and James Roswals present place Of abode, if alive, is unknown. The following spring
 they placer mined around the lode
 cropping. They shipped SS ounces
 of gold below in June, 1881. which
 was the first gold shipped from the Juneau camp, and by the middle Of
 the summer had cleaned up about I$4.OO0. They afterwards sold the
 claim to the Treadwell Company.
 and it is at the present time one of