Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-07-28
CENSUS TAKING
IN FROZEN NORTH
Heroism Displayed in Counting
Uncle Sam 8 Alaskan Citizens
Agents Narrative.

from three to q feet deep. Wind blow
ing blizzard most of the time. No hui
man habitation in sight; no covering at
night except tent. and no grub" that
was not many times frozen. These are
some OF the conditions under which the
recent census was taken In the interior
OF Alaska. The report of Chief Special
Agent Mckenzie covering the work in
the fourth or inland district Of the Terri
tory has just been received by Director
Durand. and while the story Is simply
told 1t Is wonderful thrilling narrative
OF adventure. showing that when Uncle
Sam starts out to round up his children
he spares no expense to locate them and
satisfy himself as to their status
Mr.. Mckenzie's narrative. made public
tonight. comes In advance OF his figures.
so that II Is impossible to give the popu-
lation OF the country covered by him and
his 20 assistants. For reasons of its own
the census bureau determined to number
the Alaskans during mid winter. Mr.
Mckenzie made his headquarters at the
mining town of Fairbanks His first spe-
| cial agent was appointed on the 10th of
| last November and the work was COM
rleted by the nth Of last April, when Nc
| Kcnzic left for "thc States" His EXPERT
ence in getting out of the country was
| by no means as thrilling as some of his
experiences while engaged In the work,
but II was stirring enough to arouse in
! terest in Il warm spell or It he says:
Il camc out on the mail coach ar
irving at Valdez on the 90 after q var
led experience consisting Of being de-
layed two days by blizzard, crossing
-t<l
had to swim and the sleds float and
travelling day and night with the Their
mometer often as low as 40 below
zero"
MORE ACCESSIBLE IN WINTER
The bureaus principal reason for II
winter census is found in the fact that
getting about the country is much
easier ut that time than at any other
season There are no bridges in the
country and as crossing the streams
when not frozen over is serious prob
lem, Mr.. Mckenzie says that to have
made the enumeration in the summer
would have required the services of
four times as many assistants while
the cost would have been six times as
great He also Expressed doubt as to
as satisfactory AS 1t L.. he is of the
, opinion that it is accurate and com
plete."
, Much hardship was necessarily in
volvcd in the work. only men Injured
to the rigors of the arctic climate
were employed. and while they suffered
severely none of them lost their lives
Summing nm the conditions Mr. Mo
Kenzie says:
i"e WIN was ''''' '''eu ""' 'i'e
''.' -" us r''
Oh NiaSka ny 'he oi"eS' se''ietS ""'
no 'neh A'p' anu
Hc''"'''"S's AZ ~ "iit''
mere ana NOT appear ~ We " ma" ""'
. "'u ho' nave ~ ''' !" Wv y" ~
;, anxiety TO create 'e'"r" LOT ""1
a ~, , . ,,,
the people IN ms "iS''lcl anu 10 nav
y, ms ''o'''' '''', ~,
v OF eNtreh" weather '""h any VI u"
f "'"'' "s ''"'
= no"o VI '''
- "e"'' anu '"'l
o sue - ma VI
d goo" fortune i"e'e '''
V from the weather III '"'H SCI ''o' "u
ihS 'he past winner VIA" III az
other years IN total-cases 700 !
- when those VINO met sue" "e''"' Va
y not BEGIN to go through the Sacr'"c
and privation that 'hoNe "Ae"'S VI u
service did. All or the men coNe'e
" hundreds Of miles over the ice an
snow in weather ranging from 80 I
20 degrees below zero the aNer"b
being about 40 below
,,.1 TO 1--WE oCU, cOI-NTRY
T The experience Vi '''
n Chandlar distr''t j. IA"
= speak he Oh h''' 'n' '"''' ..,,
i he was not schoiar' put Iii" W.
II had lived there ior yours anu
=, fitted to undergo the pr'N"'i"nS "e
y, snry" That his g"oa duaii''es "''
i M; to the Se'ere7' 'e'' INV
e shows.
o Severe weather was ehoou''c''
throughout all of his WORK say Wv
n Kenzie, land at no time AFTER ne ~
l. Fairbanks until hs returned ga 'he 'he'
II nomter get above thirty degrees pe'o
v zero. lis long journey away from '.
"a base of supplies made ii hnpoSS'''e ~
A him to carry sufficient gruh ana III
= feed and he was Obliged TO I'VE OIL VI u
country. killing moose, mountain SHe'
n and other fresh meat. During the WORK
10 lost two of his dogs from ires"'Hs
- death. lie himself froze portions Oh
-, face several times, and at on" Nlne "ro
n ped Into sin feet OF oPc" "'"' .
~ loSlhR ms me- III -.