April 17, 1906:
The Daily Evening Star (Whitehorse, Y.T.), Tuesday, April 17, 1906
Captain Fitz Horrigan is authority for the statement that a meeting will
be held at Caribou tomorrow night for the founding and organizing of a Ten Thousand club, the object being to work for a population for that place of 10,000 inhabitants by the year 1910.
We are sorry to learn that there is some strife among the people there as
to what figure to name for the population four years hence. Jim Scott thinks it should be 32,000, Dick Brittain is holding out for 15,000, Leo Simmons thinks 20,000 would be almost right, J. H. Fickardt says it is foolish to place it at less than 30,000, while Wert Hansborough, who is a nephew of Col. Conrad, says 200,000 will be much nearer the figure.
However, Captain Horrigan is to be allowed to fix the number, the understanding being that if he falls short, he is to contribute six months. salary to a
home for superanuated Indians and also turn over the title of High Muckamuck to any one whom the citizens may select to reign in his stead.
April 23, 1906: "The meeting to organize the 'Ten Thousand Club' will be held this evening. Officers will be elected, and Capt. Fitz Horrigan is busy making all arrangements for a hy-yu time. A full report of the meeting will be sent you next week." (The Daily Evening Star)
April 25, 1906: A lengthy report was made on the inaugural meeting of the 'Ten Thousand Club' at Carcross. Inspector Fitz Horrigan was elected Honorary President, and made a stirring address. Read the entire article here. (The Daily Evening Star)
May 11, 1906: "Captain Fitz Horrigan came down from Carcross yesterday evening on an official and pleasure trip." (The Weekly Star)
May 25, 1906: "Captain Fitz Horrigan returned to his post at Carcross yesterday after spending two weeks at the police hospital here where he was treated for a refractory ancle which Dr. Pare bas persuaded to resume its regular duties." (The Weekly Star)
June 22, 1906: "Bumped into The Law. Having partaken too freely of Conrad and Carcross oil of joy, Violet De Vere and Beatrice Collins, a couple of soiled doves, proceded to paint the latter town a brilliant vermillion last Tuesday night. They were arrested and taken to the town bastile where they underwent the sobering-up process until next morning when accompanied by their dark brown tastes, they were taken before Inspector Fitz Horrigan who gave them an option of paying $10 and costs each or of spending 30 days in jail at hard labor. The money was forthcoming.
Chas. Smith and Gustave Gervais were each fined $10 and costs at Conrad City recently for assault, Inspector Horrigan on the bench." (The Weekly Star)
June 29, 1906: On a page of news from Conrad City, "Major Snyder, Inspector Fitz Horrigan and Yukon Councilman Robert Lowe spent a day or two in the city last week. Mr. Lowe intends to put up a fine building here next month." (The Weekly Star)
July 27, 1906: "After spending several days here, during which time he was a close observer of the customs of townspeople, Captain Fitz Horrigan returned to his post at Carcross on Tuesday." (The Weekly Star)
August 17, 1906: "A farewell was tendered Mr. and Mrs. Simmons at Carcross Wednesday night which was attended by practically everybody in town. Captain Fitz
Horrigan was master of ceremonies. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons were made the recipients of lovely presents as tokens of esteem 1n which they are held by the Carcrose people." Leo Simmons was deputy collectors of customs at Log Cabin and Carcross for many years - they are moving to Vancouver, where he has been assigned a better position. (The Weekly Star)
August 17, 1906: "Dame Rumor saith that the matrimonial craze has struck Carcross and that Captain Fitz Horrigan is swimming around the hook and showing symptoms of nibbling at the bait. As no 'affidavy' accompanies the report, we cannot vouch for its truthfulness. (The Weekly Star)
September 14, 1906: "Captain Fitz Horrigan was here from Carcrose from Friday until Tuesday. He vigorously denies the report that he is conducting a matrimonial bureau at Carcross, but says he is willing to patronize such an ininstry if anyone else will start it." (The Weekly Star)
November 2, 1906: "Fred Pare, checking clerk at the depot for the past six months, left yesterday for a few days' visit with Captain Fitz Horrigan at Carcross." (The Weekly Star)
December 15, 1906: "Capt. Fitz J. Horrigan, in charge of the mounted police at Caribou, arrived in town last night and will leave for the south on the Amur this afternoon." (The Daily Alaskan)
December 27, 1906:
The Evening Journal (Edmonton, Alberta), Thursday, December 27, 1906
RABBITS ARE SICK
Vancouver, Dec. 27 - News of a strange malady, whieh has broken out among the wild rabbits in the north was brought to the city by Capt. J. Fitz-Horrigan, of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, who was recently in command at Carcross. Y.T. "The wild rabbits that are usually so plentiful in the North are being almost exterminated this season by some strange affliction that is carrying them off in large numbers." said Capt. Fitz-Horrigan. Of course every seven years the rabbits become very scarce through some
sickness that seems to kill them off by thousands. But this season around Carcross hundreds have been found dead that upon examination were seen to be afflicted with large
tumors which were growing on their bodies. Every one up north is at a loss to account for the strange growth, which bids fair to totally exterminate these animals, which have been a valuable source of food in the north.
