Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-08-29
A FLIGHT FOR LIFE.
The Story Of a Rescue Trip In the
Mountains of Alaska.
BRAVE MEN AND SPEEDY DOGS


An Act Of Heroism That Saved a Wo-
man and Her Sick Husband From
Death When Stranded on q Winter
Night Amid the Snow Glad Peaks.
The hnrdships 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 NJ. Powell
tells OF the rescue Of 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. fellowsf We
pissed 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 II somebody doesn't go to
their rescue they will be dead by this
time tomorrow"
A man stepped out from the crowd
and said.
IN 20 for one. Now. who else has
good dog team to splice in with
miner'
"i'm your manf' 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.
Yen, boys, Stand In there. LEADER
Mush. mush on. mushm And with a
yelp the dogs galloped away as If
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 |
In Alaska and driven by two Of the
best men on earthg' 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 II that
morning. and there 1t was seen that
the sharp peaks were curling fine snow
high in the air.
"They are beginning to smoker ex-
claimed one Of the men.
"Yes; we must get back before night /
or it's all of" replied the other.
Down. down. the steep descent they
plunged. and by O'Clock they were
of the glacier and skipping over level
ground. In short time they discov-
erel 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
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 mo
ment she passed from despair to hope
As the team galloped in 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
lolling tongues lapped 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 sleds together. Soon they
we're bonnding 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. It whipped their faces with
warming Of what was coming, but
the driver said:
Twenty miles to town. and it can
never catch usls
In Valdez every one was anxiously
watching the trail Many exclaimed.
'.They can't possibly be here before
midnight" but they were. As they
rushed up % the crowd with yell
and chorus Of barks from the noble
dogs they were met by eager. helping
hands. The dogs acted as If they had
understood why they were being pet
ted. and again the woman wept for
joy.