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1997 - 1998
Centennial Celebration
of the
Klondike Gold Rush
& The Demise of Soapy Smith
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| Plaque at spot where Soapy Smith died |
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PART
ONE
The centennial (100 years) celebration of the Klondike Gold
Rush took place in Seattle, Washington, Juneau & Skagway, Alaska and Canada between the years 1996 - 1998. The Smith family
was invited to participate as representatives of Soapy Smith in Seattle and Skagway.
Reenactments
and official events for the centennial began August 12, 1996, exactly 100 years after the discovery of gold in the
Yukon. Although Soapy had traveled to Alaska in 1896 our participation did not begin until 1997.
| Jeff Brady of the Skagway News |
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| Brady walks the gang plank with Yukon gold |
1997
Jeff Smith was involved early
on with plans being made in Seattle, Washington and Skagway, Alaska. He loaned the Washington State Museum in Tacoma, several
artifacts for their exhibition display on Soapy and his connection to the gold rush. Jeff was also on the Seattle docks on
July 19, 1997, when the Spirit of 98 reenacted the arrival of the first boat load of miners and gold from the Klondike, starting
the gold rush stampede. The ship had just completed a full trip reenactment of the voyage from Skagway, Alaska carrying nearly
two tons of gold, the amount the original miners had with them in 1897.
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| The REAL gold was well guarded |
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| Jeff attempts Seattle's finest |
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Jeff
Smith worked the crowds and even tried to "win" some of the gold
from one of the security men guarding the two tons of gold but the North West Mounted Police who had come with the
gold from the Klondike quickly put a damper on his activities.
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Jeff Smith met sculpture artist Pat McVay who had been commissioned
by the city of Seattle to create a series of statues representing important figures of Seattle at the time of the gold rush.
Naturally Soapy had his hand in the underworld of Seattle and was one of Pat's creations, "There is a carnival-like
arcade at one entrance, and that's where we put Soapy," recalled Pat McVay.
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In 1996 well known author, Sue Henry (Murder on the Iditarod Trail) was writing, Death
Takes Passage, a fictional murder mystery novel based around the reenactment of the two tons of gold transported aboard
the ship, Spirit of 98 from Skagway, Alaska to Seattle, Washington in 1997. The original passenger list included Jeff Smith
and Sue Henry contacted Jeff for information and permission to use him as a suspect character in the murder mystery that takes
place on the ship. Unfortunately Jeff’s commitments with the museum in Tacoma, Washington prevented him from taking
the voyage. The book came out in 1998 with Jeff’s character included. Fictional character, Alaska state trooper Alex Jensen is placed in charge of the ton of real
gold being used in the reenactment aboard the ship. In a master-mind attempt to steal the gold, and place
blame elsewhere, there are a series of unexplained robberies, along with the disappearance and probable murder of a ship crew
member. Trooper Alex is placed in the position of unraveling the crime before all hell breaks loose. Jeff Smith writes, I play myself in the book, a reenacting
passenger who portrays his great grandfather, infamous outlaw Soapy Smith. I am there to speak on Soapy and then perform some
of his old swindles with my tri-pod and keister. In one such episode, a watch, that was stolen the day prior, falls out of
my keister in front of everybody. My character is the intended target of a set-up, to draw attention away from the real crime.
The robbery of the ton of gold. I spoke with Sue Henry at great length
while she was writing the book. She did a wonderful job describing me. At first my character was to be partially involved
with the robbery. I really liked the idea, but she was very concerned with legal issues, so innocent I am.
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No images
or text may be used without prior written consent.
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