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Centennial Anniversary Special
(1997-1998)
 Klondike Gold Rush
The Demise of Soapy Smith
This page covers the Centennial (100 years) celebration and reenactments that the Smith family, representing Soapy Smith, were invited to attend between 1997-1998.
1997
The
planned centennial celebration of the Klondike Gold Rush officially
began August 12, 1996, exactly 100 years after the discovery of gold in
the Yukon.
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 reeancted 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.
(L to R) Jeff Brady of the Skagway News and Gerald Pennington of the Klondike Stampeders Association carry "gold" off the boat.
Security was very tight as the real gold came off the ship and was placed in armored trucks.
Jeff
Smith worked the crowds and even tried to "win" some of the gold from
one of the guards but the N.W.M.P. quickly put a damper on his activitites. Jeff 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, shown
in the photograph above. "There is a carnival-like arcade at one
entrance, and that's where we put Soapy," Pat McVay said.
This dupe was a hard loser
In author Sue Henry's 1997 book, Death Takes Passage,
Jeff Smith is used as a suspect character in the murder mystery that takes place on the ship, Spirit of 98 during the 1997
reenactment.
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.
1998
The Smith's invade Skagway
The
Smith family met in Skagway in July of 1998 for the 100th anniversary
of Soapy Smith's death. July 4 began the celebration with a
parade. just as Skagway had in 1898. This years announced grand marshal's were two members of
the Frank Reid family. Even after 100 years, the Smith and Reid
families held little interest in meeting each other.
Ashley Smith meets the Reid's
Jeff and his
daughter, Ashley approached the antique automobile that would escort
the Reid's along the path of the parade. He had Ashley start the
first communication and thus became the first Smith family member to
speak with the Reid family in 100 years.
The planned route of the parade, as it was in 1898, was to proceed
north on Broadway, and making a u-turn, head back down south
again. Where else in the world can you watch the same parade go
by twice. As announced, the Reid's were to be the grand
marshal's. The Smith's were supposed to be content with walking
directly behind the Reid
car. The Smith's are never content.
Jeff writes,
We Smith's like to keep traditions intact. In 1898 the Skagway
Commercial Club tried to control the fourth of July celebration and
parade. They appointed Soapy as grand marshal of the 5th
division, some ways behind the grand marshal. During the start
of the parade Soapy managed to split the parade up and when joined
together again, he had become the new grand marshal, riding proudly up
front on his horse.
In 1998 the Smith family was not about to let the Reid's have the front
position, so by the middle of the parade we had commandeer an antique
vehical and had made our way to the front where we belonged, just as
Soapy had done 100 years before.
 Ashley Smith and Jeff Smith in front of the black draped Jeff Smith's Parlor on the morning of July 8, 1998
T-shirts made for the event, made and sold by the Skagway News
July 8th was the big day for us. The cemetery was off limits at
sundown as wakes held there were banned several years prior, due to a
tradition started in 1974 at the very first wake, known as "the
sprinkling of Frank." This year there was great concern that the
Smith family would venture up there at sunset. The Smith's were
warned that they would be watched. However, nothing was said
about going up in the daylight hours. They secretly made their
way to the old grave-yard and held their own wake, for family members
only.
 Jeff Smith and Ashley Smith at the grave of Soapy
Approximately one hundred people gathered on the corner of State and
Second Streets to witness a reenactment of the gunfight and the
unveiling of a plaque commemorating the fight, placed on the guessed
spot where it took place. Jeff and Ashley were at the opposite
end of Skagway with Jeff Brady, portraying Soapy. At 9:15 pm Jeff
Brady proceeded to take the same route Soapy took just before his
death. The streets were empty, which added to the errie feeling
held by all there.
 July 8, 1998, 9pmJeff Brady as Soapy begins his walk towards his reenacted death, in accompanyment of Ashley Smith, the great-great-granddaughter.
