The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1922-09-28
JIMMY JACKSON
BACK TO Scene
OF EARLY DAYS
Noted Indian Mail Carrier and
River Pilot Returns for
!, Medical Aid.

Mcdlcdl AlO.
Capt. Jimmy Jackson, full blood
Alaska Indian, born at Taku "a years
ago, son OF Chief Onaklosh. an Unit
cd States mail CARRIER from Juneau
to Circle City in the early days,
hero of many adventures in the pio-
neer days, pilot on the first steamer
to make the trip from Dawson to
Whitehorse and a pilot on the Yukon
River for the last quarter of CEN
t1ry, is in Juneau for the first time
in a dozen years. He was brought
here by sickness and was informed
that he will have to undergo an op-
Grafton. He has sent to Whitehorse,
which has been his home since he
Ehecame a Yukon River navigator,
for his wife, that she may be present
when the operation is performed.
Jimmy Jackson first earned fame
in this section and the Interior of
Sourdough Days for round trip
from Juneau to Circle City, a dis
lance of more than 1000 miles. by
way of Taku and the Yukon River,
in .mid-winter with the mail. He
started from juneau with four CON-
Tanions and dog team. He fin
ished at Circle with the mail on his
lack and piece of one of his dogs
for food alone Two of his COM
ranions. both white, dropped behind
and. died In tho Atlin country, having
lost his trail. The two Indians who
were with him were left at Car
'nlacks. They finally made their
way to Fortymile, where they re-
manned until the river opened up
the next summer and worked their
way up the stream. He left Jul
reau early in January, 1894, and re.
turned late in March the same year.
w. G. Hodges, a printer, and Ed.
McNaalis. young Irishman, who
wanted to go to Circle City, left Ju-
neau with Jimmy Jackson, against
his earnest advice and that of their
friends. according to the story as
told The Empire by Jimmy Jackson
and Emery Valentine. Jackson was
under contract to deliver the mail
and his word had been plighted to
Juneau citizens to prove the value
Of the Taku route to the Interior If
that we're humanity possible, so he
told all who accompanied him that
they went at their own risk. for he
intended to make Circle City ais
quickly as possible and to travel day
and night if necessary. BY the time
Atlin was reached the two white men
discovered that they could not keep
up with the Taku Indian, SO they
dropped behind. They lost the trail
made by the mail carrier and their
bodies were discovered by prospec-
tors the following summer. Before
he had reached his destination, jim
my Jackson had thrown away every
thing except the mail and something
to eat. He camped in the open in
January weather without blankets.
Finally the dogs began giving out
and that meant that he had to take
the mail on his back. He killed the
last dog before he had met anyone
and was eating that when he reached
his destination. He was literally re-.
warded at Circle City, where a purse
was raised for him. The big COM
panies each donated $50 and individ
ual miners and prospectors contrib
uted to the fund. They presented
him with dog team and sled, food
and blankets for the return trip.
IN ha Tntarinr 0ti1l
carrying mail, when tho Kiondike
was struck. He was there when
Captain TurHbull, afterward for years
master Of the Whitehorse, flagship
Of the White Pass fleet, started up,
the Yukon for the present site Of
Whitehorse with the river steamer
Golden Star, and he was shipped as
pslot. He has been pilot ever
Since For tho last IA years he has
been employed by Taylor and Drury,
and. he says with pride. this is the
first season he has failed to stay
with his ship until she was put away
tor the winter.
Jimmy Jackson was trained for his
life in the Interior as mail carrier
and conqueror of hardship when a
boy in the Cassiar country. where
he worked for Sylvester, afterward
q Wrangell sawmill man. After
three years of mining there he
worked in the Sylvester sawmill for
two years. and then returned to the
Cassiar for the Hudson's Bay Com
tany.
! From there he came to Juneau and
secured a contract with the United
States government as a mail carrier.
AS such he earned the reputation Of
having always delivered the mail
end executing commissions for min
srs and others which he might un-
dertake.
DAYY 0YYYWG