Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-11
A FLIGHT FOR LIFE
The Story of a Rescue Trip In the
Mountains of Alaska.

The hardShipS to which people are
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 N. Powell
tells of the rescue of a woman and her
husband who were stranded on the
mountains In 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. fellows: We
passed a woman Just this side Of Saw
mill Camp. She was pulling sled, on
which was her sick husband. We re-
monstrated against her crossing the
glacier, but she replied that they
might as well die up there as any
where else, as 1t meant certain death
to stop. Our dogs could pull only our
outfit, and there wasn't grub enough
for all, so we were compelled to leave
them. They will be at the last timber
tonight, and If somebody doesn't go to
their rescue they will be dead by this
time tomorrow"
A man stepped out from the crowd
and said:
III 60 for one Now. who else has
good dog team to splice in with
mine?"
I'm your man. answered another.
1t was 3 o'clock in 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 as he Strengthened out
the team for the sixty mile run.
Yea, boys! Stand in there, Leader.
Mush, mush on, mush" And with a
gelp the dogs galloped away as IL
aware of the urgency of their mission.
"Haw, Leader" we heard as they
turned the corner. and then they were
gone. There goes the best dog team
in Alaska and driven by two of the
best men on earth" exclaimed a 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 II that
morning. and there it was seen that
the sharp peaks were curling fine snow
high in the air.
They are beginning to smoke" ex-
claimed one OF the men.
Yes: we must get back before night
OF it's all of" replied the other.
Down. down. the steep descent they
plunged, and by / o'clock they were
4 off the glacier and skipping over level
ground. In short time they discOv-
ereI the unfortunate couple whom they
had started out to rescue. and when
they came up to them 1t was pitiable
scene that presented itself.
The poor woman had become com
pIetely exhausted and had thrown her
self down beside her helpless husband
She had evidently abandoned all hope
ard was weeping bitterly when she
suddenly heard the yell of a driver
and the barking of dogs. In n mo
ment she passed from despair to hope
As the team galloped in a 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 theil
, lolling tongues Tapped the snow. while
the drivers ate some crackers and jok
ingly encouraged the sick man and tht
) tired woman. They babe her seat her
self comfortably while they fastened
. the two sleds together. Soon they
were bounding away again at the dogs
first speed.
| When they recrossed the summit thu
whole range was smoking" and tn,
wind was sending the fine snow aloni
the crust It whipped their faces will
warning of what was coming, bu
the driN er said:
= Twenty miles to town, and it cal
never catch u.s.
In Valdez every one was anxiousl!
watching the trail. Many exclaimed
They can't possibly be here befor
midnight" but they were. As the,
: rushed up 10 the crowd with vel
and chorus OF banks from the nobl
dogs they were met by eager. helpinl
{ hands. The dogs acted as If they he,
understood why they were being pet
ted, and again the woman wept 70
JOY.