TRAGEDY EARLY
DAYS AGAIN
•
A private letter received from Lo
Angeles to a Valdez man tells of th'
death at San Diego recently of Rd
Russell, who for several years was i
resident of Valdez in the early day*
The letter states that for a time prio
to his death, Russell, or Rd. Matthew
as his real name was, had not bee
of sound mind, but just prior to hi
demise he became perfectly sane.
The death of Russell brings to min
a tragedy of the northland in whic
he narrowly escaped the fate whic
befell four of his companions, wh
were drowned in the Nizina river i
the summer of 1903, the year follov
ing the rush to the Nizina placer dii
trict.
Russell, C. A. Widener and his sm
Charles Berry, August Rieschl, Mis
Lou Wheeler and L. J. Perry, wit
two dogs and about 1,100 pounds (
freight, started for Chititu creek i
a boat about June 15 of that yea
bound for the Copper river and thenc
to Valdez. The party was about thre
days going down the river to a poir
about six miles below Young creek
Two men were at the oars of th
unwieldly craft and a third was stee
ing. As they approached a bend i
(lie river they saw a rock in th
stream for which the boat was .tern
ed. All efforts to turn the craft wer
Tendered futile by the terrific currer
of the stream, and Russell, who w-j
in the bow of the craft, seized th
bow line and jumped for what »•’.]
posed was a shal’o. snot, intendm
to swing the boat aside. Tie landed i
deep water, and was dragged a Ion
by the boat. Perry and Berry jumpc
to his assistance, but their effort
were also in vain, for the boat struc
the rock with terrific force, smashin
it to pieces and precipitating ever;
body into the water.
Russell and Berry succeeded i
reaching the shore not far below tt
_j " 11 "'1...
I
a
t scene .of the accident. When Perry
came to the surface he was near the
middle of the river. He seized upon
a sack of clothing that was floating
down the stream and was carried for
a considerable distance before he fin
ally succeeded in reaching shore.
Ahead of him he saw the girl, still
afloat, when he made a landing.
Utterly exhausted by his struggle
, in the water, Perry rested a few min
, ntes, believing himself the only sur
vivors, but in a short time Berry
, came along down the bank, and the
two set off down the river in search
. of Miss Wheeler, or any of the others
? who might poRsibly have escaped,
j They proceeded down the stream for
s some distance, but did not find any
one, so they returned to the scene of
I the accident, where they found Rus
1 sell, who had injured his back severe
. ly. They rested up for a few hours
and then went back up the river to
,j the camp, then known as Sourdough
City, where they related the story of
the tragedy.
A short time later two men arrived
in camp and reported having seen
sj Miss Wheeler on a bar in the middle
a ! of the river several miles below the
f spot where the boat was wrecked,
a These parties stated that they had
•t shouted to the girl and that she had
P waved her hand to them, indicating
p that she had heard their shouts. As
t the river was very swift and deep at
this point they could not reach her,
e but had shouted that they were going
for help. A relief party was at once
n made up and started down the river
e in a boat. Arriving at the bar where
|. the girl was last seen, nothing was
H found but her shoes and stockings
t lying on a small log, which she had
s discarded to rid herself of any surplus
e weight. From this evidence it wat
believed that the girl, misunderstand
ing the shouts of the men, and believ
ing herself deserted, had undertaken
to reach the shore, and had been
washed away. Her body was never
recovered.
Widener had formerly been a con
fectioner, having a shop in Valdez. He
sold out his business and joined the
rush to the Nizina, taking with him
his little son, about 12 years of age.
From the time of the accident neither
father nor son were seen above the
surface of the water, but about two
j months later their bodies were found
j on a bar in the Copper river, and
were laid to rest on the banks of that
stream, the father and little* son in
the same grave.
Some time later the body of Reischl
was also found on a bar in the Nizina
river, and was interred on the banks
of that stream.
Such tragedies were common in the
early days of the mad rush for gold
in the north, one being forgotten when
another, perhaps more terrible, drove
it from mind, only to be recalled when
as in this case something relating to
the parties recalled them to mind.
The Fairbanks school board has
made announcement to the effect that
about 5,000 tablets of paper, 8x10
inches, will be used by the school
children during the next school term.
The announcement was made for the
benefit of the merchants of the city.
-:n:
It is reported that as soon as the
present contracts are completed the
work on the Talkeetna division of the
government railroad will be suspended
and every effort concentrated on
completing the branch up the Mata
nuska river to the Chiekaloon coal
fields this season.
m.
SCHKVENINGEN, Netherlands, Aug.
22. The herring caught by the Dutch
fleet of 725 ships during the year 1915
totalled 671,000 tons, and brought an
average of $20 per ton as compared
with $8 for the previous season, ac
cording to a statistical report just
published. The war conditions, and
particularly the big German demand,
were thus responsible for an increase
of 150 per cent. A number of the ships j
were damaged by floating mines, and
nine ships in all were lost, with the
forfeit of 28 lives. One fortunate motor
lugger, the ‘‘Cathprina," earned $65,
600 in her ten trips.
31(1 VESSELS” UrTlOST IN
JUNE
LIVERPOOL, Aug. 22. — The Liver
pool Underwriters' Association in
their returns for June, 1916, report
that 181 British steam and sailing
vessels and 169 foreign vessels were
posted in the Loss Book during the
month of June—a total of 800, com
pared with 214 in June; 1915, and 262
in June. 1914. These include minor
casualties as w’ell as total losses.
The tonnage of vessels actually lost
in June totals 21,998 against 12,770
in June, 1915, and 22,081 in June, 1914.
