Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-12-26
REPORT TWO
MEN LOST IN
I THE SNOW
Commodore Fleming, a Mail
Carrier Of West Fork, and
Tom Rlea, Of Oregon City,
Searched For By Party


Report came to the local forestry
ois:ce on Christmas day that Commo-
dore Fleming. mail carrier on the
route betwee West Fork and Agness
end Tom Rilca, OF Oregon City. were
missing, and supposedly were lost on
the divide between Mariel and West
Fork. The last learned Monday night
was that searching party was Or
vanized at Mariel to commence o
search for tho missing mon this morn
ing. Since thcn all tho telephone
hnes have failed. and today no word
has come from down-rivcr points,
Fleming. tho regular mail carrier
from West Fork. loft Friday morning
On his trip for Agness. A little later
Rilea. who had como from Oregon
City on the train. left over the same
trail for Agness. going to visit hia
parents during the holiday season.
His father 10 postmaster at Agness.
Fleming arrived at Asness Friday
night but no report Of Rilea after
no left West Fork has been received.
Saturday morning Fleming started
back over the trail with the mail for
West Fork. He arrived at Mariel.
on Mule creek. all right. and from
there started out over the divide.
On Monday night no further report
had come OF him. and at Mariel prep,
arations were being made to prose-
cute search for him.
Friday morning after both Flem-
ing and Rilca had left West Fork
over the trail. the man who carries
tho parcel post packages left for the
lorr hike to Agness. He reached the
top Of tho divide. about nine miles
from West Fork. but found condi-
tions 30 bad. with a deep. soft snow.
that he concluded not to continue and
turned back. At the time he turned
back the tracks OF both Fleming and
Rilea continued on into the noun
tains.
Today the wires leading into West
Fork. and to Mule creek and Agness
have been down, and nothing Ia
known, of the days developments
II Rilae has been out since no left
West Fork he u now on his fourth
day In the wilds. Fleming being
three days out from Mariei. Ord
inarily Fleming makes the trip from
one end Of his route, to the other In
day without trouble. covering the
80 miles with pack mules and saddle
horses. From Mariel to Agness tho
trail follows along the river at too
low an altitude to be troubled with
snow. The az miles from Mariel to
West Fork 10 over the divide be-
tween Curry and, Douslas counties
and tho snow often reaches q depth
Of many feet. There Ii not q house
on that portion OF the trail, though
the forestry department has suggest
cd that the mail contracor should
build a cabin on the divide In case Of
Just such an emergency as 10 now
present. Both Fleming and Rilea are
strong, rosourceful men, and unless
accident befalls them, they will no
doubt come out all right. the heavy
snow no doubt having made travel
40 diffioult that they were obliged to
camp out In the open. Rilea was
formerly connected with tho forestry
service, u4H anlo b&Nsu. lo,tml
Supervisor Macduff Of thc Slsltyou
forest, has attempted to got into
Communication With his rangers on
the lower river all day. and n, s'
sent a message through Cres'nt ci'y
to a. N Sprded from the" dold
Peach and 70 up the river. Bysgnd'
Ing a man 10 the Mulc creek aiNnon
hc,.stgyl that the forestry Depart,
men 'cnhono ilns cAa " u, Into