The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-20
DESPERATE FIGHT
 |S MADE TO HELP STRANDED PARTY
Three Men Push Through Fri gid Regions to Bring News
 To World

SELFRIDGE FIELD, MT. CLEM- EMS, Mich, April 19.-Ten persons marooned on Little Fox island in ice nerciiesslv nearer death by starva- titn late Thursday when the airplane from Selfridge field which was to have brought them food crashed through the ice in attempting to land at Northport.
 No sooner had reports of the baf- fled relief expedition been received here, however, than officers of the aviation post set out to replace the wrecked plane. Weather permitting, a 350-horse power De Haviiand plane will be dispatched early in the morn ing, scheduled to pick up provisions at Northport and rush them to the sufferers, who include nine men and a woman.
 Major Carl Spatz, commander of the field, is directing force of me- chanics working on the giant plane, and hopes to get it into condition in time for her to sail by sun rise. Will Dash to Island.
 At Northport the De Haviland plane will be turned over to Lieut.. E. c. Whitehead. who piloted the first plane and escaped injury when it crashed. After loading up with pro- visions. Whitehead will dash for Little Fox island.
 No attempt will be made to land, but the provisions will be dropped on the camp below. With mild weather prevailing, food Is the only imminent t necessity of the marooned ten.
 Report of the imperilled islanders was brought by three men who cross- ed the ice, penetrating great stretches of slush and water and reached Northport late Wednesday. They were the strongest of the ma- roCned party, selected to reach the outside world and tell thrilling story which may yet end tragically, of another great battle of man against the elements of ice, snow, hunger and privation in the northern Great Lakes region.
 Went to Cut Timber.
 The victims went to Little Fox island last fall to cut timber. The provisions carried were expected to be ample to last until they could re- turn to the mainland Winter, how ever, continued, and the little. colony found itself three weeks ago with no food but few frozen potatoes and apparently no means of return to ci- Vilization.
 Followed two vain attempts to get to the mainland for food. Blinding snow storms, heavy gales and shift ing ice gorges baffled each. There were several narrow escapes from death by drowning or freezing. Each time the three or four men making the attempt were forced to turn back.
 Finally Edward Horn, Carl Cooper and Ellis Sayres made third des- perate start Prtfiting by earlier experience, they took an eight-foot skiff. Weakened and emanciated by lack of food, they were able to move forward only by superhuman effort.
 o O O
 Only IS Miles Away.
 Northport was only IS miles away and 1t seemed a thousand, the men declared as their frozen feet were treated Thursday. They had open water for five miles; then slush. The thick slush made progress almost im- possible. Only by searching, first in one place, then in another, for an outlet, were they able to find an- other stretch of open water nearly 24 hours later. Then came stretch of solid ice, with no apparent out let. Crossing the ice they struck more water. and were forced to re- turn tC their skiff and laboriously take 1t across the ice.
 The skiff, however. began to leak. Although it's crew bailed frantically, 1t finally sank, and almost miracu- 1ously the three men escaped to an