The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-05-30
A FLIGHT FOR LIFE
The Story of a Rescue Trip In the
Mountains of Alaska.
BRAVE MEN AND SPEEDY DOGS
An Act Of HeroIsn That Saved q Wo.
man and Her>'eiok Husband From
Death When Stranded on q Winter
Night Amid the Snow Clad Peaks.

man and Her>>eiok Husband From
Death When Stranded on q Winter
Night Amid the Snow Clad Peaks.
The hardships to which people arc
exposed In the far north give frequent
occasion for the display Of heroism.
In the pages OF Trailing and Camp
Ing In Alaska" Mr.. Addison M. Powell
tells OF the rescue Of a woman and her
husband who were stranded on the
mountains I'm an Alaskan winter.
A dog team galloped up and stopped
In front of the only pretense Of hotel
In Valdez. The night was dark. as the
northern winter nights always are
when the moon is not shining. The
dogs Immediately lay down, almost ex-
hausted from their long trip. and the
two men were soon surrounded by In
quiring friends One OF the two said
what do you think, fellowsf We
passed a woman just this side Of Saw
mill Camp. She was pulling a sled. on
which was her sick husband. We re-
monstrated against her crossing the
glncier. but she replied that they
might as well die up there as any
where else, as II meant certain death
to stop Our dogs could pull only our
outfit. and there wasn't grub enough
for all, 80 we were compelled to leave
them They will be at the last timber
tonight, and IL somebody doesn't go to
their rescue they will be dead by this
time tomorrow"
A man stepped out from the crowd
and said:
"T1l go for one. Now, who else has
good dog team to splice In with
miner
"Pm your manr' answered another.
It was 3 o'clock I'm the morning be-
fore they had made their selection OF
dogs and were ready TO start on that
hazardous trip.
"We'll be on the first bench by day
light and have them here before mid
night" said one MS he Strengthened out
the team for the sixty mile run.
"Yea, boys! Stand I'm there, Leader!
Mush, mush on. mush!' And with n
yelp the dogs galloped away as II
aware OF the urgency OF their mission.
"Haw, Leaderr we heard as they
turned the corner, and then they were
gone. There goes the best dog team
I'm Alaska and driven by two OF tho
best men on earthp exclaimed man
as he re-entered the house.
The trail was easily followed, and
soon the nine miles OF level bench
were passed. The speed slackened
only when they were ascending the
ridge, which they crossed by IL that
morning. and there II was seen that
the sharp peaks were curling fine snow
high In the air
"They are beginning 10 smoker ex-
claimed one OF the men.
Eyes; we must get back before night
or It's all off," replied the other
Down, down, the steep descent they
plunged, and by / O'clock they were
Off the glacier and skipping over level
ground In short time they discov-
crel the unfortunate couple whom they
had started out 10 rescue, and when
they came up TO them II was n pfiable
scene that presented Itself.
The poor woman had become com
pletely exhausted and had thrown her
self down beside her helpless husband.
She had evidently abandoned all hope
and was weeping bitterly when she
suddenly heard the yell of driver
and the barking OF dogs. In n mo-
ment she passed from despair TO hope.
As the team gnlloped I'm circle and
stopped beside her with the dogs
heads pointed back toward the glacier
she clapped her hands with JOY.
The dogs lay down and with their
lollng tongues Tapped the snow, while
the drivers ate some crackers and Jok-
ingly encouraged the sick man and the
tired woman. They bade her seat her
self comfortably while they fastened
the two seds together. Soon they
were bounding away again at the dogs
first speed.
When they recrossed the summit the
whole range was smoking" and the
wind was sending the fine snow along
the crust. Ii whipped their faces with
warning OF what was coming, but
the driver said.
Twenty miles TO town, and IL can
never catch usv'
In Valdez every one was anxiously
watching the trail. Many exclaimed,
''They can't possibly be here before
midnightw but they were. AS they
rushed up to the crowd with yell
and chorus OF barks from the noble
dogs they were met 10y eager. helping
hands. The dogs acted as II they had
understood why they were being pet
ted. and again the woman wept for
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