With sincere regret we learn of the passing of J. R. Mathews, chief Engineer of the Steamer Yukon, on Sept. 8, in the Hudson Stuck Memorial Hospital at Ft. Yukon, Alaska. Mr. Mathews entered the Fairbanks Hospital early in July. He thought he had recovered sufficiently to return to his steamer, but was again forced to enter the hospital at Ft. Yukon in the early part of August. Mrs. Mathews came to Ft. Yukon by boat and plane from Seattle and it was hoped he would be able to travel outside. Advices from Ft. Yukon are to the effect that the remains will be sent outside for interment.
Joseph Robert Mathews, familiarly called "Joe" by all the old timers in
Alaska and Yukon, was born in Iowa City, Iowa, 69 years ago. He came to St. Michael in 1899 as an engineer in the service of the Alaska Commercial Co., which position he held until 1901, when he joined the Northern Navigation Co. From 1905 to 1912 he worked for the Northern Commercial Co., Fairbanks, Alaska, in charge of construction work and the Fairbanks Power Plant. He joined the N.N. Co. again in 1912 as Port Engineer at St. Michael, and continued in that capacity with the American Yukon Navigation Co. when they took over the N. N. Co. in the spring of 1914. When the lower river steamboat operations were curtailed in 1924, he became the Chief Engineer of the Steamer Yukon, which position he has held ever since.
Few could excel Joe Mathews in any form of mechanical work. In his spare
time he took up the carving of ivory and became an expert in the manufacture of ivory and gold jewelry and beautiful and artistic lamps. He was prominent in all the pioneer organizations, especially the Arctic Brotherhood, and took great delight in gathering the materials in the North for the annual Alaska-Yukon Pioneers' Ass'n. dinner in Seattle.
Wherever Joe went he made firm friends. With his wonderful collection of northern photos, northern stories and ivory novelties, he was an inimitable raconteur and entertainer. Raised on the "code" of the West and North, his quick wit always pierced through shams and pretense, but his kind heart and purse were always open to those who were down on their luck. When Joe was Port Engineer in St. Michael in 1915, he received the following telegram from Fairbanks: "There she goes, catch her and send her back." Joe scratched his head and said, "I know what's happened; that damn bridge at Fairbanks has gone out." They couldn't stick Joe: he thought too fast.
It's very hard to realize that Joe has left us. Here at Whitehorse we
will miss him in the spring and in the fall and in the columns of the Alaska Weekly; Joe, with the ready handclasp and hearty laught; but when Joe had to go, we believe he was glad to be North of the Arctic Circle, and we hope that he will find the "Mother Lode" in Valhalla, with all the Sourdoughs who have gone on that last stampede.
To his family the sincere sympathy of this community is extended.
