The Dawson News of March 21 contains the following sad account of an
aged couple of that place, who were evidently overtaken by death in a little frequented part of the country.
"Evidences have been found that Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt, of Dawson, perished
somewhere on. Russell glacier, at the head of White river. The old couple left here three winters ago. The last seen of them was when they left the camp of copper prospectors at the North Fork island, on the head of the White. James Kingston, who has just returned from that vicinity, brings word that a roll of blankets and a rifle were found last fall on Russell glacier which are supposed to have belonged to the Schmidts. Bob Wiley, extensive holder of claims on the upper White, found the rifle and blankets while on the way out. The story did not get into general circulation, it seems at the time of the finding. Mr. Kingston says that from what he could hear at North Fork Island this month when he was there, was that Wiley came across the rifle and blankets about the middle of the glacier.
"Russel glacier is many miles in length and it requires an entire day for a good musher to cross it from the White river side to the Copper river side. Wiley, it is understood, could find no other stray articles or signs of human beings having been in the vicinity, but felt confident that the blankets were the same as the Schmidts had. The
blankets had been exposed so long they were practically worthless and were left on the glacier. The rifle was picked up and brought back to North Fork Island Those who have seen it there say itis similar to the one Schmidt carried on leaving there with his wife to cross the glacier.
"Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt lived in Dawson for years. Mrs. Schmidt became well known here in a long, spectacular fight which she made against the Yukon Gold company running a flume over a quartz claim which she held on the hill near the slide back of Dawson. She and Schmidt left here three years ago for the head of the White with a horse
drawing a single sleigh. They were a long time making the head of the river, and on arriving there had no food or supplies. The miners gave them enough to cross to the Copper river side, but even then advised them of the great danger of crossing at that time of the
year. The old couple insisted on crossing and pushed ahead alone. It is feared by the prospectors of the district that they lost their way on the glacier, lay down their blankets and gun to reconnoiter, and wandered into a crevasse and there perished.
"Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt left two daughters who are with the Catholic sisters in Seattle, and who have made inquiries at various times for traces of their parents since leaving the White, but hitherto without success."
