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| "Soapy Smith" poses for photographs with tourists Skagway, Alaska August 1947 Photo by Richard Huston |
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n March 24, 2013 I posted on author Richard Huston's book, A Silver Camp Called Creede: A Century of Mining (2005). Since then, I was able to track down Mr. Huston and had a few very interesting conversations with him. His book of the Creede mines is very thorough so I was unable to obtain any additional information, minus where I might go to investigate more about the mines Soapy Smith held interests in. However, in speaking with Mr. Huston he offered to copy and sent me the Soapy related pages of the book, Creede, by Nolie Mumey. In finding out that I am related to Soapy he mentioned that he had visited Skagway in August 1948. Along with the xeroxed book pages he sent along the four photographs you see here.
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| Soapy and members of his gang face down the vigilantes Skagway, Alaska August 1947 Photo by Richard Huston |
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| Broadway, looking north Skagway, Alaska August 1947 Photo by Richard Huston |
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| East of Broadway, looking north Skagway, Alaska August 1947 Photo by Richard Huston |
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Thank you very much Mr. Huston, for sharing!
"The criminal element had the advantage of being thoroughly organized and armed, and skillfully led by a man named “Soapy” Smith, who was the uncrowned King of Skaguay. He was not a constitutional monarch, but his word was all the law there was. [Thus,] the criminal element … had things all their own way, until the railroad builders began to oppose them on behalf of decency and order, and to form a nucleus round which the law-abiding element could rally."
— Samuel H. Graves, president of the White Pass and Yukon Railway
Alias Soapy Smith, p. 524.
APRIL 28
1635: Virginia Governor John Harvey is removed from office for treason.
1788: Maryland becomes the seventh state to ratify the Constitution.
1818: President James Monroe proclaims naval disarmament on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.
1868: Negotiations to end the war with Indian chief Red Cloud at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. As agreed troops in the Powder River region are removed, in return for cessation of Indian raids.
1876: The gold camp of Deadwood, Dakota Territory is founded.
1878: During the Lincoln County War of New Mexico Territory, Marion Turner and John Jones organize the Seven Rivers gang to fight John Chisum. On a ride into Lincoln they shoot Frank McNab and Ab Sanders, and capture Frank Coe.
1880: Cooney, New Mexico Territory is raided by Apache chief Victorio. Apache raids in the territory have claimed the lives of twelve settlers since April 20.
1881: Court guards, Robert Ollinger and James Bell are shot dead in the Lincoln County courthouse, New Mexico Territory by Billy the Kid during a successful jailbreak.
1896: The Addressograph was patented by J. S. Duncan.
On FaceBook, Betsy Albecker tells me that the,
ReplyDelete"Man in the white hat is Jack Kirmse with his Gold Nugget Watch chain, largest nugget chain in the world. He showed it off at the old 'Days of 98' show for a zillion years."
Jack Kirmse was a Skagway store proprietor. You can read more about him at the following LINK:
Thank you Betsy.