December 31, 1906: "Capt. Fitz J. Horrigan returned on the Amur from a trip to Seattle and other points." (The Daily Alaskan)
1907
January 18, 1907:
The Weekly Star (Whitehorse, Y.T.), Friday, January 18, 1907
Nothing Doing
Captain Fitz Horrigan, R. N. W. M. P., returned Wednesday evening from
a visit of nearly two months duration to Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle. He greatly improved in heaith while away but he failed to make good his promise not to return alone. He saye he will do better next time but his friends are rapidly losing confidence in his
promises.
With the captain in the future it will be a case of "seeing is believing."
Captain Horrigan returned to his detachment at Carcross today.
April 12, 1907: "Captain Fitz Horrigan returned Saturday to Carcross where he set his house in order and on Monday came back to this place where he will be located indefinitely. Dr. Pare accompanied the captain to Carcross. They visited Conrad City Sunday." (The Weekly Star)
April 12, 1907: "Welcomed Back. The return of Inspector Fitz Horrigan, Royal N. W. M. P., from Carcross where he has been stationed for the past 18 months, to the division headquarters at this place, is welcomed by his long list of friends. While at Carcross Inspector Horrigan was also in charge of the Conrad City detachment and acted as police magistrate at both places where he established an enviable reputation as a fearless upholder of the law and as a fair and equitable dispenser of justice." (The Weekly Star)
May 31, 1907: "Inspector Fitz Horrigun was not in town for the celebration, his official duties requiring his presence at Champagne Landing on the Klaune trail. Had the inspector been in town, however, it is not at all likely that he would have placed anything where he would have lost it as he is loyal to his own." (The Weekly Star)
August 23, 1907: "Jolly Dinner Party. Inspector Fitz Horrigan gave a dinner party to a few friends at his quarters at the barracks Sunday evening. His guests were R. C. Miller, Dr. Pare, Geo. Armstrong, J. M. Murray, Fred Pare and E. J. White. As host, Inspector Horrigan is certainly there with the 'goods.' (The Weekly Star)
1908
August 11, 1908: Lengthy articles in The Daily Province (Vancouver - August 11), The Evening Journal (Edmonton - August 15), Victoria Daily Times (Victoria - August 25), and The Sun (New York - September 7) described a threatened war between the Pelly and Blind Creek Indians that was averted by the actions of Inspector Horrigan. Three of those four articles can be read here (the articles in The Province and Journal are identical). This event was not mentioned in the Yukon newspapers.
September 11, 1908: The Weekly Star published a fairly lengthy story about Fitz and his 12-pound turnip. It says more about Stroller White than about Inspector Horrigan, but we thought it was worth posting anyway - you can read it here.
1910
August 26, 1910:
The Weekly Star (Whitehorse, Y.T.), Friday, August 26, 1910
Major Perry, commissioner of the Royal N. W. M. P., arrived Monday from his headquarters, Regina, Saskatchewan, and left the same evening for Dawson, accompanied by Major Wood, assistant commissioner who came from Dawson to this place to meet him, and Major Snyder.
Major Perry is in Yukon to determine on certain changes which are contemplated in the official roster of the force in this territory. It has been reported for sometime that Major Wood will be changed from Dawson to the outside where he will be attached to the head office at Regina. The same report had it that Major Snyder who has been here for the past ten years, will be moved to Dawson, he being next in rank to Major Wood, and that an inspector, possibly John McDonald or Fitz Horrigan, the latter now at
Dawson, will be placed in charge here, vice Major Snyder.
