The Alaska citizen., 1910-10-24
Census Takers DriVeI FAIRBANKS YEAR AGO, WOULD
 MAKE A HERO coUNTRYs EXPENSE.

qualities were put to the severest test. the report shows.
 Severe weather was encountered throughout all of his work says Mckenzie. and at no time after he left Fairbanks until he returned did the thermometer get above 30 de grees below zero. His long journey away from the base of supplies made it impossible for him to carry sufficient grub and dog feed. and he was obliged to live off the country. killing moose. mountain sheep and other fresh meat. During the work he lost two of his dogs from freez. ing to death. He had froze DOT tions of his face several times. and al one time dropped into six feet of open water, nearly losing his life In crossing the Arctic range and returning he travelled above timber line IS hours in each di- rection. which in a country where fire is necessary, can be understood to be considerable sacrifice He travelled in many places where no white man had ever before been and his record Is considered unusual to say the least"
 That the Koyukuk agents work was no Fourth of July picnic with strawberry lemonade on the side is indicated by the following extract from the official narrative:
 In this district there Is almost an incessant snow storm from Oc- tober to May. and trails are oblit- erated in 24 hours Few men ex- cept the mail carriers will travel in this district in the winter, and even they make but one trip d month Twice he nearly lost his life and had he not been accompanied by an Indian guide. probably would have At one time he and the guide and mail carrier and two Indians were lost in the storm for three days and were found at the end of that time by a rescue party which came out to locate the mail"
 Of the Panama man We are told:
 Not less than four times was this man found by other travellers in an ,I to a stopping place. He lost three dogs and several times froze his face. That he survived the work and came back alive was the wonder of the old inhabitants of the country. Half a dozen men refused the job before he was secured Six men and two women were frozen on the trails in the vicinity ill which he worked
 All the travelling was done on dog sleds, from seven to nine animals being used with each sled The agents were paid nine dollars a day and extra for the use of their ve. hiCles. Generally it was necessary for two men to go together, so that in case of accident to one the other could proceed with the labor, for the census must be taken whatever the cost in life or money.
 Especial pains were taken to find every resident, and We are told that each cabin was visited unless to reach it would cost more than two days time. In such exceptional in stances the facts were recorded from reports Trails were unbroken throughout the vast territory cover ed. and the enumerator or his com panion found it necessary to con stantly walk ahead of the team on snowshoes.
 Summing up his report, Mir Me KenZie says:
 This constitutes a resume of the work performed during the period from August II. in which l crossed the United States and went up into the interior of Alaska, experienced weather conditions the extreme of which was 72 degrees below zero, and during which time, in the course of the work it was necessary sev. eral times to camp in the open where the couch consisted of the snow and few spruce boughs, and the roof of tent or the sky. Dur ing the months of December and January the sun shone from one to two hours per day
 Churches and school houses in the interior of Alaska are few and far between Necessarily they are con- fined to the towns and Indian settle ments Most of the Indian schools, as well as the church services are conducted by the missionaries.
 The white people do not attend either the Indian schools or the In dian churches, so that those Of the outlying districts get their religion and their education at home. In the matter of education, MT. McKen- zie reports that the home system works very well. the long nights of the winter causing an enforced con- finement of children that is conduc- i've story He says that many of them do even better than students in tho