Margeson/Benedict trip. Gold Hunters, p. 9; Signed testimonial for Hub Clothing Company, Seattle P-I 2/20/98; Elected coroner for inquest for two men killed in 4/30/98 avalanche, Bourke Journal, ms. p. 34 and Coroner’s report depicting death Joseph Fournier et al. on Valdez Glacier, 5/2/98; Discovered claim Mineral Creek Area, 6/20/98 with H.D. Bartlett, F.W. Hoyt, H.E. L. King, H. Smith, C.B.. Smith, J.W. Smith, and W.S. Baken. Filed 3/17/99. VMDR, p. 65, 102, 105, 106, 119; Location Notice for claim on Mineral Creek with I. Rice, S.J. Bartlett, Barb Cauvey, Otis Moore, Mrs. W.M. Smith, J.A. Smith, J.D. Smith, C.B. Smith 6/28/98, in VMDR, p. 105; At Lake Klutina, Smith’s boat named “the Humdinger”, King letter, 7/17/98 in Norwalk Evening Hour, 8/10/98; Locator, No. 17 above canyon on Manker Creek, 7/27/98, witnesses Margeson & Sweet,TMDR, p. 73; C.J.M. [Messer] has just returned from prospecting trip with C.B. Smith of Stamford CT (a shoe seller well known in New England); H. Smith (New York City ice dealer); N.D. Benedict of Litchfield CT (a photographer); Luther Wait of Ipswich MA (a former postmaster); and Harry H. Sweet of Hornersville [sic] N.Y. (engineer on the Erie Railroad). Notes the effects of rumors and high hopes. For two days some good-looking dirt made him a wealthy man in his own mind, but “then came the man with nitric acid.” long letter with much additional information. C.J.M. letter 7-14 to 9/5 in Boston Evening Transcript, 9/17/98; Donated to building relief station on Valdez Glacier, Sept. 1898. Bourke notes. CS1; Elected to Valdez Trustees, 10/10/98. Minutes; Location Notice 9/4/1899: W. R. Abercrombie, C.P. Smith, J. C. Black, Phil Blumauer, J.J. Abercrombie, Louis Blumauer Cutsina [Kotsina] River near Mt. Blackburn, ML, Bk.3 (Bks.J&F), p. 44;
In Valdez between 6/11/1900-6/26/1900, C1900;
Left for Slate Creek with Hayden and Black, 6/26/1901, TVN, 1:17. 6/29/01; returned from interior, brought out $2,000 in gold dust. TVN. 1:27. 9/07/01; p. 4; Signs as U.S. Court Commissioner, Dec. 12, 1900. Deeds Book A, p. 186.