The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-08
WESTERN YOUTH TO
ACCOMPANY PRESIDENT
Unusual Honor for Edmund
Heller, a Famous Young
Traveller of California.

Los ANGELES, Nov. 7,-Attracted
by the remarkable achievements Of
Edmund Heller in his explorations of
strange aud little known lands, Presi-
dent Roosevelt has selected this o.
year.old Riverside, Cal, youth from a
list OF hundreds OF eminent scientists
and naturalists of the nation who as.
pred TO the place TO accompany him
to the wilds Of Africa next March.
The honor comes to the California
boy not only unsolicited, but uncx-
pected The fact Of his appointment
was first learned when his mother, Mrs.
Marion Heller OF Riverside, received a
letter from the youthful explorer in
which he declares that the president
has sent him a cordial invitation and
requested the State university museum
authorities to release him for year so
that be can accompany the Roosevelt
expedition.
In this letter Heller modestly tells
of the great honor offered him, gives
the personnel of the party and its itin-
erary, and outlines some of the duties
that will devolve upon him.
Heller has travelled extensively also
in Mexico. Central and South America,
Alaska and other lands.
Text Of Letter,
Gan awful thing happened few
weeks ago and have consequently be
come more or less excited. President
Roosevelt wrote Miss Alexander for my
release that | might accept his offer
to accompany him to Africa next
March.
ga few days ago I received long
letter from the president outlining his
plans and expressing his pleasure at
my acceptance. He seemed to have a
rather exaggerated idea of my value.
I believe that he received most of his
information about NE from Dr. Merriam
Of the United States biological survey,
but | am not at all certain about this.
"If I go, my chief work will be
supplying advice at the start, Later
on our return [ may classify part Of
the collection. which will be deposited
in the national museum at Washington
HThc party consists Of tho president
and his son Kermit, DR.. Means, a
United States army doctor and we'll
known naturalist, and j. A. Lorine. q
field naturalist. Mr.. Roosevelt and his
son will do all the shooting of big game
and Loring will collect small animals.
DR.. Means viii be the chief naturalist
and ] am selected as his colleague. As
] have not yet heard from DIR. Means
| am still uncertain about some of the
details.
"Tho party will leave New York
March % and go direct to Naples and
thence to Mombassa. Most of our time
will be spent in British and German
East Africa, with the central portion
of which | an already familiar. AS
am the only member of the party
who has had African experience, [ fear
chat considerable advice and some re,
sponsibility viii be expected of me. T
am, however, delighted with the pros.
pect of travelling with a man who il
so universally admired for his character
and ability, and only hope that NAV
be Of real assistance TO him
"The trip viii last one year and will
begin in British East Africa. From
there we shall go to German East Africa
and thence to Uganda and down the
Nile 10 khartoum and on by steamer
80 Cairo. I shall not leave for Wash.
ington until January