Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-03
SCHWATKA BRINGS
HONOR TO STATE

rohn Howard Todd. in his story of
r,Snois running serially in the Chicago
,5.-ald psvs the following tribute to
. distinguished explorer in whom Rock
I.,.nd has an intimate interest, several
- his relatives now living here. among
.ssr, his daughter. Mrs. Z II. Stat
ford:
a.. railroad in the middle OF the last
-a-turv there was toddling in the
~.-eets OF that city a boy who was des-
800 70 become one Of the world 5
s.nous arctic explorers and TO add
.,.rebv 20 the glory of Illinois The
,.5 vas Frederick Schwatka- who was
horn in the county seat OF 10 Daviess
-onntv on sept %. 1919 He deserves
- he classed with Grant. Rawlins,
washburne. Baker. Campbell, Smith
I'd Drummoud as men who brought
most renoWn on the old lead mine dis
,-ic; when its relative importance was
greater than 70 IS today.
..Frederick Schwatka went TO the
--,biic school with the other boys of
sfs ueighborhood. and he added 20 his
tore OF knowledge as a youngster by
rs 10 wears old he left Illinois, going
uith his fathers family to Salem, Ore.
vbere ne continued his schooling in
willamette University. After he quit
,se college walls he was appointed a
cadet 10 West Point Academy, was
graduated in 1871 and in 1873 had be
come first lieutenant in the Third Cav
airy. L. 5 \
.Iu the army his spare hours were
used in the study Of both law and med
,cine. with the result he was admitted
n the bar IN Nebraska in 1875 and q
wear later vou j degree from Belle
we Hospital College. New York City.
Twas a story told TO him while he was
a second lieutenant in the army that
gave direction 10 the later years Of his
life and brought him enviable fame.
Captain Barry. in charge of a whGl-
ing expedition in Repulse Bay in 1871
"A. recited TO the young man how he
had been visited by Eskimo Indians
Who told him of finding buried papers
and various articles in the arctic reg
inns. spoon bore the engraving
Franklin II was given to Captain
Barry. who showed it 10 Lieutenant
Sehwatka. then a vigorous young man
Of 20.
Convinced that the articles pointed
the way to a solution of the fate Of the
expedition led by Sir John Franklin in
ls45. Lieutenant Schwatka fitted out
an expedition of his own in 1879. He
found may traces of the Franklin eX-
plorers, among them records showing
that Sir John Franklin had died June
7, IS47. in a vain effort TO return to
civilization. Lieutenant Schwatka and
his party made a sledge trip OF 3,251
miles-the longest ever made up to
that time.
Later Lieutenant Schwatka expIor-
ed the course OF the Yukon river in
Alaska. and In 1856, having resigned
from the army, he commanded a second
expedition into Alaska under the aus
pices Of the New York Times In rec
ignition OF HIS services for science and
humanity the Geographical Society Of
Paris awarded him the Roquette Arc
tic medal. Similar honors were be
slowed on him the Imperial Geo
graphical Society OF Russia and the
geographical societies of Berlin. Gene
va and Rome. In 1891 he led a third
expedition and opened up 700 miles Of
new country.
Lieutenant Schwatka was happy in
his gift OF committing to paper the
vast store OF Information he acquired
IN his travels. He was the author Of
several books on his discoveries and
OF numeroun newspaper articles. He
disseminated his interesting material
stil further by giving lectures on his
experiences as an explorer. Scientif-
ieally educated. his writings and utter
snees bore the stamp OF authority.
He died in Portland. Ore. when he
vas only - years old. He was found
unconscious in the street. II IS sup
posed that an overdose of a drug. TAX
en- TO lessen pain. caused his untimeIy
taking or"