The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-03-13

Out beyond the reach of the steamship lines, where Alaska is still the Alaska of 50 years ago. man Is face to face with the elements, tragedy stalks his heels death strikes suddenly and we in what to the people there is Outside" don't receive word of these primitive events until many months after they occur
 News of two such remote incidents of last Novem- ber and which could almost as well have occurred a thousand years ago. came out of the Westward this week in letter to the Office of Indian Affairs from John C. Gordon, U. S. Government teacher at New hslen.
 In an account which has the narrative qualities of a chapter from good novel, MT. Gordon tells a sad story, follows:
 q inquired into the case of Simeon Neketta Indian Chief of Old Iliamna who was victim of fire when his house burned to the ground on November 29 193S The facts are as follows
 His son. Simeon Neketta, Jr,, was filling Comar gasoline lamp the table. It dark in the little cabin and to be of some assistance the old man lit a kerosene lamp and placed it the table near the Coman lamp All at once the vaporized gasoline ex- ploded The son spilled some gasoline probably or the old man and his clothes caught fire). Flames were all over at once The dry old cabin became ar inferno The young man pushed his wife and tive small children out of the door, then grabbing the older child rushed out of the building.
 When he collected his senses he noticed that his father not around It was impossible to get into the house He looked through the window and sew his father sitting in crouched position on the edge of the bed Young Simeon then broke the window with his fists grabbed his father by the shoulders and wanted to pull him through the window The old man, stricken with fear grabbed the sides of the bed and evidently was so paralyzed that he could not let go. It impossible to pull both mar and bed through the window. All this time the flames and 1ar,c arms, resulting in some very severe burns about th face neck and arms, especially around the throat After several attempts the extreme pain and ncreas ing flames forced the young man to give up. Th small house burned to the ground crematnl the elder Simeon Neketta This is the account a given me by eye witnesses.
 According to the last report Simeon Neketta Jr recovering from his burns but will probably hay his neck and face for the rest of his life. sent what first aid medicine available but trans portatton at that time of the year nil and it wa not received till month later,
 "A second victim of fire was Annesa Mike. al expectant mother. Pete Mike native Aleut had hi trap line tent about and one-haf miles from New halen. Here he brought his young wife and one an one-haf year old baby. On the morning of Novembe 29 Pete went to the trader about 10 miles distant replenish his meagre supplies. About Il o'clock hi wife busted herself with some washing. The sma tub or gas can rather in the middle of the crowd ed seven-by mine tent While bent over the tu her skirt in contact with the red hot tin stov and in flames before she realized what happened Terror stricken she outside yelling for help, an the wind famed the flames into increased activt Her clothes than likely greasy for she ha helped to skin and stretch several foxes few day before She managed to tear the clothes off but ht flesh was severely scared and scorched on the limb buttocks. abdomen chest and neck well as tf arms. She had covered her face with her hands 1t was not burned When the young husband rt turned late that afternoon he found his wife, a expectant mother, seven months pregnant, lying 0 the tent floor wrapped in dirty blanket yelling grooming with pain He didn't know what to do bl
 tried to relieve her by putting flour all her burn Early the next morning he came to me I set out once with some clean gauge bandages, olive oil an plenty of baking soda and did what could to relic, her pains They must have been terrible for the morning. November 31, she had miscarriage fate would have it, the child was stllborn
 Plane communication at a standstill. Plan were skis and landing in this vicinity was out the question for the mild weather had kept thnl from freezing solid enough for landing We ha, no radio here. Nearest one is at Nondaton Cou not make contact to ask for information as to u best treatment We did our level best to care for h. until plane could take to the hospital One fiji ally was able to land a small lake in back of Il schoolhouse the afternoon of December 10 but was too late for she passed away that very mornir at o'clock
 we can, of course, blame no one For if lanS ing was possible I'm sure that some plane would ha' picked her up On the other hand if we had rad here at the school special request could have be- sent in to Anchorage for plane with pontoons ar