For the six months ending June 20,
1916, 286,812 tons of shipping disap
peared. against 256,407 in the corres
ponding period of 1915 and 192,592 in
1914. '
-:o:
The Kvig Saltery, at the mouth of
Swanson creek, Cook Inlet, is report
ed to be busy, and the season's output
is expected to reach 1,500 barrels of
salmon. The run of humpbacks re
cently was so heavy that it broke the
three traps operated by the saltery.
/"■ ■ .. —in
J. E. Clark, clerk of the district
court of the Fourth division, under
Judge Bunnell, has resigned, and has
been succeeded by Sydney Stewart,
his chief deputy. It is rumored that
the resignation, following so close
upon a visit of a special agent of the |
department of justice, may have been
asked for by the department.
—-:o
Iaist—A key ring with three small ,
keys, fastened to a corkscrew. Finder
return to M. C. Thompson.
-:a:
FOR SALE
for $6,000, real estate with
a monthly income of $145,
besides a furnished cot
tage of five rooms. Inquire
at the Times office.
Sheldon Auto Stage
SERVICE.
CHITINA TO FAIRBANKS.
Starts June 15.
Cars Now Running Regularly. i
Weekly Trips.
Fare $75.00.
40 Pounds Baggage Free.
Office: Chitina Hotel, Chltina, I
Alaska.
TAILORING
CLEANING AND PRESSING.
Detmer's Woolens for Ladies' ami
Gents' Suitings. Prompt Attention to
Remodelling of Ladles' and Gents'!
Suits. Reasonable Prices. Satisfac
tion Guaranteed.
GRAVES & VAN.
Phone 130. Mickelson Building.
j
We Understand
MEN’S DESIRES, MEN'S NEEDS,
MEN’S REQUIREMENTS AND MEN’S
INCLINATIONS.
FOR THAT REASON WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO
YOU THE BEST LINES OF MERCHANDISE'*
IN THE CITY.
CLAYSON’S
1*-——------,
x .’• ***Yi
WHY NOT OWN YOUR OWN HOME?
Many families are Paying out from $200 to $500 in |
X !v
rent each year. Why not put that into a home of your
own?
Call on Geo. C. Hazelet, Trustee of the Townsiie, and £
Bee if it can’t be arranged.
-—-- - -
When Ordering Beer
— ==INS 1ST ON ========== j
Rainier Pale
FOR GENERAL TEAMING, BAGGAGE
TRANSFERRED. AUTO SERVICE
| COAL AND WOOD |
j A! A.QKA TRAMQCITR Pfl
I Mu»\wi\n i i injiui li i uu.
ij: Cordova and Anchorage
UNEXCELLED WAREHOUSE FACILITIES
For Storing and Insuring Baggage,
Mdse and Household Goods
| Office—EMPRESS BUILDING, CORDOVA—Homo So |
HATS HATS!
I I
| We have just received a I
| large shipment of the sea-1
| son's latest and staple styJes i
| of Hats in the Stetson 1
| Hardeman and Gordon J
I makes. 1
■ 8
j Prices from $2.oo to $5.oo |
l MAIL ORDERS PROMPTLY FILLED. |
I FINKELSTEINcStSAPIRO 1
THE STORE THAT SATISFIES.
MV -r --
MANHATTAN HOTEL
.TV.'1.' . ™". - 1
B. W. FERRELL, PROP.
Kleetrie Lighted. Hot Water. Turkish and Tub
Baths.
OPPOSITE CORDOVA GRILL, CORDOVA, ALASKA.
■ _ 1
• |
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tea®
s$m
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The CORDOVA GRILL
THE HOUSE OF GOOD EATS.
Our Specialty: Oriental Dishes and Salads.
Phone 138. ROY SMITH. Prop, j
I
L-—- I
----- —.- -- --- . •. .-«.rrMwaw
Empress Theatre
!l TUESDAY, AUGUST 22.
S _
Frolminn Amusement Company Presents
“JOHN GLAYDE’S HONOR.”
(Hold Rooster Play in Five Parts, Featuring C. Aubrey Smith.
Show at 8 p. m. Admission 25 Cents
1
For the Mechanic
WHITE’S ADZES AND HAND AXES
PISTON’S HAND SAWS
BAILEY PLANES
MAYPOLE’S HAMMERS
STARRET’S and YANKEE TOOLS
BUCK CHISELS
For the Motorboatman
DAYTON DYNAMO
K. W. and WIZARD MAGNETOS
COLUMBIA HOTSHOT BATTERIES
BORER’S SEMI-ROTARY PUMPS.
SHEBLER CARBURETOR
EDISON’S CAUSTIC SODA AND OIL
Northwestern Hardware Co.
AGENTS CLAY AND (JRAY MOTORS
■ 1 . ■ ■, „ ...1
HP* m__/\^\y ^ • 11 f i
1 tie iiill in, O i-Nenl Co.
Headquarters for
Boat Supplies
Agents for
NATIONAL SPARK COILS
Type Star 1 Cylinder $4.50
Type Wizard 1 Cylinder 5.50
Type 21-31 1 Cylinder 6.50
Type Star 2 Cylinder 8.50
Type Wizard 2 Cylinder 10.50
Type 21-31 2 Cylinder 12.50
The Auto-Marine 1 Cylinder 9.50
National Weatherproof 1 Cylinder 7.50
Wizard Magnetos
SPARK PLUGS: V-Ray, Cha mpion, I
Herz Mercedes, Johns-Manville and Rajah
Vulcan Heavy Duty Marine Motor 4 H P. Jump Spark
ALL KINDS OF SHIP CHANDLERY KATALLA GASOLINE and DISTILLATE
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