Seward seaport record., 1953-10-30
SE\ YARD MAN KILLED IN ACCIDENT I

Marcus A. Cook, former teach CT of shop and general science in Seward High School, fell to his death while goat hunting Wednesday at about l pm. The story of the accident as related by Thomas Roberts, Territorial patrolman in charge of the rescue is about as follows.
 Bernard Hume and MT. Cook were hunting on the slopes of the mountain trail leading to Lost Lake. They were above the timber line so that there was no brush to provide hand holds or to stop a fall. The ground was covered with snow and ice mak- ing it very slippery. They were up about 2200 or 2300 feet when Cook lost his footing and started to slide. Unable to stop the slide he rolled and fell approxi- mately 700 to 1000 feet into c little draw on the mountain side over Box Canyon and about 1900 feet above the floor of the canyon.
 Hume reached him with great difficulty but found it impoSsi- ble to get the body back to town alone so came in to Seward for help, contacting Officer Roberts immediately upon his arrival. He felt sure that Cook was either dead or beyond help be- cause of his battered condition.
 Roberts and eight Army men including an Army Medic at tempted to get to the difficult spot, but were forced to turn back that night. The party had to cross Clear Creek several times, in weather that was below freezing. The extremely rough terrain and deep dark made the expedition so hazardous that they were in danger of losing some of their own party. 'It was sheer suicide to continue" one of the party explained.
 By 8 o'clock Thursday morn ing another attempt was made by Roberts and seven men from Seward including Bernie Hume, who is an experienced mountain climber. They were forced to climb to a position above the ledge and work their way back to the body of MT. Cook, which took them until 11:30. The spot is actually only 112 miles from the road, but the going is so rough that it took 312 hours to reach the draw and 112 hours to get up above and down into the draw where the body lay
 Rescuers were forced to cling to ropes knowing that if they ever let go their own bodies would go hurtling down the sharp rocks to the canyon below. After the body was raised it was carried the mile and half to the highway and back to town. Dr. Joseph Deisher stated that MT. Cook had been killed almost instantly by the fall although MT. Hume had thought his friend might have been breathing faint ly when he reached him.
 Marcus A. Cook was born in Craig, Missouri, November 2, 1898. He started work on his AB. degree in education at Northwest Nazarene College in 1919, completing the degree at the University of California in 1920.
 Cook was principal of the high school at Kima, Idaho from 1923 to 1925, after which he was coach of the Omaha, Ne braska high school until 1883. He then went to Culdesac, Idaho as principal until in 1887 he moved to Lapwai, Idaho as pr.n- cipal From 1922 to 1946 he was physical education director of the Occur d Alene, Idaho schools. In the summer of 1852 MT. Cook and his family drove from their home at Nampa, Ida ho to Alaska, coming to Seward on picture taking tour. While here, he was offered the position of instructor in shop and general science, and Mrs. Cook also ac- cepted a position on the teaching staff of Seward schools. She now has the sixth grade at Bayvi-w School, although her husba Id had decided not to teach this year.
 Of their three children, Betty graduated from Seward High School last May and is now at tending the University of Alas ka. Robert is a freshman and Bradford, is in the third grade.
 The body will be taken to Nampa for burial. Memorial services will be held Sunday at | Il