The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-09-04
IN MEMORY OF THE PACK ANIMALS.

The erection of a memorial at Inspiration Point on the White Pass to the thousands of horses and mules that gave up their lives during 1897-8-9 to enable argonauts to reach the of the Klondke gold strike appropriate thing
 The writer for than a year associated with J. H. Brooks, "The Old Reliable Packer" who operated the largest packing outfit the Skagway Lake Bennett trail over the White Pass. In the spring of 1898 when the disappeared it possible for tenderfoot to follow the trail by the bodies of dead horses and mules along the way. One going the trail from the limits of Skagway itself to Lake Bennett always had the carcasses of these faithful animals in view and at places they were piled several deep. In Dead Horse Guch particularly at the Ford, where the trail crossed the river at the point where the last steep ascent to the Summit began there were simply heaps of dead animals
 It was hard, gruelling but short life the horses and mules who carried outfits the White Pass lived It was estimated that the average life of horse was about five weeks. Many did not last so long. Many completed the first round trip It is difficult for at this distance in time from the mad stampede to the Klondike to understand the conditions that resulted in such frightful casu- alties
 It was very rough trail and they were a very rough, though, under ordinary circumstances big hearted that forced the horses and mules to exert their strength and endurance beyond the limit in negotiating it. The packers exerted their own strength and endurance to the limit How they stood up under the work for the long hours is one ot the miracles of the time. It a case where the strongest and toughest set the pace The weaker ones fell by the waysde If the weaker ones were horses or mules they gave up the ghost If they were humans they quit and made way for those who were stronger and tougher
 Jack Newman who wrote the legend that appears on the memorial tablet that was erected to the memory of the dead horses and mules was packer on the Skagway-Lake Bennett trail The writer, who had charge of Joe Brookss office and bore the euphonious title of Manager knew him well He was Head Packer and had charge of one of the six to ten pack trains of from 20 to 25 animals each that Brooks had on the trail almost and river between Skagway and Dawson who could see deeper into things than the mad desire to make speed in the race-one of the few who could work ais the packers worked and yet feel. He suf- lered with the animals. But he had been playine 'he teirine game Of worker in gold fields before ana ne Kept up his end until the last He was a New York boy from the East Side that was or phaned when young and forced to make his own way. How he became aflame with the desire for adventure III the West and after years of service as packer in Colorado was swept with the tide Io Alaska and his vocation on the Skagwav Trail IS another story-one that would make thrill;no Voiume' However, it is pleasant to note at this time that Jack is now wealthy citizen of Seattle ana entering the years that mark the sunset of He under circumstances that count for content ment and happiness