Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1921-10-20
YUKON TOWN THAT
LEFT IN ONE NIGHT
Town Booming at Bedtime and Abso-
Iutely Abandoned Before the
Break of Day
HaIf-Breed Makes Big srike
Somewhere in Alaska is a Rich Mine
that Starvation and Mosquitoes
Have Hidden
IN. J. Brown)

l am going to open this story by
telling story-one of the most un-
usual that ever came out of Alaska.
1t is an absolutely true tale, and got
it directly from the main actor In the
silent drama--or rather tragedy-as
we sat on the bank of the Yukon one
night, smoking and fighting mosqui-
toes.
He was watch repairer ana Kept
few clocks and little jewelry in
the little town-a supply town for
the mines back in the hills.
Spring was breaking, (the spring
of last year,, daylight had returned,
the ice was going out and everybody
was looking forward to when the
first boat would come in and new
faces and new grub could be met.
TT was bright, warm Sunday .
said my friend, and then I wondered
if the story would be as vexatious as
the mosquitoes.
(But he soon made me forget the
insects).
A friend hunted him up, he said
and told him it was his birthday and
he proposed that few of the A. B.
alaskan BrotherhoOd) boys gather
at cabin and celebrate both the
birthday and return of spring by see
ing how much booze they could
drink in given length of time-a
sort Of a capacity and endurance
contest. AS fast as man went
down they let him lie and the victor
had the privilege, and distinction of
rubbing bacon grease over his face
md fhoy cnrin IN ochoc
/ will cut the details short. My
story-teller said that at supper time
he realized he would soon be among
those 'laid out" SO he slipped out,
staggered to his bachelor cabin and
went to bed.
During the night there was an
alarm at the outer door, and the men
called on him to get up and come
out. He answered he would in a few
minutes and they went away. Then
he went back to sleep. He had had
all he wanted of their celebration
crowd
He awoke at daylight. His head
throbbed and his stomach was on a
strike, so he rolled over and slept
again.
At about noon he again awoke,
washed and beat it for the nearest
saloon for a cocktail. But saloon
was closed, the door locked and no
one around.
'1 couldn't make it out" said the
man. Certainly this was Monday
and the saloons were never closed on
this date. So then I went across to
the store postoffice to find the reason
for this strange condition. The post
Office was closed. There was not a
man in sight.
II looked up the street-not liv-
ing thing. / looked across to where
a bunch of dogs had been. tied for a
month and they were gone. Then
thought / had it. "A new strike had
been reported and, the whole town
had stampeded.
But on closer investigation
found the harnesses, sleds. packing
outfits, etc. had not been taken, SO 1T
could not have been a rush. / must
be crazy or dreaming.
II went to my shop. The clocks
were ticking. To be certain that /
was awake opened one and stopped
the swinging pendulum. It stopped.
When I started 1T again, the clock
resumed its ticking.
Say friend you can't imagine the
fearful thoughts that came over me
Il was crazy. The town was there,
SO were the people, but could not
see or hear them. / had "gone bugs
and would go out ON the flrst steam
er for the crazy house at Portland.
Lord. how was frightened. The