HUDSON HOTEL

LICENSED PREMISES

*

SMITHERS, British Columbia

L. SANDOR, Proprietor

FULLY MODERN IN EVERY RESPECT ROOMS WITH AND WITHOUT BATH—SAMPLE ROOMS

With the dance hall “ladies” who served drinks and danced with visi- tors it was their duty first to ascertain how much money their partners possessed, tip off some heeler, and the entire machinery of the organization was brought to work to despoil them.

Robberies, Hold-Ups and Murders

Robberies, hold-ups and murders became daily occurrences, and in- variably went unpunished since the culprits were always shielded. So serious did the crime situation become that there was talk of martial law and of the United States troops being brought over from Dyea, five miles away. But “Soapy” merely laughed. “We've got ’em licked,” he confided

LEACH BROS.

HERB BILL ARCHIE Groceries and Provisions Fresh Fruits and Vegetables FROZEN FOOD LOCKERS SMITHERS BRITISH COLUMBIA

SMITHERS GARAGE LTD.

General Motors Dealers Chevrolet Specialists Chevrolet “Wels, GOs OF sis IORI” SMITHERS, B.C.

-STEWART’S DRESS SHOP

ANNA C. STEWART and PAULINE HIBBERD, Proprietors

* SMITHERS B.C.

HOUSTON HOTEL

HARALD HAGMAN, President and Manager

LICENSED PREMISES

to his cronies. “We rule the roost, and what’s more, we’re going to keep on ruling it !”

Small wonder that amongst the decent and long-suffering citizenry, forced to tolerate this gangster rule in the name of law and order, there developed be- hind an outward show of acqui- esence, a rapidly growing feeling of revolt, a feeling that needed but place and opportunity to flame into a thundering volcano of violence.

As the dominating figure in Skag- way, and king of the local under- world, “Soapy” faced the dual prob- lem of protecting the lawless while, at the same time, placating as far as lay in his power the respectable ele- ment in the community.

His policy was to protect his own gang of confidence-men, crooks and harpies, whose graft and_ tribute flowed in an ever-widening stream of gold-dust into his headquarters at “Jeff's Place,” while frowning on the hordes of unattached and “disre- putable” gangsters and gunmen who infested the place and hung about the saloons sizing up their prey, dogging them to some dark corner and shoot- ing, or knifing them without com- punction.

While able to some extent to con- trol his own immediate gang he was totally unable to cope with the more disreputable gangster element who, with the boldness of pirates, dogged their victims into the mountain fast- nesses, murdered them without hesita- tion, and squandered the spoils in the honkey-tonks and dives of the town.

Skagway Roughest in World

“The town of Skagway,” reported

Colonel Sam Steel of the North West

Mounted Police, as he passed through on Feb. 14, 1898, to take command of the Yukon, “is the roughest place in the world. Gambling hells, dance halls and variety theatres are in full swing. ‘Soapy’ Smith and his gang of 150 ruffians runs the town and does what he pleases . . . Robbery and murder occur daily. People come here with money and, next morning,

Bulkley Valley Collieries Limited Supplying the Interior with Household and Industrial Coal of Superior Quality

* TELKWA B.C.

Bulkley Valley Store

Central Selling Aency for Bulkley Valley Farm Produce

General Merchandise * TELKWA, BRITISH COLUMBIA

EBY’S HARDWARE

SHELF AND HEAVY HARDWARE S to 25 CENT DEPARTMENT

DRY GOODS x

SMITHERS BRITISH COLUMBIA

VORUUERURCUPEUEDUCCOOSCSCUCSEOECOESEOSCCEREEENTEUECCASECERECLSESECEOOESIOT

Fully Modern in Every Respect

MUDEUAUUNTOUEUSUSESEAOUSSN SECO ASSET SANDENTS SS TERETE GUSSE LONDEN EOETLED 2)

Rooms With and Without Bath COFFEE SHOP IN CONNECTION

TOPLEY HOTEL AND GENERAL STORE FULLY MODERN Gateway to Babine Landing TOPLEY, B:C.

HOUSTON BRITISH COLUMBIA

deBolebee and Carter, Props.

Page Fourteen THE SHOULDER STRAP