The Detroit Times

FOOTLESS MAN HAS LONG WALK

Prospector in Alaska Sets Out for New Gold Fields That Are 800 Miles Distant.

SKAGWAY, Jan. 31—In nowise discouraged by the fact that he has two artificial feet, his natural feet having been amputated 20 months ago, Geo. A. Terrill, an old Alaskan "sourdough" now in this town, will leave by steamer for Seward within a few days and expects to "mush" over the winter trail to the new gold diggings at the Iditarod. Although he will have to travel by foot a distance of nearly 800 miles, Terrill, despite the handicap of age and accident, has high hopes of success.

"Warm personal friends of mine who were in the Iditarod this fall," said Terrill, "have told me that it is the coming camp of the north. From what I have been told it certainly looks good to me and I am going to get on the ground early. I was in the Atlin and Fairbanks rushes and I ought to have a fortune," and Terrill smiled sadly and added, "but I haven't. Mismanagement, I guess. But I am going to take one more chance at the Iditarod and I may win out."

Terrill has been in Alaska for eleven years and is well known to most of the old-timers. He lost his feet about 20 months ago. He was on a prospecting trip near the mouth of the Telvana river, about 80 miles above Fairbanks. One night he broke through the ice in the river and had to "mush" back 12 miles to camp. Both of his feet were badly frozen. Billy Campbell, Terrill's partner, packed him back to Fairbanks on a sled and there Dr. F. H. Hall, formerly of Skagway, amputated both his legs, just above the ankle.

Citizens of Fairbanks raised a purse and bought Terrill artificial feet and a ticket to Seattle. He got as far as Juneau and then decided to stay in Alaska. He returned to Skagway and has been here about a month.

Terrill will buy two dogs at Seward and with a supply of provisions that will last him three months he will set off alone for the new camp, risking his life in the final attempt to gain the "stake" that has eluded him for 11 years in many of the camps of the northland.

Terrill is 58 years old and his native state is Indiana. He had been a miner in California and Colorado before coming to Alaska.