ECHOES OF FAMOUS GOLD RUSH

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 September 1930, Page 16

ECHOES OF FAMOUS GOLD RUSH

Klondyke Veteran Reveals Real Thrills

ANK of the few living Englishmen who tooic part in the great gold rush to Klondyke in ISPS, Mr John Smith, -known, in the West in the old days as “Charlie,’’ has now peacefully settled down in a little English inn the 'Star, in Korman’s Bay. between Pevensev and Hastings. The gold rush of ’OS has inspired more “Wild West” stories and films than any other happening in history. It has 'been immortalised by a novel by Robert W. Service, and -it was the theme of the well-known film “The Trail of ’OS.”

“And yet,” Mr Smith said, “they can’t, put. an adventure like that info a: book or on. the screen. Nothing I have read or soon at the pictures comes up to: the real thing. Those were the days of advent fire: nothing like it will happen again.’’ ■When quite a young mam Mr Smith’s roving nature took him to America, lie wanted to see something a'f the world, and so he packed fl’ few' clothes into a hag and sailed for the States. He followed his trade as a butcher for a time, and then he worked on the great, railroads that were being built.

. “It was while T was working on ‘the road’,” the old prospector related, “that the famous ‘.-trike’ in the Klondyke was made. I. heard about it, and at once decided that 1 (would like to try my luck there. “I throw in my lot with a FrenchCanadian called Hd Chan can and a 'German known; as Dutch Fitz. 'They' were both good men. Ed’s brother, I remember. was a postmaster at- Montreal. “Well, all sorts of things happened to us.

“There was one day', for instance, when Soapy Smith, a desperado with a gang of thirty or forty men, and Reid, the Sheriff’s deputy, s-hot each

other dead in the main, street of fkag way. I -shall never forget that.

“-Soapy was responsible for a lot. of shootings and robbings. Finally, the sheriff gave notice that, if any of the gang turned up in Skagway they would be shot- -at sight. And Reid, who was all for law and order, said he would make himself- personally responsible for shooting Soapy. ‘'‘ Well,-Soapy eras no coward. When the news reached him he took his guns —he used revolvers with the triggers sawed off for quickness in the draw — and went down to Skagway. Reid heard he was coming and turned out to look for hint. They came fac-c t-o face in the main street.

“For a minute they' stood looking at each other. There were lots of chaps about, friends of 'Soa.p.v’s and supporters of the. Sheriff and Reid, and everybody had) their guns along. Soapy spoke first.

“ ‘Well.’ lie said, cool and, sarcastic ‘here I am.’

“ ‘Yeah,’ says Reid, ‘I see you.’ “Then they grabbed for their guns both at once, and the two shots came so quickly they sounded like one. Both w'ere good shots and neither missed. I don’t know which of them- died first. “After that Soapy’s gang took t-o the mountains. They' mover gave much trouble afterward.

“Eventually me and my two pards got'to Fine Creek. We staked a claim 26 lots bo'low' Discovery, the original claim. For four summers’ we worked there. During- the winters we worked on the railroad! at. Seattle.

“There were one ar two Englishmen among the prospectors. One man I knew —I should like very' much to get in touch Avith him if he is still alive — was called Cocks. He A\ r as a North Country man, and I belicA'e he was at one time a. medical student, at St. -Bar-