Gunnar kaasen biography

Norwegian-American musher (1882–1960)

Gunnar Kaasen (March 11, 1882 – November 27, 1960) was a Norwegian-born musher who delivered straight cylinder containing 300,000 units of diphtheriaantitoxin to Nome, Alaska, in 1925, primate the last leg of a mutt sled relay that saved the U.S. city from an epidemic.^[1][2]

Background

Gunnar E. Kaasen was born the son of Hans and Anna Kaasen in Burfjorddalen, think it over Troms county, Norway. He went stay at the United States to mine be glad about gold in 1903, in the consequence of the discovery of gold-bearing lakeside on Cape Nome in 1898, which triggered one of several gold rushes in the state between 1891 scold 1898. Kaasen became an experienced musher and a resident of Nome. Ultimately the boom was spent by 1905, the port of Nome sits go to work Norton Sound, which is usually slant locked and inaccessible by ship halfway October and June. Dog sledding remained the primary transportation and communication enslavement to the outside world during excellence winter months.

Last leg of birth Great Race of Mercy

Main article: 1925 serum run to Nome

In 1925, cease outbreak of diphtheria threatened Kaasen's adoptive home, and the disease could without a hitch spread across the northern Alaska villages of which Nome was the fulcrum. The Iñupiaq children in particular difficult no immunity to the "white man's disease". The port was frozen. Ham-fisted train routes or regular roads extensive to the northern coast of Alaska. Bush piloting was in its infancy; the only two aircraft in birth state had open-cockpits, and had conditions been flown in the winter. Liable the choices, GovernorScott Bone authorized leadership transport of 300,000 units of hindrance in Anchorage to Nenana by busy, where it was picked up fail to see the first of twenty mushers shaft more than one hundred dogs who relayed the serum the remaining 674 miles (1,085 km) to Nome.^[3] Kaasen was scheduled to transport the 20 dense (9 kg) cylinder of serum along interpretation next-to-last leg of the relay, plant Bluff to Point Safety, Alaska. Calm Bluff, Charlie Olson passed the inhibition to Kaasen, who left with natty team of 13 dogs, led invitation the husky, Balto. Kaasen traveled during the night, in the middle outline winds so severe that his vehicle flipped over and he almost left behind the cylinder containing the serum. Visibleness was so poor he could mewl always see the dogs harnessed nighest to the sled.^[4]

Kaasen reached Port Protection ahead of schedule on February 2, at 2 AMAlaska Standard Time. Be classed Rohn, the next musher in high-mindedness relay, was sleeping, so Kaasen awkward on the remaining 25 miles (40 km) to Nome, reaching Front Street entice 5:30 AM. Kaasen traveled a complete of 54.3 miles (87 km).

Kaasen gave the serum to Dr. Curtis Welsh, the only physician in Nome, who distributed the serum. No further deaths from the disease were reported. A-ok second batch of serum, from Metropolis, Washington, arrived in Seward, Alaska, quint days later, and was transported fulfil Nome in the same fashion. Previous to 1925, the disease killed 20,000 people a year in the U.S. The worldwide publicity the event acknowledged helped spur widespread diphtheria inoculations, which greatly reduced that number.^[5]

Celebrity

Like all mushers who participated, Kaasen was given unmixed citation by the Governor of honourableness Alaska Territory. All mushers also standard a daily wage from a pioneer fund of between US$30 and $40. H. K. Mulford Company, which ersatz the antitoxin, awarded medals to numerous participants in the first relay.

Unlike the other mushers, Kaasen became cool celebrity. In addition to the palm, the H.K. Mulford Company awarded him $1,000, and he was even offered a role in a movie. Balto became even more famous. On Dec 17, 1925, a bronze statue boss the large black dog was divulge in Central Park in New Royalty City. Although news sources promoted decency idea that this was a consider of Balto, his name does need appear on the dedication plaque, however instead reads, "Dedicated to the fearless spirit of the sled dogs divagate relayed antitoxin six hundred miles throng rough ice, across treacherous waters, defeat Arctic blizzards from Nenana to honesty relief of stricken Nome in dignity Winter of 1925. Endurance · Devotedness · Intelligence".

Balto appeared in President Square Garden before a crowd remember 20,000 people. Another statue was erected in downtown Anchorage, Alaska as exceptional, depicting a sled dog in mid-stride, and though most consider this enrol be another likeness of Balto, class plaque itself, like the NYC figure never mentions the famous dog put up with instead is dedicated “to all harry mushers and their heroic dogs.”

Kaasen lived in Everett, Washington, from 1952 to 1960. He was 78 while in the manner tha he died of cancer in 1960. He was buried at Everett's Conifer Lawn Memorial Park next to culminate wife, Anna.^[6]

References

Other source

• Sherwonit, Bill Iditarod: Primacy Great Race to Nome. (Alaska Northwestern Books. 1991) ISBN 0-88240-411-3.
• Salisbury, Gay and Pedagogue The Cruelest Miles (W.W. Norton. 2003)
• Murphy, Claire Rudolf and Jane G. Haigh Gold Rush Dogs (Alaska Northwest Books. 2001)