On Major Perry's return from Dawson the latter part of next week the
contemplated changes in the official roster of the force will be announced.
October 14, 1910: "Lucky Percival. Jack Percival of Dawson was the lucky holder of the ticket which drew the beautiful silver set recently raffled at the Catholic bazaar at this place. A number of tickets were sent to Captain Fitz Horrigan at Dawson and Percival was the purchaser of the lucky one, No. 179." (The Weekly Star)
November 4, 1910: The Weekly Star published another story by Stroller White about Fitz, this time about his garden in Dawson City - you can read it here.
1911
December 20, 1911: "Mr. Arthur Wilson, administrator of the Yukon, will arrive in Vancouver shortly, and Capt. Fitz Horrigan, formerly of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, has been appointed as the new administrator." (The Daily Province, Vancouver)
December 22, 1911: "His Excellency Fitz Horrigan. Captain Fitz Horrigan is now acting as administrator of Yukon Territory. Why not make the appointment permanent?" (The Weekly Star)
1912
May 10, 1912:
The Weekly Star (Whitehorse, Y.T.), Friday, May 10, 1912
The following from the Dawson Daily News of April 23rd will be read with regret by Major Fitz Horrigan's many friends. If he would only return to Whitehorse to live and spend his declining years we would take better care of him than they do at Dawson:
"Major F. J. Horrigan, commanding the Royal Northwest Mounted Police of
Yukon was injured severely this morning. He was on top of a high pile of wood, making inspection, when the pile broke down at one side, and threw the major over with it. Several heavy sticks sixteen feet long and four to eight inches in diameter rolled over the major.
"The smaller bone of the right forearm was broken and several severe
bruises were sustained on various parts of the body. A hard blow also was suffered on the head. However, none of the blows seem dangerous, and the major will probably be out in three or four days. He is in St. Mary's hospital. It will require some time for the bone
of the fractured arm to knit, but this will not prevent the major walking about soon. He is resting easily today, and not receiving any callers. The physician deems it best for the major to have absolute quiet for a day or two at least.
"The accident occurred at 11 o'clock this morning. The major was inspecting the extensive woodyards at the barracks in company with acting Sergeant-Major Evans. In order to get a better view of the long pile of sixteen-foot wood the major mounted the pile at one end, nimbly leaping to the top. Just as he stepped to one edge the pile gave way and he was thrown forward among the rolling sticks. Several of them rolled over him and it was lucky that he was not more severely injured. The acting sergeant-major immediately assisted the major to his feet, when he found that he was able to stand as usual, but that that the right arm was badly hurt. The major walked to his quarters and shortly afterward, in company with Captain Telford, was taken in the police carriage to the hospital."
August 9, 1912:
The Weekly Star (Whitehorse, Y.T.), Friday, August 9, 1912
Major John D. Moody, accompanied by his wife, arrived Friday on the way
from Regina, headquarters of the Royal N. W. M. P., to Dawson, where he will relieve Major Fitz J. Horrigan as chief officer of the force in Yukon. Major Moody was in Yukon in 1898, coming in via the Edmonton route for the purpose of demonstrating the "All Canadian route" which failed to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the average argonaut. He came across the country and landed at Selkirk, leaving at once for the outside without going to Dawson. He is a veteran in the service and has an enviable record as both official and man.
On turning over the office to Maj. Moody, Maj. Horrigan will leave for the outside after twelve years residence in Yukon where he has hosts of friends who deeply regret his departure. During the past winter Major Horrigan served in the capacity of acting commissioner of Yukon territory for several months and in that capacity he demonstrated the efficiency which has characterized him in all his responsibilities.
Major Horrigan was stationed at Whitehorse for seven years and Whitehorse has always claimed him as one of her most treasured assets. He will probably spend several days here on his way to the outside.
August 16, 1912: Two articles in The Weekly Star described the good-byes to Major Horrigan at Dawson and Whitehorse. Read both of them here.
This page is under construction...
1920
March 3, 1920: Major Fitz Horrigan died in Honolulu, where he had gone to try to regain his health. See 6 newspaper articles about his death and funeral, some quite lengthy, at "The death of Fitzpatrick Joseph 'Fitz' Horrigan."
