The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
4 FIRE IN THE ARCTIC.
Hush Lee Comes Near Losins His Hsus'
In North AlaSka.

NUN Lce comes wear L0sbn8 HAlo House
in North Aiaska.
Hugh J. Leo OF Meriden, Conn, ono OF
Peary's two comrades on his second trim
across the Greenland ice cap TO fndepen.
dence Bay. has just spent his second winter
at Cape Prince OF Wales. Alaska. Some
Of the letters he sends home are printed In
the Meriden Journal He was recently ap-
pointed United States missioner for
the Cape Prince OF Wales district.
The day after last Thanksgiving his fam
lily came near being turned out OF doors
into zero weather by a fire. He was half q
mile from home at the schoolhouse, In which
Esquimau boys and sgirls are leaning to
read. when a blanket near q stove In his
bedroom caught fire. IN the attic Lee kept
q cask Of water as precaution. and when
Mrs. Lee discovered the blaze she called
an Esqumau boy. who emptied the water
into the burning room. but the quantity was
too small to do much good.
Meanwhile Mrs. Leo had sent Q native
girl for her husband, and with other ma
tivee began carrying furniture and what
provisions she could reach out Of the house.
Most Of the supplies for the winter wers IN
the attic. which was 90 full Of smoke that
she could not get into 1t.
The Esquimau boy went out OF doors.
broke in the bedroom window and began to
shovel snow into the room. Meanwhile the
native girl succeeded in attracting Lees
attention and he started on q dead run
for his house.
He found that most OF the fire was In a
partition. which he pulled to pieces with a
miners pickaxe. while the Esquimaux stood
ready with big humps Of snow to put out the
flames as fast as he exposed them. The
bedclothing and nearly the entBe ward
rote Of Mr.. and Mrs. Lee were destroyed
as well as many garments belonging to the
children. Within a few days the room and
he furnishings were repaired.
Whom Lee was reporter he was accus-
toned to hustling to fires; but he says the
hottest run he ever had was for his house
on the day he saw volumes Of smoke rising
while all his winter supplies were in the
attic and the shelter Of his wife and two
children seemed likely to be laid IN ashes
with the temperature out Of doors far
below zero.
The Are at least demonstrated the friend.
illness Of the natives. who offered every
service they thought would be helpful. and
made the Lee family comfortable In a
native house for few days until their own
home was repaired. II the winter sup
plies had been destroyed they could nave
been replaced only at Teller or Nome at
exorbitant prices.
The only whites living In the village are
Mr. and Mrs. Lee and their family and Mr..
and Mrs. Bernardo. who are teaching In the
SCHOOL Their two little houses excite
astonishment and admiration among the
natives. Some Of them have decided to
live In houses like those Of the white men.
One young man who owns nearly 200
reindeer, worth about 5000. has ordered
lumber for a house 81 by 40 feet
which will contain six rooms. Two frame
houses have already been built by natives
who before the whites came among them
lived In dugouts lined with driftwood.
Mr.. Lee says these Esquimaux are taller
than those OF Greenland, Labrador or
hudson Bay and are more advanced In
civilization than the famous Smith Sound
natives Of north Greenland though inferior
In culture 10 those Of South Greenland.
where the Danes have long welded largo
influence.
Cape Prince Of Wales n likely TO be quite
an important place, especially develop.
profitable mineral resources. The reported
discovery OF tin there induced q number OF
miners last fall TO 60 north from Nome and
take out claims. II Is not yet known whether
the prospects are very favorable but u they
prove 70 be valuable Ands the region around