William E. Bamford
Billy Bamford was a purser on the White Pass & Yukon Route’s sternwheeler Casca. In 1936, the Bamfords were running the roadhouse and store at Stewart Island. The site was an important transfer place where ore and cargo from the Stewart River boats was transferred to the larger Yukon River boats. The store prospered with the Bamfords. The first year they had it they sold ten tons of goods, the second year they sold more than 20 tons, and in succeeding years well over 100 tons. The Dawson stores said they could not compete as they had to pay municipal taxes. If someone wanted something Bamford didn’t have, he would order it in, and it was always top quality. The door was always open, and one time a customer took some $300 worth of goods and left a note instead of money. In due course, the cheque arrived in the mail.1) Siblings Martha and Rudy Burian bought the Stewart City Roadhouse from Billy Bamford in 1937.2)