Yukon Valley News
VOL. II.
RAMPART, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, litOti.
No. 23
STEAMER WRECKED--123 PERSONS DROWNED
PORT ANGELES, Wash.,
Jan. 28.—The steamer Valen
cia, bound for Seattle from
San Francisco, struck on the
rocks off Cape Beale, Van
couver Island, in a dense fog,
and one hundred and twenty
three people were drowned.
The steamer was running
at half speed when she
struck. Boats were lowered,
but the davits were cut by
the panic-stricken men and
the two first boats were
wrecked. Boats loaded with
women and children were
also wrecked. The remain
ing women refused to leave
and all perished.
Men who were saved say
they took to the boats only
after refusal of the women.
The women sang “Nearer,
My God, to Thee” for a death
song.
Nearly all the survivors
are members of the crew.
FAIRBANKS OUTLAWS
MURDER THE JAILOR
FAIRBANKS, Jan. 29.—
After mortally wounding
Jailor Peterson and trying
to kill Jailor Gallagher with
ease knives sharpened to
points, Hendrickson, the blue
parka bandit, and Thornton,
the man charged with horse
stealing and who had twice
escaped from jail, again made
their escape this morning.
Thornton threw pepper in
Peterson’s eyes when the lat
ter entered to feed the pris
oners.
Hendrickson was captured
late this afternoon by officers
on the Valdez trail. He of
fered no resistance.
Thornton is still at large.
BEN DOWNING
DEAD IN FRISCO
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan.
2S.—Ken Downing died here
today, as a result of an oper
ation for a bullet from an
old Indian wound received
in the early days in Wyo
ming.
i Ben Downing wm perhaps the best
known man in Alaska, especially along
the Yukon ami throughout the interior
As trailer, mail carrier ami energetic
man of affairs, he luul tieen a cons^cu
oiis figure since the la-ginning of the
Klondike rush in l#!»7. Ilia business
affairs have prospered amasingly lor the
past two or three years, ami at the time
of his ileath he was a fairly rich man.
Part of his holdings ronaiatrd of
valuable real estate in Seattle, lie had
no family If he had any living rela
tives Km Host intimate friends are not
aware of it. he (ore the days of rail
r-skits he was a ranchman in Wyoming,
and was engaged in many battles aith
Indian* there, and was several times
wounded. Only a few weeks ago he
wrote to friends here that he would
soon start in over the Valdez trail; and
the news of his death was a surprise
and a cause of sorrow to many.]
Weather Conditions.
January 24, highest —.'18; lowest —.r>7
January 25, *• —32; “ —39
Snowfall, trace.
Numlwr of day*—Clear 1, partly
cloudy 0, cloudy fi.
Jules Marion, sii|erintendent of the
mails for the X. ('. Co., has been in
Rampart since last Friday. He is ac
companied bv Norman Marion, and
they will proceed on to Fairlianks early
neat week. _
Rudolph Kart bike arrived from •low n
river bslay, after several months spent
|,ro«|ssting on the Xovitno. He is
peeled consnlerabty by contact with the
friet, tint is not seriously 'touched."
Jie Kaminski on No. • Kh.de Island,
has put two more men to work Thia
looks Itke there ie something in the
Kh>sle Island pw« streak
January 26,
January 27,
January 28,
January 2!*,
January 30,
—35
—25
— 8
—10
— 6
Faun FI. Rama,
Voluntary Observer.
DAWSON MINING MAN
TURNED TO A FIEND
BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 28.—
Henry Neubauraer, a wealthy
mining man of the Klondike,
killed live people and him
self here today. The dead
include Neubaumer’s sweet
heart and four members of
the Gray family.
Attorney Gray was keeping
company with Ollie Powell,
to whom Neubaumer was en
gaged and to whom lie had
given some money. He
found her at Gray’s house, in
company with Gray, and be
gan shooting, first killing his
rival and his sweetheart, and
then other members of the
family who came into the
room.
Nursery Stock
To Be Distributed
With a view to test their hardiness
and adaptability to different sections of
the territory, a distribution of nursery
stock, consisting chiefly of apple trees
and currant hushes, will be made from
the Sitka agricultural experiment sta
tion during the coming spring.
This stock will lie sent only to ]*>rma
nent residents on application, who will
promise to care for it and report results.
Such wishing to obtain a few tree* and
bushes for trie! should address the Kx
periment Station at Sitka, and should
state also the character of the soil in
which it is promised to plant them.
Mrs. Fred K, Rader was awarded a
silver medal for her exhibit of Alaska
wiki flowers at the la**is and Clark
Exposition._
Walter Sumlls>rg, who luis wintered
in San Francisco, will come in over the
Valdes trail.
Native hunters returned last night
from over Troublesome way, where
they killed thirty caribou
They will go hack tomorrow after a
part of the meat left hehiml.
GEOLOGICAL
OUTFIT LEFT
Maurice Farrell, Fred Cassidy and
Smith returned today from the head of
Beaver river, where they went in an
effort to bring out the instruments and
most valuable Iwdongings of the geolog
ical survey party, headed by 1). C.
\Vithcrs|ss>n, w hich were abandoned in
that country last fall.
The effort was a failure. They went
to the \Vithers|MM>n caches, hut could
not bring anything away on account of
the deep and constantly drifting snow.
Seven horses hail been alundoned by
the Witherspoon party, and some hope
was entertained of getting them out;
hut nothing was seen of them. They
were proliuhlv dead and snowed under.
The altitude is great in tlw vicinity of
the caches, and as fast as trails were
broken they were obliterated bv drifting
snow. The region is ilescrted by every
living thing Cold was intense, and
wind was nnreiiiittent.
It is Iwlieved that the gtssl* might he
brought out after the snow has settled
in the spring; but it has not yet hreit
fully * lee tiled whether another trial will
be made or not
Mr Farrell will trap i* the head
waters of the Mike Mess the balance of
the winter.