The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-13
ONE LITTLE
LUMP OF GOLD
IConcluded from Page II

ed. 1t is not contagious, but the con-
ditions which produce it infect all With
in reach.
One after another was stricken on the
ice-locked ship. In their case, lack
Of fresh vegetables and the fetid' air
of the cabin produced the disaese. Cit
ric acid was administered in holled
water and DR.. Vetter prescribed ana
nursed the sick men. He amputated
the tee Of one who had been horribly
frozen and finally when this man, MT.
Mccall, and the mate died he assisted
in making the collins and thawing the
earth with fires to make their graves.
DIFFICULTIES OF BURIAL
They could not be buried for nearly
a week because of the difhcul-
ties of interment. Then he placed bent
withes of wood close across the boxes
so that dogs could not scratch loose the
caskets of the sleepers over the for
lorn graves he said the prayers ana
spoke the last words. Then he fell sick,
although caring for the others, three
Of whom, including RhinHnart, his
bunk companion, died. OF their. bur-
ial he knows nothing.
Then the two men who were camping
up the river returned and helped TO
nurse the stricken ones. Rut they kept
continually tOrturng their patients
with boasting complaints of how much
they were doing for them ard refused
TO give the necessary care. DIR. Netter
in desperation said: "If all these poor
fellows had been such as YOU l should
have left them and gone to the mission
fer was the last to fall sick"
For the first time in telling his story
as the memory of all his awful hard
ships. the selfdenial, tho long and cruel
winter, came over him, DR.. Netter's
voice faltered in the recital and bury
ing his face in his hands he wert, with
his wife, down whose checks the silent
tears had been cOursing.
ON April 49, the members Of the In
graham party up the river came down
and discovered the awful condition of
the survivors and pushed on to KotZe-
hue mission. Major 1ngraham called
a meeting asking for volunteers to the
rescue One Of his own men. Ralph
Sheaf. was the only one who offered.
The major himself. with the Missionary
Semns. and a few others, including
Chinaman cook and an Indian, started
on the expedition.
In the meantime the little handful
of dying men-only four of them were
left on the boat-awaited the relief.
DR.. Netter had reasoned that at the
latest the rescuing party would return
by May Is. The date passed and de-
spair settled down unon them. IT
never expected To get away" said the
doctor Then it was ! gave up all hope.
We knew that no one could be found
TO come to our relief" Apathy succeed
cd despair and the long struggle seemed
futile indeed. on the 21st Major In
graham's party was within three miles
Of the Elk They came to an ice gorge
where the waters We're flooding from
the upper rivers. Then occurred one
Of the bravest incidents in the history
of the Yukon. Major InSraham and one
other Clambercd over the mountain of
blocked-up ice and reaching the farther
side found the water rushing about
its base. The major undressed and
with his clothes held above his head
waded into the icy flood. More than
once it almost carried him away but his
marvellous courage and that of his COM
panion won and after many other
hindrances the schooner was reached.
All this was for humanitys sake alone.
just as DR.. Vetter had stayed on the
vessel and nursed strangers.
\ LONG JOURNEY.
On May &c the sick men were put into
tent. AS soon as the river was clear
the Elk set out for Kotzebue mission.
Many Vicssitudes occurred on the iour-
ney to st. Michaels, including the
grounding of the vessel and transfer
of ownership Of the same. Practical
ly, d.: Vetter has been since the first
of Jure endeavoring to get home.
DR., Vetter, like Mark Twain. is in a
position to state that 1.-THE news Of his
death was greatly exaggerated" He is
at a loss to understand Just how the
tale was started. Captain Hibbard of
Seattle may have been the medium Of
information received from some one
who saw the lonely graves on the shore
of the lagoon,
The nugget which DIR. Vetter bring
home as a trophy of nearly two years
hardships, was found at Cape Nome
which is now the center of the gold
fever territory. DIR. Vetter says that
should he ever go back to the gold
fields it would not be as a miner but
as storekeeper and druggist
"Rut you won't go back" remarked
his little wife gently but with convic-
tion.
Dr, Vetter was met at Binghamton
by Mr.. Skillhorn of the /. o. o. e, who
is in charge of arrangements for the
greeting. 1t is proposed t. escort him to
his home where he will be left in the
bosom Of his family. A reception will
be held at some future date.
There were hundreds of persons at
the Lackawanna station last night ex-
pecting to meet DR.. Vetter when the
$40 train arrived.
INDUSTRIAL JoTTINGs.