Northwest History. Aviation 8. City Affairs, United States.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1925
• Subjects: Nome; Alaska; diphtheria; epidemic; telegram; Scott C. Bone; Juneau; diphtheria antitoxin; G. S. Maynard; Dr. Curtis Welch; United States health service; Seattle; Dr. G. M. Magruder; dog teams; life and death; Washington; long distance government; Leonard Seppala; Candle City; Gunnar Kasson; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Aviation; Gunnar; Pacific
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/86401

Nome Patients No Number 30: Mayor Scores Bureaucracy Which Prevents Use Of Planes. NOME PATIENTS NO NUMBER 30 Mayor Scores Bureaucracy Which Prevents Use of Planes. NOME, Alaska, Feb. 4.- By the Associated Press.)--Nome tonight had 30 definitely diagnosed cases of diphtheria in an epidemic that began 10 days ago. The deaths reached six last night. Following a meeting of the Nome board of health, at which a telegram from Scott C. Bone, governor of the territory, who lives in Juneau, stating that "situation does not warrant immediate use of airplane" to bring diphtheria antitoxin here, was considered. G. S. Maynard, mayor of this city, issued a statement. The statement reported that the board and Dr. Curtis Welch of the United States health service, stationed here, had agreed that the proper program was that announced from Seattle yesterday. Under this program, which Dr. G. M. Magruder of the United States public health service at Seattle stated would be carried out, 620,000 units of antitoxin would be brought here by airplane as soon as possible and the remaining 1,480,000 units that have been shipped from Seattle for Nome would be carried in by the dog teams of the regular United States mail service. "This is a matter of life and death, not dollars and cents," said the mayor's statement. "With the 58 varieties of government bureaus with headquarters in Washington that have dominance over Alaska it is the same old story of one bureau treading on another's toes." "This bureaucracy, called long distance government by the Alaska sourdough or veteran resident, stands idly by while our people suffer and die and while red-blooded men are willing to fly airplanes to our relief." Leonard Seppala, undefeated in the dog debris formerly run from here to Candle City and back, returned to day from his part in relays of mushers that delivered 300,000 units of antitoxin here Monday. He seemed in good condition and he made light of his exploits, saying that Gunnar Kasson, who ran the last relay in a blizzard in which he missed a relief driver and covered two states, was the man to be lauded. Seppala drove 238 miles in going out to receive the serum and in returning here. He carried the antitoxin 71 miles.