Jeff Smith writes,
Walking along the path Soapy took, with Jeff Brady as Soapy was very
spooky. There was no one on the street. I was able to take
photographs fairly easily by just running ahead of Brady and quickly
turning. I was so glad my daughter was able to be a part of it. The problem came at the end of state street where the
fight took place. Most who witnessed the fight in 1898 said that it happened so fast. In the 1998 reenactment I could not get any photographs of
the fight itself it happened so fast.
(L
to R) James Smith, Ashley Smith, Annie Brady and Jeff Smith by the
gunfight plaque. There is one problem with the plaque. The
gunfight took place on Juneau Wharf, not Sylvester's Wharf.
After the reenactment and unveiling, everyone went back to the Days of 98 theater
and Eagles Hall where the Soapy Smith wake was being held. What a night that
was.
Two Soapy's?
Days of '98 (Soapy Smith) show owner Jim Richards & Jeff Smith try to con each other with smiles
The city of Skagway gathered together some special items and placed them in a time capsule that will be unearthed in the coming century. In that time capsule is a photo postcard of Soapy Smith on his horse for the July 4, 1898 parade. The postcard is postmarked July 8, 1998 and on the back are the signitures of all the Smith's that were present in Skagway for the 1998 centennial.
The Week Alaska Flew The Wrong Flag
  1898 1998
On the morning of July 4, 1998 Jeff Smith
and his daughter, Ashley, went to Soapy's grave site and
decorated the surrounding fence with red, white and blue bunting.
Soapy was a very patriotic man so as a final touch Jeff draped a
reproduction 45 star U.S. flag on the fence, the same flag
that flew over Skagway in 1898. The rest of the Smith family appreciated the gesture.
A
week after Jeff and Ashley returned home to California from their trip, the Skagway News
reported that the flag flying over the Alaska State Coast Guard
building in Skagway had been stolen. The following day, the flag
was reported as "found draped on Soapy's grave." The flag was taken back to the state building and hoisted up the state flag pole. It is not known how long it
flew there before it was discovered to be a 45 star
flag, the same flag that Jeff and his daughter had draped over Soapy's grave. The best part of this story is that Alaska was the 49th state admitted to the union, therefore the
flag they had flying over their office did not have Alaska's star sewn on.
Ed Parrish, a poet, who has since become a member of the Friends of Soapy Smith, heard about the incident which inspired him to write a poem about the affair. We proudly showcase, Soapy's Salvation.
Soapy's Salvation
A poem by Ed Parrish
A century beneath the turf, all frozen in the sod,
Soapy won another wager. This one he made with God.
Who said his grifting days were done - and bet salvation on it,
So the sporting king got right to work, and don't you know he won it!
Heaven's Crew Boss laid the rules and told ol' Soapy's soul,
All Alaska was his mark, but he couldn't leave his hole.
There up in Skagway's frozen dirt, Mister Smith's shade laid his plan,
Which hinged upon his great grandson, another grifting man.
July the Fourth, the hundredth year, young Jeff Smith and his daughter,
Laid bunting on great-gran'paws grave. And as he knew they ought'a,
Jeff made sure the flag they draped was an accurate imitation,
Of the flag they'd flown at Soapy's wake - before Alaska joined the nation.
Forty-five stars blazing white stood in the field of blue,
Though just a reproduction, it was historically true,
And feeling good about their great progenitor of yore,
Jeff and his daughter left the grave looking better than before.
Next day, old glory disapeared, it vanished from the pole,
At the Alaska Coast Guard Headquarters, from which it had been stole,
And someone said the missing flag was on ol' Soapy's tomb,
So the Coast Guard got their flag back, or so they did presume.
They flew that flag for several weeks. The breezes blew it proud,
And the whole while Soapy's frozen ghost was a' laughing in his shroud.
For five stars were missing from the flag, one star, Alaska's sign.
When Heavens Crew Boss heard the news, he came to Soapy's shrine.
"Come on up to heaven," the Crew Boss paid his debt,
And Soapy's soul j'ined all the saved, a'cause he'd won his bet,
But as Soapy's shade ascended, forever leaving hell,
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