The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-23

Captain Bens, Are Dead - Full
Story of Their Terrible Experience
Cannot Be Told, as Letter Has
Miscarried Which Contained De-
tails-Substanc of Four Letters
Mrs. vetter Has Received.
The last remaining doubt regarding
| the safety of Philip J. Netter has
been swept away and his many friends
| in this city may soon again have the
| pleasure OF clasping him by the hand
and renewing old time acquaintances
as he is now on his way home to the
Electric City.
This news reached this city yester-
day morning when Mrs. Vetter receiv-
ed four letters from her husband at
the same time. The letters had been
written at different times and from
| different places but by one of the cour-
| ious whims of fate they all arrived at
| the same time.
The first was written in February from
| Kotzebue Sound and the last from st.
| Michaels on July 30, thus taking only
| twenty-five days to reach here, re-
markably quick time when the poor
| service. to Seattle is taken into con-
| sideraton.
| There is a letter missing which is
| referred to in several of the others by
| Mr.. Vetter and which undoubtedly
| contains the story of the rescue as
| there is only meagre mention of this in
the letters received.
| SICKNESS AND SUFFERING.
| Mr. Vetter in all of the communica-
tions speaks of the sickness and suf-
| fering which he has passed through.
In the last letter written on July 30,
he said that he would take passage the
next day on the sailing vessel, General
| Mcpherson, for Seattle. He further
stated that he expected to arrive in
the latter place in about twenty days.
This should have brought him to
Seattle last Saturday but he has prob
ably not yet arrived as Mrs. Netter
is confident that he will telegraph her
as soon as he lands. He will probably
arrive in town some time next week
providing no further delay is eXper-
| fenced.
Mrs. Vetter has had lingering hope
ever since the first news Of his death
was received that her husband might
still be alive and now that the news
| of his home coming has arrived she
is almost beside herself with Joy.
In the first letter, dated February a
| and written aboard the Elk in Selavik
| bay, Mr.. Vetter tells merely of the
| starting out Of the expedition and the
prospects of the trip. The second let
ter has two enclosures, one under date
of April 10 and the other April II.
They are written on board the Elk "on
lake near Selavik river" which was
their winter quarters and the scene of
most of their terrible sufferings. The
letter, however, was not mailed until
| Nome was reached; at least it bears
the Nome postmark, but no date. The
letter does not relate the whole story,
but simply mentions the most import
ant happenings and refers to a letter
to be written later in which the details
were to be given.
DID NOT RECEIVE 1T.
This letter was evidently written, as
reference is made to it in a succeeding
letter as having been sent on May 27,
but Mrs. Vetter never received it.
The tenor of the third letter would
indicate that Mr.. Vetter took 1t for
granted that the letter of May q got
through all right. and it also indicates
that in the missing letter the story of
their rescue is told.
This third letter is dated July a. 1899,
and is written from Anvil City, Alaska,
which is on the coast of Katzebue sound
near Behring Sea. He goes on to say
that help arrived on May 90, referring
doubtlessly to the Ingraham rescuing
party, which, according to the story of
Earl Plummer, was told in an Associ-
ated Press dispatch from Seattle, last
week.
Six days after being succored by the
rescuing party from the mission, OIL
May 26, they were able to leave their
winter quarters. Lake SelaVik was
reached June 7, but they had to lay
over there until July g. because of the
ice. After they got started again they
were only two days travelling wher
they reached the mission on Kotzebue
sound. Two weeks later they reached
the tented town of Anvil City and q
few days later started for st. Michaels
The fourth letter takes up the thread
of their travels on July 30, on Whicl
date st. Michaels was reached. Mr.
Netter announces that he will star
for home on the following day on tn,
sailing vessel, General Mcpherson
and that he expects to reach Seattle II
twenty days. He closes by saying h
is somewhat improved, but recovering
very slow.
FIVE COMRADES DIED.
In the second letter he tells of tn
death OF five of his comrades. Captain
Charles Smith and Frank Johnson, O
Port Blakely, Washington Joseph J
Rinehart, of Milwaukee. Wis; Dun
can McCole, of Rockford, ILL.,; AM
, Frank Kudor, of Bay City, Mich. Al
perished of scurvY, resulting from
their food and medicine playing out.
Mr.. Vetter also tells of having hear
of the death Of Captain Bens, but no