The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-04-12
BOY.
SCOUTS
e..
Conducted BY National Council Of the Boy
Scouts OF Amsrica-)
BOY SCOUT VS.. PLAIN BOY

A remarkable illustration Of why
scout training should be the privilege
of every boy Is shown In the following
story Of two groups of boys, one COM
posed Of scouts and the other not Of
scouts. both placed In the same pre-
dicament, which called for intelligent
action, resourcefulness and grit. The
way in which the two groups handled
the same situation Is significant
A party Of Pueblo. Colorado, scouts
last fall were on hike when they
were caught In blizzard which lasted
for forty-eight hours. ut happens
that In our part Of the country" says
the scout executive In relating the in
cident, during the fall and early win
ter billiards. come up without a warn
Ing. These scouts were seven miles
from town and were accompanied by
their troop leader. They Immediately
sought refuge In an old building and
then built a fire. They remained here
unframed throughout the blizzard.
During the storm 1t was humanity Inn
possible to get through the snow to the
boys. After the storm abated a
searching party was formed and the
boys were met on their way home,
perfectly safe and sound and scouting
was given a great deal Of credit for
the way the troop leader cared for his
troop.
"The blizzard started Saturday
AFTERNOON and 1t was not learned until
Sunday afternoon that three more boys
who were not scouts had gone on
hike to the same place but had not
returned. A neighbor Of the boys who
was crossing the prairie at that time
Unexpectedly came upon two Of the
lads who, half dazed, were wandering
aimlessly around and did not recognize
him.
HE brought them to the city and
late that night when they regained
their senses, they asked for their other
companion. This revealed the fact
that there was another boy left on
the prairie. A searching party Of
100 scouts was formed and sent out
early the next morning. Forming in a
straight line with only a short dis
lance between each lad, the scouts
searched the prairie for several miles
around the spot where the boys claimed
they left the other lad.
'The arroyas were filed with snow
from four to twelve feet deep and the
snow on the level was several inches
deep. and when darkness came on the
party was forced to return without
having recovered the body. The next
morning an assistant scoutmaster ac-
companied by the father of one of the
other scouts went to the place where
the scouts left of. After searching
short while they found the body Of
the little boy.
THE two boys who were rescued
were asked why they did not build a
fire to protect themselves from the
cold and they stated that the woods
and weeds were wet with snow and
SO they did not try to build a fire.
They explained also that they started
to hike for home when the storm
started and the little boy nine years
old. being unable to hike rapidly, gave
out and they tried to carry him. They
could not carry him far SO laid him
down in the edge of an arroyo while
they started towards what they be-
lieyed to be farm house nearby.
They had mistaken two large trees for
a house and when they attempted to
find the boy whom they had left In
the arroyo they could not find him so
they sought refuge In another canyon.
The boys said they covered their little
companion with some weeds and brush
to protect him from the storm. OF
course, 1t Is evident that had these
boys had scout training they could
have built fire and done other things
to assist themselves In the emergency"