The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-19
GIRL SAVED BY A HERO
PROFESSOR M'ELFRESH,S DARING
SLIDE DOWN A GLACIER.
Board Used as TobOggan and the
Unconscious Form of Miss RawsOn
Lashed to the Mans Body.

TACOMA. Wash, July 1S.-Unconscious,
borne over crevasses and glaciers in the
arms of companions. and finally, when
hope was almost gone, saved by the dar-
Ing invention and heroic feat of one man
who turned himself into a human tobog-
gan. Miss Bethel Rawson, of Demoss,
Ore, arrived below the snow line on Mount
Hood Wednesday night. after a descent
unparalleled in the history Of mountain
climbing. Miss Rawscn was one of a party
of twenty-five who started to make the
ascent of Mount Hood Wednesday morn
ing. The climb to the crater is desperate
one.
AT noon, when the party had reached a
point three hundred yards below the crater
rock, a blizzard swept over the peak. Ex-
hausted by the climb and overcome by the
intense cold. Miss Rawson became uncon-
scious. The sleet and rain thick
the climbers could not see the length of
their guide line. The men nearest Miss
Rawson picked up her unconscious form
and dragged and carried her 20 a sheltered
spot thirty yards below the crater. Calls
were sent for assistance from those who
had already reached the summit, and the
men rushed down and carried Miss Raw
son and her companion, Miss Julia Hall,
who was still able to walk, to more shell
tered spot, where effort was made to
revive the unconscious girl. Stimulants
and chatting failed. 1t became apparent
10 all that unless Miss Rawson was re-
moved speedily from the high altitude and
the bitter cold, she must perish.
The descent from the summit is a perlous
one even TO a party bound together by the
guide lines, with spiked shoes and alpen,
stocks, and the task OF carrying the girl
down seemed an almost Impossible one.
The girl was carried by two OF the strong
est men, while the others drove their al
penstocks deep into the ice and braced
themselves TO keep the entire party from
sliding to destruction. The cold was grow
ing greater with every minute. The slope
was so treacherous and precipitous that the
journey was filled with almost incredible
difficulty and hardship The party was
forced to make frequent stops.
Finally the great snow VT, fie ID; below low the
| had begun to fear that Miss Rawson
would never survive the journey and the
| became every minute more imperative. The
| party halted in despair. Then Professor
McElfresh, of Corvallis, Ore, suggested
that wsb sled be p SS5 6 bad bess
| for a time and the heavy sacks in which
| she had been wrapped TO save her from
| freezing. The suggestion was adopted at
| once. Using ropes and Irvine, handkerchiefs
| and cloth from clothes, a rude sled was
hastily improvised. Professor McElfres h
| offered to be strapped TO the board and TO
| carry the girl while the other men of the
party propelled the sled over the snow.
| Professor McElfresh, in a sitting position.
chung to the girl while the others tugged
and pulled. The scheme was tried for per-
haps half an hour, but IL was seen the girl
could not stand the exposure much longer
| and survive. The party again halted, ex-
| hausted in the snow. Below them stretched
over a mile of unbroken snow, slipping
| swiftly down TO the timber line, where
safety lay.
| Professor McElfresh then came forward
| with another suggestion. He proposed 10
| the girl in his arms while he. stretched on
| and strapped TO the plank, would make the
| attempt to coast down the mountain side.
/ As there no other chance the party
| accepted the suggestion, dangerous 1t
| was Professor McElfresh stretched a. full
| length, was tightly bound to the board,
| ropes were rugged that he might have a
| chance to guide his toboggan. then Miss
| Rawson's unconscious body was strapped
| tightly down upon his PROSTATE form, feet
| 70 feet and body to body. The other men
| poised the toboggan on the edge of the
| girl shot out over the glacier and down
| through the snow.
| The descent was made like n fash When
| the timber line was reached the professor,
| cutting himself loose, worked over the girl
| until the rest of the party made the descent.
| Then the party carried Miss Rawson to
| the Mama camp. where the women took
| the girl in charge wrapped her in hot
| blankets, placed hot water bottles to her
| feet and poured stimuiants and hot broth
| between her Inns until consciousness re-
| turned. Later Or. Young. of Seattle. was
rapidly recovering from her terrible expert
4