tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.comments2024-01-20T16:49:46.154-08:00Soapy Smith's Soap BoxJeff Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comBlogger707125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-80674699475958166532023-03-03T16:33:17.334-08:002023-03-03T16:33:17.334-08:00Hello, Anonymous. You are correct that Deadwood is...Hello, Anonymous. You are correct that Deadwood is not a fictional city. I believe the author meant that the story told was fictional, even though it's based on real events. Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-46814253095038440342023-03-03T16:10:01.061-08:002023-03-03T16:10:01.061-08:00Deadwood is not a fictional city. Deadwood is not a fictional city. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-76963926352990558342023-02-13T16:30:37.192-08:002023-02-13T16:30:37.192-08:00Hi, Anonymous. Decoration Day was not a federal ho...Hi, Anonymous. Decoration Day was not a federal holiday and most towns decided on their own when they wanted to celebrate it. <br /><br />There are several sources for the date of May 1st:<br /><br />1) The Skaguay Military Company ribbon (made for the May 1 parade and celebration page 499, Alias Soapy Smith) that Soapy sent to his wife is dated May 1, 1898 (see https://soapysmiths.blogspot.com/2016/06/soapy-smith-in-skagway-alaska-may-1-1898.html).<br /><br />2) The parade and speeches afterwards are reported in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on May 9, 1898. Two Denver newspapers have reports on May 24, 1898, BEFORE May 30. As it took about five days for ships to reach Seattle from Skagway a parade date of May 4 would seem to be the latest possible date, if the newspaper published the report immediately. (see pages 500-01, Alias Soapy Smith. <br /><br />I would guess that the May 1 date was decided upon because of the mass patriotic excitement over the war with Spain, declared in April. Soapy created his private militia and was likely eager to show them off, improving his image in Skagway. There was also news and predictions that the war would soon be over. There was no time to wait if Soapy and the town wanted to take advantage of the war. Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-3021081885621926332023-02-13T16:05:46.470-08:002023-02-13T16:05:46.470-08:00The May 27, 1898 issue of the Seattle Post-Intelli...The May 27, 1898 issue of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has an article about the upcoming Decoration Day activities scheduled in Alaska for May 30, including at Skagway: <br /><br />“Arrangements are being made all over Alaska to celebrate Memorial Day. At Juneau, Sitka, Wrangell, and Skagway arrangements for a fitting memorial have been made . . . At Skagway the services will be held in a theater which has been tendered for the purpose. There are forty old soldiers at Skagway, and two are buried in the cemetery.”<br /><br />Since this Skagway photo is labeled Decoration Day it seems pretty likely the photo was taken on May 30 when the event happened don’t you think?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-70087521134440992892022-08-19T16:50:07.729-07:002022-08-19T16:50:07.729-07:00Sorry, apparently my last response was not publish...Sorry, apparently my last response was not published. Who was "F. M?"<br />Jeff Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-79409582877901363142022-08-18T18:12:52.541-07:002022-08-18T18:12:52.541-07:00So who was F. M? Thank you!So who was F. M? Thank you!Jeff Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-21501361827000150732022-08-18T01:13:38.246-07:002022-08-18T01:13:38.246-07:00I know who "F. M." was...I know who "F. M." was...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-54370712894660695622022-08-05T20:27:23.217-07:002022-08-05T20:27:23.217-07:00Go to this sites search engine and search "Ed...Go to this sites search engine and search "Ed Burns" and others you might be interested in. Know that the search engine does not list in any particular order, so the last listing may be the best!Jeff Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-4014120525286153052022-08-05T18:11:04.714-07:002022-08-05T18:11:04.714-07:00I’m interested in knowing more about these guys. E...I’m interested in knowing more about these guys. Especially Ed Burns Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-54407516096064578892022-07-23T20:44:00.478-07:002022-07-23T20:44:00.478-07:00Love this family lore, thank you!Love this family lore, thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-53740151236856762282022-01-20T20:16:43.117-08:002022-01-20T20:16:43.117-08:00I saw both stories thank you I saw both stories thank you Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042423942197620445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-74521427984455283262022-01-19T19:51:24.099-08:002022-01-19T19:51:24.099-08:00Oops, the Ripley's story is right a the top.Oops, the Ripley's story is right a the top.Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-70385069310185556192022-01-19T19:49:09.684-08:002022-01-19T19:49:09.684-08:00Thank you for commenting. Did you see the Ripley&#...Thank you for commenting. Did you see the Ripley's believe it or not story on the skull?Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-17880796124698781972022-01-19T18:35:52.302-08:002022-01-19T18:35:52.302-08:00By the way I have a picture from the 80's I wo...By the way I have a picture from the 80's I would love to share but I don't know how to upload itAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042423942197620445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-85271594715166099192022-01-19T18:32:34.670-08:002022-01-19T18:32:34.670-08:00By the way I have a picture from the 80's I wo...By the way I have a picture from the 80's I would love to share but I don't know how to upload itAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042423942197620445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-1438359031893466732022-01-19T18:31:26.527-08:002022-01-19T18:31:26.527-08:00Brings back memories when I worked on board the Su...Brings back memories when I worked on board the Sun Princess during the 80'sAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042423942197620445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-42263308583717032812021-12-09T10:34:09.378-08:002021-12-09T10:34:09.378-08:00The permanent residents of Skagway, during the gol...The permanent residents of Skagway, during the gold rush, was primarily the business owners and their family. Many moved their stores back and forth between Skagway, Dyea, and Dawson, thus some stores only lasted in business for a short period.<br /><br />I have been researching for near 40 years and have been fortunate in tracing down many of Soapy's friends and colleagues in that time.Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-82599805908876115072021-12-08T20:28:43.595-08:002021-12-08T20:28:43.595-08:00It's a fascinating history. I am presuming Ska...It's a fascinating history. I am presuming Skagway was like most frontier and boom towns will most residents staying a brief time. Tracking down witnesses, friends, colleagues of Soapy must have been very difficult. Especially if most of Soapy's pals were crooks and thieves and plying their trade all over the West.Gerard Saylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00289822422163685990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-27779153582255339572021-11-03T07:08:01.175-07:002021-11-03T07:08:01.175-07:00Indeed he did! He desperately tried to show the go...Indeed he did! He desperately tried to show the good side his father had, while trying to clean-up the bad side. He was nine years old when his father met his demise. No son wants to see their father as a "badman," and that sentiment carried over into the grandchildren. I remember my father's back-and-forth mental battles over the history of his grandfather, having learned everything from his father. As the new generations have replaced the older ones, the truth has become more important than protecting "Soapy's" name. That truth does contain a good side to the man. In my own life, I use Soapy's story as a lesson to the current and future generations. On the side column I have the quote I authored just for Soapy: "Upon the world he made his mark, and from him we learn how not to be one." Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-28847533822061948392021-11-03T06:12:42.565-07:002021-11-03T06:12:42.565-07:00It sounds like his son was chasing his father'...It sounds like his son was chasing his father's ghost his entire life from '98 on. Not uncommon, I suppose, for someone who loses a parent at a young age.Gerard Saylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00289822422163685990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-5426257273046245032021-07-20T19:23:06.368-07:002021-07-20T19:23:06.368-07:00It's a stereoview card in my personal collecti...It's a stereoview card in my personal collection. I forget where I found it. I've been collecting since the 1970s. There are some great shots of Larimer Street, between 14th and 18th streets. Thanks for responding! Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-3446233958187091062021-07-20T19:06:16.886-07:002021-07-20T19:06:16.886-07:00The image was from a stereoptican slide. Where did...The image was from a stereoptican slide. Where did you find it? I have a similar shot of Larimer St. that may have been taken around the same time.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00928326491561795265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-64061047074812802142021-07-08T11:13:02.992-07:002021-07-08T11:13:02.992-07:00Thanks Art. Makes one wonder what else might be ou...Thanks Art. Makes one wonder what else might be out there waiting to be "discovered."Jeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-12367904592406983222021-07-08T10:25:48.457-07:002021-07-08T10:25:48.457-07:00Thanks for the interesting update. It's great ...Thanks for the interesting update. It's great to have a sleuth like you looking for the right puzzle pieces to fill out historical pictures. ArtAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00186817718869959474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127229959267257059.post-23265493417040746062021-02-08T14:25:52.836-08:002021-02-08T14:25:52.836-08:00Thank you for sharing that, Paul. Wish I could hav...Thank you for sharing that, Paul. Wish I could have seen that building before it was razed in 1960. ~JeffJeff Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680146273701688630noreply@blogger.com