The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-06-19

when an epidemic of smallpox broke out among
the Indians at Rampant House. 1--WE gathered
in all the Indians" said Mr.. Riggs, forced vacci-
nation on them, isolated the diseased and issued
supplies to the whole tribe of about two hundred.
Ninety-two of the natives developed the fever. It
was an anxious time,
I'VE put all of the infected Indians on an
island in the Porcupine and took away their
boats so they could not get away. A daily in
spection was made. l used to carry a sack OF
cheap candy to bride the kids to be inspected.
After a while they thought 1t great fun. Re-
turning from among the infected Indians we
would get into an alright tent, stick our heads
out of an opening, while the whole interior was
filled with the fumes of formaldehyde."
During that expedition, sent out by the United
States government under the auspices OF the
United States coast and geodetic survey, one OF
the best surveyors was stricken with pneumonia
The country was we'll nigh barren, and the only
natural fuel, and that scanty, was in the form
of scrub willows. The sick man was virtually
bound up in his sleeping bag, and for three weeks
was unable. by himself. to get out OF his extern
ported bed. According to Mr.. Riggs, I'VE gave
him everything we had in the way Of medicine,
and still he recovered"
Heroism and the tragic are apt to go hand in
hand in thus survey work, and yet the public
knows next TO nothing about the dangers faced
by it's servants in that far-away region. Let US
cite a single instance that occurred to one Of Mr..
Riggs details.
1t seems a small party of his associates landed
on an island in the Alaska river and had the mis-
fortune to have their canoe swept away by q
sudden rise OF water. Binding a few sticks OF
driftwood together to form a makeshift raft one
of the men managed to work his way through the
icy torrent to the neighboring mainland. After
three days Of wandering over PERCEPTIONS noun
tains and slippery glaciers he finally managed to
crawl to one of the triangular stations or marks.
He had Just strength enough to push the signal
out of plumb and then tainted away.
Happily the chief of the local party, some dis
lance away, while pausing for the clouds to pass,
by chance turned his telescope toward the de-
ranged signal, and finding 1t out Of line dis
patched some of his people in a canoe to restore
1t, In this manner the exhausted man was dis
covered and a rescue party fastened away to
the aid of his fellows on the island. For that
heroism in the line of duty the man that breasted
that frigid stream became a physical and mental
wreck.
The governments railway will open up a very
rich country. According to experts the wealth
that has already been shipped out OF the region
is but the veriest scratchings from the surface
of this vast treasure house of nature. But the
road in its building win have to overcome many
difficulties. The courage, grit and good red blood
that has been drawn upon in running the sur
vey are ample evidence OF the character Of the
obstacles that must be battled with In laying the
ties running the rails and s~pringing bridges as
the line advances.
Even so, we shall have the route in time. and
the achievement will add one more record to
the Astounding capacity of our people.