The Whitehorse Star, January 23, 1901

TRAGEDY ON THE TRAIL

Two gentlemen, who are stopping at the Savoy, and who arrived from the inside last night, bring a story of another reported tragedy on the trail.

They say that on the day they left Selkirk a report came from Ritchies Island that a man was found between that station and A.B.C. camp, next below.

The report did not give the name of the unfortunate, but stated that he had apparently been making his way toward A.B.C. camp with a dog and sleigh and that the dog had become exhausted.

The man had evidently attempted to pull the sled himself and in doing so, lost the trail. He was found frozen stiff at a point where he had given up an effort to reach the station and was endeavoring to secure some wood with which to make a fire and camp for the night.

Enquiries at police headquarters here today gave no confirmation of the report, the officials stating that they had had no advice of the tragedy.

Should the report prove true, as brought into Selkirk, it furnishes another demonstration of the dangers which are encountered by men traveling alone, especially during severe and stormy weather, such as that which prevailed last week.

LATER

Mr. J.P. Montgomery, one of the gentlemen referred to above as having brought out the story last night, was seen by a representative of THE STAR just before going to press.

He stated that the remains of the man had not been found but that the supposition was that he had gone off the trail after fuel and frozen to death.

The man was enroute to Dawson and was passed by three men near Whelan's camp. As the thermometer registered about 45 degrees below zero, the men advised him to go to Whelan's but he insisted on going on to the A.B.C. road house.

It became dark soon after and the next day the mounted police patrol found the sled and the dog wrapped up in a robe, the dog nearly frozen to death.

The supposition is that the dog becoming exhausted, was relieved by the man who was pulling the sled with the rope over his neck and under his arms. This would have a tendency to stop the circulation of the blood and with hs arms and hands benumbed the man must have left the trail to go in search of fuel for a fire.

No trace of him could be found the next day (early last week) and the wind had obliterated any trail which he might have made.

It is stated that the man was a French Canadian but his name could not be learned.

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