STRANGE LIFE-SAVING DEVICE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 609, 11 March 1929, Page 14

STRANGE LIFE-SAVING DEVICE

WORK IN “THE TRAIL OF ’*»

With the turning of the perioU w. scenes in the rapids of the Yukon b“T' for the -Trail of ■«.” the life-saving service in the world .I, launched. Instead of lolling on , beaches awaiting cries of distresfro' a drowning person, the life guards a” ranged an aerial patrol suspended oO feet above the great cauldron °h* means of steel cables stretched one bank of the river to the otter Platforms attached to the cables'., abled the life guards to make auk' transportation from one spot to „ other according to the location of tt. people below. Quick work was nece= sary to protect the people taking p ar in the scenes. Through a number cboats having to be purposely wrecked and one driven into a whirlpool, onh the very strongest and bravest swim, mers and divers obtainable in Alaska, the Yukon and the North-vestei-p United States were used.

Ropes, nets and life preservers formed part of the life-saving equipment at a spot so dangerous in th, days of the Klondyke gold rush, that the North-west Mounted Police had to forbid navigation of the waters unless the boats were guided by accredited pilots. The big picture. “The Trail of ’9S ’ will be shown at the New Reger, ■ Theatre from next Friday. Dolores De Rio. Ralph Forbes and Karl Dane bead the cast of several thousands.