THE CHILKOOT POST
An unofficial periodical published without expense to the U« S. Government
Volume 4___August 3Cth,~^j_ No. 35
BUTLER*S BOAT BURNS: HAS TO PEEL SPUDS SO HE LET*S HER BLAZE:
The stentorian tones of the bugles and the crash of the alarm gun
announced at 2:30 a.m* last Thursday that fire was working havoc somewhere
hereabouts*
Sleepy-eyed denizens of the Barracks tumbled into their most avail*
able garments and discovered a sea-going bla^e near tho en. ; whe Haines.dock
On arrival at the scene of the fire, trailing hose-cart and chemic
al, they found the gas boat Eda, formerly property of Mr* Fbank Sorrels and
now belonging to Pvt. Ford Butler .erstwhiles heavy weight champ of Alaskq,)
was whole-heartily abl%e* The Haines dock, to which she was moored* was rapid
ly enkindling* The boat, being beyond redemption* \vas c.<fct loose and shoved
from the dock. . The Haines fire department chemical then extinguished the dock
fire.
It seems the genial But lei had voyaged to Skagway to bring back
Captain P. A* Agnew, Engineer Corps, who was making a trip for the Alaska
Road Coramisaon. Butler was anxious to gat back early as he was due to go on
as kitchen police in Company F at 3:00 a*m* (Company F being early risers
these days.)
. . Careftfee as always, Butler tied up the Eda and put Captain Agnew
ashore* Then he remembered a drum of gasoline had been left on the dock for
him. He filled a bucket with the gas and started to fill the tank* Then
something distracted the genial fighter’s attention and he set down the bucket.
A moment later a lantern had made connections with some oil from the engine.
A hot little blaze started- Something to extinguish it? AhC Butler’s gaze
fell on a bucket conveniently filled* He threw it on the fir6'.
Of course, it was the bucket he'd filled a few minuted before with
gasoline'.
°ne glance and a burned hand convinced the t> rller -that old Champ
Fire was too much for him. He swung ashore, leaving the boat to illuminate
the night, and went to the Barracks. Awakening 1st Sgt. R. M. Martin, he
told his troubles. Sgt* Martin turhed out Bugler Nyberg to blow fire call.
As the troopers tumbled out in response. Pvt. Bfctler, like an ex
cellent soldier who does his duty though the heavens fall, went out to the
kitchen and reported to the cook for duty as kitchen pblice,
_ He didn't return to ohe burning boot Yihet's a boat more jr less?
DEFENSE PLANS PROGRESS: ALASKA TOLL ENROLL A THOUSAND MEN:
111 e plans for National Defense Day. September 12, 1924, sixth an
niversary of the Battle of St. Mihiel, progress in 'Alaska and throughout the
entire country. Chairman R. E. Robertson, of the Territorial National De
fense Committee, states in a letter to theother commj.tteemen that he expects
1000 men to be enrolled for one day of Voluntary service 6n Defense Day. Mr.
■Eiler Hansen, Territor&al Commander of the American Legion, has. been asked to
co-operate with the committee. A letter received from Mayor Mulvihill of
Skagway, with repotts already made by Mayor Bjornstad of Haines, shows that
the Lynn Canal cities are 100ft on the job in National Defense natters
Copies of correspondence,received here, ostween the Secretary of
Vfetr and the Secretary of Navy, look to theco-eperation ofthe Navy in Defense
Day. Letters requesting the co-operation of the other Cabinet officers and
their departments have been sent out by theSecretary of liter. (See Page Three)