Chilkoot Pass
Note that the scribe for Chilkoot Pass thinks he’s funny – “Source: Crawfordsville Review 25 June 1898 p 2 – “Chilkoot Pass” B. Have Wilson Saturdayed over at Ladoga last week. H. Darwin has had his store room repapered. John Quincy Swanniger did the work. M.G. Peck, the telegraph agent and operator here, made a trip over to Parkersburg. R.U. Ready, our hustling undertaker, has just received a fresh supply of undertaking supplies, and is now prepared better than ever to receive all customers. Office hours, 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. Satisfaction guaranteed. Come early and avoid the rush. The Ice Cream and Strawberry festial at Sister Sarah A. Dixon’s last Wednesday night, a week ago, was the most successful event of the season … wishing Sally many more such happy occasions. In listening to various conversations about town, I observe that a great many people ar ein doubt as to the real existence of such a commonwealth as the “Chilkoot Pass.” I think I can put away all shadow of a doubt from these people’s minds by communicating the following information: the region known to some as “Chilkoot Pass” is bounded as follows: on the north by Harding University and the writer’s residence, on the east by Bill Childer’s lumber factory and saw dust pile on the south by JJ Hick’s keystone fence and Chas. Knight’s poultry yards and on the est by Hoosier’s pond and the setting sun. Do I hear a dissenting voice? .. Ever since the “stab” I received from the New Market scribe two weeks ago, I have scarcely been able to get my thoughts collected and I must say that had it not been for the timely assistance … I desire to make my first impression on the New Market conundrum of two weeks ago. My dear sir, you, the blond, just returned from the southern clime, where no storms ever beat, where the mocking bird sings so sweetly … (continued but I didn’t find it - sorry).
So, it was suggested to me (kbz) that there really was no place in Montgomery County called this that it was the real Yukon / Canadian pass referred to but I think it HAS to be here as well as the people are “almost the right people” and he discusses things going on (sure RU Ready is NOT their undertaker but there were several in the area) – Sister Dixon is probably Sally someone in the community – I got a kick out of the description of where it is – Harding University is likely a school where the writer taught OR his home that is large – there were several Hicks families in the area – JJ is likely Jesse J. Hicks who lived in Lapland (just north of Parkersburg and since he talks about someone going to New Market, near or Parkersburg – no or Ladoga – all near areas for that) so yes, I do believe there was probably an area near Parkersburg where these people lived. This was in the mid 90s but in the Crawfordsville Review 13 Aug 1898 there was an article called “Death of Chilkoot Pass.” Written immediately after death and before burial by one whose whole heart and sympathy were with the deceased, and whose prayers and best wishes were always with him, even unto the end (the “town” or area’s I believe being put to rest in the paper because of people complaining that it was not a REAL town but many of the towns” and place in MoCo weren’t either just kind of places in the road. (read it by clicking) – this article with the title was with all the other little town bleeps such as Browns Valley; Waynetown; Linden … so I believe it was a place of some sort in the Parkersburg area.