Yukon who is who

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C. M. Woodworth
	
C. M. Woodworth was a lawyer and a founder of the Miner’s Association in Dawson. The Association was a direct descendent of the mass miners’ meetings and broadened the mandate to ask for representative government for all levels of government. At the end of July 1898, Woodworth opened a citizen’s campaign for incorporating Dawson with a mayor and council. The new government would manage streets, drainage, scavenging, public health, water supply, fire protection, poor relief, public works, nuisances, hospitals, burials, and the licensing of theatres and other businesses. Woodworth proposed that the Miners’ Association circulate the petition, but the miners had little interest in the affairs of the town. A citizens committee of Woodworth, Wills (manager of the Bank of Commerce), Chute, Davis, and Rutledge took up the cause.((Hal J. Guest, “A History of the City of Dawson, Yukon Territory, 1896 – 1920.” Parks Canada Microfiche Report Series 7, 198?: 68-72, 75-76.))

The new commissioner Ogilvie wanted 2,000 names on a petition before he would consider incorporation. The Miners’ Association absorbed the Citizens Committee and circulated the petition which got only 1200 signatures by the fall. The Association became a social organization over the winter, the officers boycotted hearings arranged by the commissioner over miner’s grievances, the government made it clear that only British citizens would be enfranchised, and the Miners’ Association ceased to exist by the spring of 1899.((Hal J. Guest, “A History of the City of Dawson, Yukon Territory, 1896 – 1920.” Parks Canada Microfiche Report Series 7, 198?: 68-72, 75-76.))

Woodworth then convinced the Board of Trade that incorporation was desirable. When it appeared the Yukon Council was preparing to raise taxes without representation, a mass meeting formed a new citizen’s committee with Woodworth, four miners, a stenographer, and a banker (Wills?). Its principal concerns were a wholly-elected Yukon Council and Dawson incorporation, but only Woodworth and Joe Clarke were completely in favour of incorporation. In the end, the initiative to incorporate Dawson came from Commissioner Ross and the Yukon Council who were determined to download the workload. A bill passed through three reading and Dawson was incorporated in 16 December 1901.((Hal J. Guest, “A History of the City of Dawson, Yukon Territory, 1896 – 1920.” Parks Canada Microfiche Report Series 7, 198?: 68-72, 75-76.))