The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-06-25
vassar Will Build
Monument 10 Martyr.


rAR AWAY In south America. ON
a small and u-nfrequcnted island
In the Lake % Titicaca, stands
a little crumbllng tombstone roughly
built of stones by sympathetic hands.
' which serves to mark tho last RESTING
place OF a once noted American cx-
plorer. Professor James Orton. Not
very many now living remember the
modest. kindly scholar whose work
advanced the cause 81 human knowl-
edge. and IN whom the gentle nature
OF the poet wns linked with the dar-
ms spirit OF the explorer OF unknown
wilds. Oniy In the hearts Of his sur
viving relatives and of Vassar grad
yates OF some 40 years ago IL his
memory enshrlncd. and until recently
comparatively few even OF these re-
%membercd how Orton lost his life ana
where his body lay Inferred. They
have now. however, learned some
thing Of the particulars Of his death
and the location Of his grave. and IL
movement has been started among The
Nasaar alumnnc Of the days ~ the
early seventies, among their dauEh-
tcrs and their grand daughters. and
HhNN n mNINNf NlNlA VIII ttHf To llNN
the spot where. Far from tourist
travel and the world's unuccdins
race James orton sleeps
An article by Edward Ai5cs In the
Monthly Bulletin of the Pan Ameti-
can Union served 10 awaken he mem
ories % those who had forgotten. and
struck a responsive cord In The hearts
Of the elder Nassnr women. ~ was
their old professor who lay there
far from kindred. home. and friends
almost unknown n certainly un-
suns. AS the writer had u-and us
soon as the knowledge came 60 them
they determined TO show the world
that Vassar's %aldrhnae were equal %
I the occasion. 4 committee has been
appointed to collect q fund hy prl-
waite subscription. q FUND that viii be
adequate to provide a suitable mon
ument. and the work o. hcilg system
nticnily and zeal9usly carried on.
Orton. who was born at Seneca
Falls. New york. in 1880. ~ cdu-
Gated at Williams college and Nndo-
her Theological seminary. entered up
on his career rs "A scientist 30 1866
when he was appointed instructor 10
natural a%cicuccs In Rochester uniNcr-
sity. In 1876 % scientific expedition
90 the ,quatoriai Andes and the Hiv,s
Amazon was organized under the aus
ptces OF the smithsonian institution
and Prof. Orton was selected us U'
leader As "A result Of his expedition
many hitherto unknown specimens "'
natural history were collected and toe
day form portions of tho collections
In the museums Ut such well-kuoWn
~depositories at the Smithsonian insti-
ution at Washington, tho Philudcl-
mia Of Natural Science the
uoston Society Of Natural History.
the peabody Academy Of Science ana
Vnsssr college. while the nulk of the
collector was purchased oy l7sh'n
university.
Tpou his return &" the ui'n
states Professor Orton was offered
IAN. chair Of natural history at Nahs''
college In 1868. with which lnstitn-
ton he remained untii his trasi.
death lon 1877. In 1878 ne made a sec
nnd jnurac, across South America
from Para up the Amazon Co Lima
peru. and to Late Titicaol. mukih'
valuable chronological collections "'
tue,rial relies. In 1876 be- organ if'"
% third expedition with the object OBJ.
e~xploriug the Great Bent river "
branch of the Madeira on" ~ n.
companions being br. Edwin l'N'h'
I,cp Heath. the wcll-known ~G.a'"'r'''
Of Inc river Heath IN South Aincrl.'
who lis stiil living. hale ana hearty ''
Kansas city. Missouri.
This expedition reached the m""l''
OF the river. where most oi the 'l"'.
mcnt and supplies were lost. OTTO.
and his few companions mhd' ','
terrible 6o0-milc journey bach u"
pnz ihrough forest and jungle ''n''
/, incredible |hardships. but ON 't"ss'n
LAX. Titicaca on the way 90 Pun,
me intrepid scientist died Scpi''n"'
as iN5.. from the exposure 'h'u-
. ,.d subsequently his remains "'''
I. rake, to Estcycs island "y 'fNnI'
/, tb.,,g friends. and some years aF"
I scotch engineer by the name a.
! creighton built with his own mana.
the rough monument whl.h no,
marks the spot where, ITO the 'E''
r lasting requiem of Tiuca'' D
d ~aves, almost in the very shadow %
. INC snowcappcd peaks he ''''"
veil James Orton sleeps.