The Detroit times., 1915-01-19
BOY SCOUTS HAVE
THEIR use EVEN
IN PEACE TIMES
In Northern New Jersey Ten
Troops Can BE Modified
Within an Hour
BOYS HAVE BECOME
THOROUGH WOODSMEN
Trained in All the Ways of the
Wilderness Known to the
AbOrigines

NEW YORK, Jan. 1--we have
completed scheme In Northern New
JerseyAhereby 10 troops OF Boy
Scouts @ America can be modified
within an hour when they are needed
as searchers for lost persons or for
other similar purposes" said Scout
Commissioner b. Il. Gray, OF Mont
clair.
In an hour after we get word that
we ore needed for any OF the things
that We are especially fitted for and
Tor which our study OF woodcraft and
first aid really makes our organiZa-
ton OF general public good, we can
start 10 troops OF uniformed and
equipped scouts off across the country
TO search through the forests, let us
say, for lost children or demented per-
sons for whose safety there is anxiety.
The special branch of the Boy Scouts
which we have organized here in the
northern part of the state, for this
quick mobilization plan is called the
Scout Commissioners Association or
Northern New Jersey, and whether
II Is extended TO other parts OF the
state or not, we hope that in the fu-
ture We shall be able to serve the
public community great deal"
An example of the way this new
special association OF Boy Scouts
works out was shown Saturday morn
Ing. Dec. S, when an order of mobiliza-
ton reached Troop Is OF the East
Orange Social settlement. with the
information that the scouts were to
turn out to search for Mrs. Walter
Breck, OF Orange. who had disap-
peared at s o'clock In the morning be
fore, being last seen at the Delaware.
Iackawanna a Western railroad
depot at Orange Within half an
hour from the time that the order OF
mobilization was in the hands of
Scoutmaster William T. Burrell and
Assistant Scoutmaster Mercer Burrell
the boys were en- route to the scene
OF the search. Other troops Joined
them. On the following Saturday a
more extended search for Mrs. Brock
was made through the forest OF the
Eagle Rock reservation, owned by
the county OF Essex, and a territory
two miles long and over mile wide,
full OF tangled clumps OF bushes
briars, thfckets OF jumpers and scrub
oaks as we'll as dense forests, was
searched SO thoroughly that the po-
lice estimated that not foot of the
reservation but must have fallen
under the eye OF one OF the scouts
and perhaps two.
In the last few years the Boy
Scouts OF Northern New Jersey. Con
necticut, Maine. Illinois and OF many
other parts OF the country have been
called upon 20 search townships and
larger sections for lost persons. and
in some Instances have contributed
materially TO the clearing up of mys-
teries In the case OF the search for
Mrs. Brock on Dec. II the typical at
titude OF the scout movement was
shown by vote put to them when
they were assembled before the search
began on the heights of Eagle Rock
Outlook, at Montclair.
Scout Commissioner Gray addressed
the boys and read a description OF the
person for whom they we're to search,
how she was dressed when she disap-
peared, and said: No scout is to
risk life in this search. If you come
TO a cliff In the forest you are 10 go
around IL and not up over its front IL
IL looks dangerous, but do not leave
any space OF IL unsearched. 1t is con-
trary to the ethics OF the scout move
ment to accept dollar OF any reward
that may have been offered. We are
making this search for the general
public good. Now / want To take a
vote OF all present as TO whether
every one here Is in accord with the
proposition not to accept any reward
All In favor raise their hands"
Instantly nearly all the hands OF