Evening star., 1903-07-06
ROBINSON cRUsoE NO. 3.
He Has No Feet and Guards an Is
land for Uncle Sam.

From the New York Tribune.
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich, June q (SpeciaD.
in the middle Of st. Mary's river is an
island containing an acre or two Of land
that is thickly covered with underbrush.
1t IL described on the map as Island No.
and Is bone Of contention between the
government, the Clergue syndicate and the
Chandler-Dunbar Power Company. all
claiming title to It. On the south side of the
island is a board shanty ten by twelve feet
in size. the home of John B. Chart. who
lives there to hold possession Of the island
for the government The island is con-
nected with the mainland Just above Poe
lock by little suspension bridge, and 1t
Is one Of the duties of Chart to prevent
anybody from going on the island on any
pretext. Above his house floats the stars
ing legend is nailed. Mountain Ash Island.
Robinson Crusoe No. 2. John B. Chart"
Charts existence on the island is far
from monotonous. for every day he has
all he can do to follow his instructions and
keep of trespassers. Twice in the night
he has been aroused by people demanding
admittance to his shanty. On one occasion
he was unable to drive the intruders away
until he fired at the providers through the
door. with the result that the following
morning he found blood stains on the
ground.
Chart when only ten years old lost both
his feet. On February %. 1865. he started
from Mackinac for Cheboygan on the ice
Of Lake Huron, a distance Of about twenty
two miles. His parents knew nothing of
his intended trip. and he was accompanied
only by his dog. He had covered about
eighteen miles when a heavy snow storm
set in, accompanied by a strong northwest
wind. He lost his bearings in the binding
storm and wandered about aimlessly until
he fell exhausted on the Ice. and was soon
covered with snow.
For nearly twenty-four hours the storm
roc god md hor ri lou he 1~n Ia 20
at last aroused by his dog paving the snow
| from his body and licking his face. Find
ing that the storm was over, he got to his
feet, but it was long time before he
could shake OF the numbness and walk
When he regained the use of his legs he
followed his dog, who seemed to know
which way to 60 The animal led the way
| to the shanty of some wood choppers on
Bois Blanc, where Chart fell exhausted and
unconscious at the door. The wood chop
pers took the boy into the shanty and
placed hip in tub Of ice cold water and
kept him there until the frost had all left
| his body After this they put him to bed,
and the next day he was able to walk
| again.
Two days later a searching party from
Mackinac found him at Bois Blanc and
! took him home. The weather had turned
! extremely cold after the Storm and Charts
| feet. being tender from the former freezing.
were again severely frostbitten. Upon
| his arrival home he was in great agony.
| Again he was thawed out. but the exper-
| ience proved too much for him, and it was
| necessary to amputate both his feet at the
| ankles.
| Chart takes his misfortune philosophical
| ly and hobbies about as best he can always
| cheerful and hopeful. He is saving money
now to buy artificial feet in order that he
may better guard the interests Of Uncle
Sam on Mountain Ash Island. He takes
| great pride in his position and talks proud
| ly Of being government employe. He has
| left the island only once in nine months,
| and that time to get his hair His
| provisions are brought to him and he lives
in truly hermit fashion.