The Cordova daily times., 1919-01-20

of lonely mountain. as is the case
with the station at the Summit, about
80 miles north of Valdez, on the Fair
banks trail. Many operators and sol
d.ers stationed at this place have be-
come crazed with loneliness and the
monotony of their surroundings, and
have either committed suicide, or
cen taken out to recover their facul-
ties in places more habitable.
The Summit is nearly two thou
sand feet in the air, and the station
is maintained for the relief of mush-
ers who may be caught in the sudden
storms which sweep down from the
north. bringing binding clouds OF
srcw, and fairly rocking the huge
powders on the mountain top in their
fury. The occupants of the small
telegraph station are often compelled
% remain in thoir cabin for weeks at
q time. forcing their fires to keep
from freezing. and with no other
communication with their comrades
tran the slender wires half buried in
the huge snowdrifts. In sumner this is
a scene of great loveline3s, but opera
to:'a are not needed there in the sum-
mcr. 1t is the grim winter season
With its low temperatures and fierce
gales that tax the nerve and energy
of the men of the Signal Corps.
Trails must be broken to other
stG.ions, the daily reports made, lines
repaired, trees removed from the
vicinity of the wires, and the careless
travelled looked after. Many times
the men are reused from Their w2rm
beds to dash out into n storm of wind
and snow to rescue some man who
rcf dhouse either side of their station,
and who has failed to show UP in a
reasonable length of time. Many days
IRE spent in the bitter cold and deep
srows pulling the wire together and
patching them up so the tiny sp2rk
can carry the message of good cheer
to the outpost of civilization. Wood
must be looked after supplies check
ed over. meals cooked for the musher
rCadhouses, for the boys never turn
traveller away from their dOo. These
stations are models of cleanliness and
are inspected yearly by the captain in
charge, and supplies and material
checked over.
Hundreds of lives have been saved
by the occupants of these tiny sta
tons, the record extending back for
years. How many will never be
known, as the unfortunate musher is
! not prone to talk of his mishaps, and
the Signal Corps boys take it as a
matter of course and all in the days
work, Some of the deeds performed
would entitle the participants to
medal for bravery If they were re-
ported; others are so nervy as to beg
gar description. 1t has been but few
years back since one of the Signal
Corps men. stationed on the Yukon,
plunged into the icy waters of the
| river, and swimming a long distance,
rescued two proSpeCtors and their
outfit Tho men were all but uncon-
scious when taken from the water.
and the fight between the rescucr and
the treacherOus current was a hard
one. He did not think the incident
worthy of more than passing com
ment. 1t remained for the men res
cred to tell of the remarkable deed
In the spring OF 1908 or 1909 the
Delta district between Valdez and
Fairbanks was swept by one of the
worst billiards in the history of the
country, the mercury for II days
standing at "a below. and the gale be-
ing so severe that the deep SHOWS
were hurled through the air in blind
ING masses that a strong man could
hardly stand up against.
party of prospectors and miners
on their way from Valdez to Fair
banks were caught in the storm. |
When the gale broke they attempted
to reach a roadhouse in the vicinity, |
but the wind and cold became so in |
teEse they sought shelter in the Ice OF
some timber, where the horses were
abandoned and the party crawled un-
der windfall. well wrapped in their
robes.
Among the party were a man nam
ed Harry Warren, well known in thi.
city; man named King. his wife,
and another woman by the name OF |
"Diamond-Tooth Gertie," also known
from Dawson to Dyea The women
were wrapped in all the available |
coverings and the party dug far into |