Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-12
DOCTOR TELLS OF 1OO-MILE TRIP
THROUGH SNOW TO SAVE ILL BOY
Racing Dogs, Mule Teams and Snow Shoes
Carry Relief Over Treacherous Noun
tain Trails to Stricken Child.

ness fell and the wind increased, John
weakened.
go on. boys" he cried, I'm afraid
| cant make II"
Nevertheless, he tried desperately
To follow US. But as he fell back and
faded away in the storm and black
ness my emotion almost got me. 1t
was one of those occasions when a
man could cry--but in the end shuts
his mouth tight and keeps going.
| Finally we hit the top of Elk Summit.
| The terrific wind gave so vicious a
roar and push that the crest, about
| so feet wide, held us less than 40 Sec
onds. We damned men, dogs, sled
and all into a huddled bunch, sort
| of scrambling, grabbing at each other
and at the terrified dogs. The gale
blew us exactly in the direction we
were heading for. It swept us off
that thin ridge of snow-covered ice
into banks of loose, drifted snow. We
found ourselves in a tangle of men,
dogs and harness.
Keeping on. still breaking our own
trail, we reached the Independence
Mine. Every man and every dog was
happy that our highest summit had
been passed. Our goal lay only IL
miles farther on.
Father Follows Trail.
Some one produced a flask. I don't
know who did it. That never leaked
out. And then, to our amazement,
John Routson came faltering in. He
was weak, hut game. He had followed
our beaten trail more easily than he
had been able to help break 1t for the
dogs.
Our party struck out now with
greater energy, almost with ferocity.
Soon we left John Routson behind us
again. We hated to do it. but we had
confidence in his knowledge Of the
hills. We felt certain of his ultimate
safety.
We plunged on down the canyon,
and very, very slowly wallowed
through the drifts mile after mile.
Two or three hours before l had
had to discard my bear paws or snow
shoes. The sled had been all that kept
me on top Of the snow trail. And now
we saw lights of the Workbench mine,
where John Routson's boy lay ILL.,
Just as / saw their first flicker my
team scraped swiftly under a fallen
tree. one of many, for we We're in
heavy timber. And one of my ears look
ed like raw hamburger steak as the re-
suit. Possibly a little frost bite has
something to do with this.
Stricken Boy Rallies.
But we got to the mine and we got
to Emmett Routson. The boy has raj
lied, and for Is hours now he has
gained steadily. To all of us, that has
made up for whatever hardship the
journey may have brought us.
Let me say right here what I owe
to the men who helped me. They have
a do or die spirit in these mountains
Without these lads and their perfect
coordination in meeting me with re.
lays, keeping my feet from freezing
and my lungs from giving out, i
would have been a physical impossi-
bility for me to reach this boy at the
Workbench mine.
Handicapped as we were, mainly by
lack of time for preparation, the feat
by both men and dogs
was one not to be expected. They got
me over these mountains in unprece.
denied time.
And If Emmett Routson continues
on to recovery. the thanks are due to
the men who got me to his side.
Copyright, 1927, in all countries by North
american Newspaper Alliance)