The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-06-27

HIGH IN ANDES
By Nassar Women m Memory
Of Beloved Scientist Who
Died There
WASHINGTON, June 26.-Far away
in South America. on aSsmaH and un-
treQUenfed island in the Lake of TIT
Gao, stands little crumblng fonnbS
stonezroushly built OF stones BY sym
pathetic hands, which serves to mark
American explorer, Professor James
Orion: Not very many now living re-
member the modest kindly scholar
whose work advanced the cause OF
human knowledge, and in whom the
gentle nature OF the poet was linked
with the daring spirit OF the explorer
OF Unknown w1ds3 Only in the hearts
Of bis surviving relatives and Of Vas
sar graduates OF some forty years ago
recently comparatively few even of
these remembered how Orton lost his
life and where his body lay inferred
They have now. however. leaned
something OF the particulars OF his
death and the location of his grave.
and a movement has been started
among the Vassar alumnae OF the
their daughters and their granddaush-
ters, and soon a marble shaft VIII
rise to mark the spot where, Far
from tourist Gravel and the world 8
unheeding race James Orton sleeps.
Prompted by Article.
An article by Edward AIbes in the
Monthly Bulletin OF the Pan Ame-t-
can Union served TO awaken the
memories OF those who had forgotten
ana struck responsive chord in the
hearts OF the elder Vassar women. 1t
was their old professor who lay there.
Tar from kindred, home and friends,
almost, unknown and certainly IN
sung'sas the writer had 1t-and as
soon as the knowlede came to them
they determined to show the world
that Vassar's a1umnae were equal TO
the occasion. A committee has been
appointed to collect q fund by private
subscription, fund that will be ade-
quate to provide a suitable monument
and the work is being systematically
and jealousy carried on
Orion, who was born at Seneca
Falls. n Y, IN 1870. and educated at
Williams College and Andover TheoT
logical Seminary entered upon his. ca
raer as a scientist in 1866. when he,
was appointed instructor in natural
sciences in Rochester University. In
1867 scientific expedition to the
equatorial Andes and the River Anna
ION was Organized under the auspices
OF the Smithsonian Institution, and
Prof. Orion was selected as its lead
err AS result OF TINS expedition
many hitherto unknown specimens or
natural history were collected and to-.
day form portions Of the collections
in the museums OF such we'll known
repositories as the Smithsonian Insti-l
tuition at Washington. the Phi1adel-
phia Academy Of Naturtal Science the
Boston Society OF Natural History
the Peabody Academy OF Science. and
vassar college, while the bulk of the
collection was purchased by lnsnam
University.
Three Expeditions
Upon his return to the United
States, Professor Orion was offered
the chair ofanatural history at Vas
sar College In 1869, with which in
stftution he renamed Until his tragic
death IN 1871. In 1873 he made a
second journey across South America
from Para up the Amazon to Lima:
valuable chronological collections OF.
Incaria1 relics. In 1876 he organized
a third expedition. with the object Of
exploring the great BENZ river, a
branch of the MADEIRA, one of his
companions being DIR. Edwin Ruthren
Heath, the we'll known discoverer of
the River Heath IN South America.
who is still living. hale md hearty,
in Kansas City, Mo-
This expedition reached The mouth
of the river, where most of the equip!
ment and supplies were lost Orion
and his few companions made the
terrible 6OO-mile Journey back to La
Paz through forest and jungle amid in
credible hardShips. but on crossing
Lake Tticaca on the way to Puno
the intrepid scientist died. September
a5. dS11, from the exposure incurred
Subsequently his remains were taken
TO EsteTes. Island by sympathetic;
friends, and some years ago Scotch
engineer by the name Of Creighton
butt with his own hands the rough
monument which now marks the SPOT
where. to the everlasting requiem OF;
Tfticaca.s ceaseless waves. almost IN
the very shadow of the snow. capped
peaks he loved so well, James Orion
sleeps, s.4s
IHRI[[ING RIDE
=. =. - $50, s.-tss7 49,