Highlights of History from The Whitehorse Star

The Whitehorse Pioneer Cemetery

Friday, August 17, 1906: "Mr. Mrs. Gamble arrived in town Tuesday from Burwash Creek."

Friday, May 3, 1907: "Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gamble left yesterday for Burwash creek where they will engage in developing their mining property."

Friday, November 8, 1907: "Samuel Gamble and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Itjen arrived Friday from Burwash creek where they have been engaged in mining for the past six months. They have been well rewarded for the seasons work."

Friday, October 2, 1908: "Sam Gamble has had a successful season on Burwash and is in town for the winter. Mr. and Mrs. Gamble own several claims on Burwash."

Friday, January 15, 1909: Registered voters - "On Burwash - Frank, Fullerton, Munro, Altemose, Sullivan, McSweeney, Gamble, Clark, Arp, Smith, May, Cluett, Murray, Thorsen - fourteen in all."

Friday, March 5, 1909: "Sam Gamble struck good pay [on Burwash Creek] last year. He owns several claims on the creek and will operate extensively the coming season."

Friday, July 9, 1909: "Sam Gamble is working on the bench on his claim and getting good pay while just above him Shaw and Miller, Dawson miners, have taken a lay on Fullerton's ground and are well pleased with their deal. Altogether about two miles of pay in the deep channel has been located and from results up to date Burwash promises to be the banner creek of the Klondike [should be Kluane]."

Friday, August 27, 1909:

    Wallace Scofield Sugden who arrived Sunday from Silver on Lake Kluane, brought news of the severe illness, when he left a week previous, of Mrs. Sam Gamble of this place but who has been with her husband mining on Burwash creek since last March.

    The day Sugden left Silver, which was Sunday, August 15, Phil Ashmun had just reached there from Burwash for medicine for Mrs. Gamble and he, Ashmun, had brought the word that it was very doubtful if the woman would live until be got back to Burwash, she being at the time he left very low with some disease of the stomach.

    The Gambles are well known here where they have resided for several years. They have been mining on Burwash several years and are said to have cleaned up several thousand dollars last year. They are highly respected people and both of them have always been great workers.

Friday, August 27, 1909: "From Burwash
    Phil Ashmun, Henry Arp, Samuel Gamble and Henry Meyers arrived Wednesday from Burwash, Ashmun and Myers for keeps, and Arp and Gamble for supplies. The musician- printer-miner has sold his interests on Burwash and will leave soon to visit the Seattle fair."

Friday, September 10, 1909: "Henry Arp left Wednesday on his return to Burwash where he is interested with a number of others in mining. Samuel Gamble also returned to Burwash during the week."

Friday, September 24, 1909: "Samuel Gamble who is mining on Burwash, was in town lately for a load of supplies for the winter."

Friday, December 10, 1909: "Body Buried Here
    The remains of Mrs. Gamble, wife of Samuel Gamble, whe died last summer on Burwash creek where they were engaged in mining, were brought to town Saturday evening by Mr. Gamble and Richard Fullerton. The trip in from Burwash was made by dog team.
    The remains were laid to rest in the Whitehorse cemetery Tuesday afternoon, appropriate services being conducted by Rev. A. Roos of the Presbyterian church.

Friday, December 10, 1909:

    Richard Fullerton and Samuel Gamble arrived from Burwash recently, bringing a long poke of gold dust which they took from claim No. 72 which they have been workiog together. They did fairly well during the past season and will resume work on the same property when they return which will be in the near future. Both men have been on Burwash practically ever since it was discovered six years ago and both have taken out considerable money in that time.

    The Clark-Arp-Erickson-Sullivan crowd on Burwash are reported as busy at work laying in a winter's supply of meat, getting wood for their boiler and seeking the elusive paystreak.

    The Jacquots are also busy and will have good returns for their winter's work.

    J. Bones, another pioneer Burwash miner who has stayed with that creek since it had a place on the district map, also came to town several days ago for a load of supplies.

Friday, December 17, 1909: "With The Dog Mushers
    Sam Gamble aud Dick Fullerton left Tuesday for their home on Burwash, where they are engaged in mining. M. E. Bones left yesterday for the same creek. Both outfits travel by dog power.
    Charley Pugsley returned Tuesday evening from a trip to Jarvis river with dogs. He says it was one of the coldest trips he has ever made in the country and Charles has been here since before he had the measles.

Friday, October 20, 1911: "Walter Lamb, John Sullivan and Sam Gamble were in town from the Kluane this week."

Friday, March 5, 1915:

                Whitehorse, Y. T., March 3, 1915.
Editor Star:

    At 3 o'clock today the last of the twenty Kluanite mushers arrived here. They have all made a very creditable showing in their record breaking trek to Whitehorse which was made for the purpose of exercising their franchise at the next Yukon council election to be held at Whitehorse on March 4th, 1915. The oldtime polling district of Kluane was, as they think, questionably eliminated at the eleventh-hour in this election. Consequently arousing the ire of all the electors in that district and, as a result, all those who could leave their work, traps and foxes did so on the spur of the moment and prepared grub, blankets etc. for an immediate hike to Whitehorse so as to be in time to cast their ballot before the closing of the poll.

    The trail was heavy in spots but generally the weather and trail were all that could be desired at this season of the year.

    Following is a list of the voters who formed the party together with the name of the district from which they came and also the number of miles they will have travelled by the time they have returned to their respective cabins:

Richard Fullerton, Big Horn creek, 520
Sam Gamble, Burwash creek, 390
Joe McDonald Burwash creek, 390
Charlie Thorston, Burwash creek, 390
Robert Smith, Burwash creek, 390
Sam May, Burwash creek, 390
Thomas A. Dixon, Dixons Landing, 380
Jean Jacquot, Jacquot Landing, 370
Louis Jacquot, Jacquot Landing, 370
W. Armstrong, Jacquot Landing, 370
Robert Newsom, Silver, 320
Harry J. Page, Silver, 320
Bruce Fisher, Fish creek, 330
George McIntosh, 4th July creek, 300
Hugh McKenzie, 4th July creek, 300
T. A. Kerruish, 4th July creek, 300
Jack Pringle, Dalton Post, 280
George Duke, Marshall, 210
S. A. Simmons, Champagne, 132
Nels Nelson, Champagne, 132
H. Chambers, Champagne, 132

                H. J. P.

Friday, February 4, 1921: "On Wednesday in Police Magistrate's Court the civil case of Roland Ryder against Samuel Gamble for the return of a ten bore automatic shotgun or its value, came on for trial. The evidence showing that the gun produced was the gun loaned, but that while in defendant's control had been damaged and made unacceptable to the plaintiff. Defendant was awarded the gun and condemned to pay the proved value of a second hand gun in the condition in which it was when loaned, namely $25 and costs.

March 29, 1921: "Sam Gamble, well known citizen of Whitehorse was recently killed in H. Chambers' wood camp on Tahkeena river, by a load of wood falling upon him." (Cordova Daily Times). His death was not reported in The Star.

Friday, April 29, 1921: "Gamble Estate Sold
    A house and contents, the property of the late S. Gamble, was disposed of by auction at the barracks this week. R. Ryder was the highest bidder.