The Washington times., 1925-01-31
ICE I RAIL
SPEED IS
RECORD
Continued from First Page)

Continued from First Page.)
] be was due to meet a relay team
from Ruby, Alaska. bearing $780,
600 units Of anti-toxin for the re-
lief of diphtheria sufferers at Nome.
S EeppaIla left Nome Tuesday south
ward bound simultaneously with a
. relay team setting out from Nenana
and extraordinary progress has been
made in both directions to date.
$ With continued good luck the
Ueeum should reach the hands Of
Doctor Curtis WEIGH, assistant
health officer and the only physician
-; Nome, by Monday or Tuesday
and perhaps sooner.
Thus an emergency win be met
By heroic means, thanks to Doctor
J. B. Beeson, formerly Montana and
Seattle physician, Of the railway
hospital at Anchorage, who supplied
the serum.
A weeks time was saved after
The consignment from Juneau was
delayed by the prompt action Of
Doctor WEIGH at Nome and Post
office Inspector e. G. Wetzler, at
Nenana, by their quick action in
starting the race against death.
Their efforts, under authorization
Of he governor of Alaska, quickly
enlisted the services of experienced
mushers, expediting the delivery Of
the precious remedy.
Un0er q milder temperature on
The Seward peninsula, Seppella
sped away. The Northern Com
mercial Company acted as dis
patcher Of the travellers at the
north and the schedules were kept
Ike clockwork.
Roadhouse keepers at >thirty-mile
intervals provided food for the
men and fish for the dogs.
$ Onward over the ice and frozen
tundra. the teams travelled tire
lessly. The succor Of dying chill
dren stimulated them to supreme
efforts. Every moment meant the
boss BILE saving of q life.
Bulletins by signal corps men
reached the governor daily.
The first came from Wetzler and
read:
shannon leaves at 9 p. m. and
have arranged for relay teams to
drive day and night until Nome
team Is met"
Story Told by Bulletins.
Doctor WEIGH wired from Nome
"seppella starting at once and
arriving light"
Another from Wetzler said:
Z "Ant.toxin due Ruby about 9
The next message showed a gain
Ct time:
"Antitoxin departed Ruby 7:2O
Thus the bulletins ran until the
cheering news came that the relay
team had reached Nulato at 10 a.
M, and was due to meet the Nome
team at Kaltag at 3 p. m. Friday.
Phenomenal achievement that!
"Sourdoughs'' marveled and could
scarcely believe the wires. It was
true. however, but not without cost
% the heroes Of the North. \
Champions Suffer.
Z Jim Kallen's hands were frozen
and the parkas lhooded coverings
worn over the heads OF the dog
Team driveFs) of all the drivers were
eaked with Ice, causing them to be
bitterly cold.
They suffered for the suffering.
Seppella had skirted Norton sound
and crossed the tundra overland to
KRltag. while the others came down
The Tanana river and the mighty
Yukon.
: Here the serum changed hands,
and SeppeHa. winning sweepstakes
Of glory. turned about and retraced
his trail to Unalakleet and Nome.
No. need to enjoin haste upon him
.Dr his dogs. They understand.
Seppella covered the Is miles
from Nome to Kaltag in three days
Or thereabouts. and win do as well
Or better on the return lap, Provi-
sdenre permitting.
: All the Northland pins its faith
10 his prowess and endurance.
An airplane. II equipped and avail
able. might have withstood the
blasts and delivered the serum
quicker or might not. Heaven
knows.