Togo and “The Great Race” During a deadly

Togo and “The Great Race”

By Scott Broecker dangerous respiratory disease, a month of quarantine, a race to obtain a vaccine. Sound familiar? While what we are currently going through is on a much larger scale, in 1926 A another deadly epidemic was contained just in time to save thousands of lives.

Back then, just like today, there were many heroes involved in containing, treating, and finally bringing an end to a life-threatening disease, but none so pivotal as 20 brave men and their 150 courageous canines who comprised the sled dog teams of the Serum Run.

Dr. Welch suggested that every school, church, movie house, and lodge be shut down, and that travel along the trails be strongly discouraged.

It was mid-January, 1925, and Alaska residents were experiencing the most brutal winter they had seen in decades, further isolating the extreme northern city of Nome. And if that wasn’t enough, a deadly outbreak of

diphtheria was discovered by Nome's lone physician, Dr. Curtis Welch, putting the whole city at risk, especially children, who were the most vulnerable.

THE PLAN

A telegram went out for help and an antitoxin serum was found, but was it possible to get it to Nome's residents soon enough? The serum would only last for six days. And the approaching blizzard and pack ice ruled out both air travel and ships. A train could make it as far north as the northwestern town of

Nenana. From Nenana, officials determined that the only way to deliver the serum in time would be by using a relay system of sled dog teams.

Meanwhile, back in Nome, the board of health committee all agreed on a single course of action: to lock down the town straightaway. Dr. Welch suggested that every school, church, movie house, and lodge be shut down, and that travel along the trails be strongly discouraged.

SEPPALA AND TOGO

Each leg of the relay would average around 30 miles,

except for the longest and most dangerous part of the route. To cover the round trip from Nome to Shaktoolik and back, the territory’s most experienced driver was chosen, Norwegian sled driver Leonhard Seppala, along with his courageous lead dog, Togo. Together, they embodied the hero-like characteristics that this desperate race required. At 12 years old, the 48-pound Togo had already been a lead dog for seven years.

THE RACE BEGINS

Arriving in Nenana, the train’s conductor immediately hands off the 20-pound package of serum to the relay’s first driver at

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around 9:00 pm. After lashing it securely to his sled, Wild Bill Shannon and his crew of nine mostly young dogs, led by a five-year-old more experienced husky named Blackie, were off into the pitch-dark night. The temperature hovered at a chilling 50 degrees below zero.

With the trail pitted by horse hooves and ruts, Shannon chose to take his dogs along the frozen Tanana River. The grueling two-day run would cover 52 miles to the first roadhouse, where the next driver and team would be waiting. After a short rest at a roadside house, three exhausted dogs had to be left behind in the care of the house owner. In rough shape, with 22 miles to go, Shannon and the six remaining dogs forged ahead. At this moment, Leonhard Seppala, whose own child was at risk, readied his 22 dogs and supplies in Nome. The dogs’ excitement erupted in a chorus of howls and yelps in anticipation of the trip.

Seppala would head east to meet up with the westbound relay and receive the vital package of serum. When he and the team had reached Norton Sound, Seppala made the decision to cross the dangerous sea ice (which was prone to sudden breakups) instead of taking the much longer coastal route. Feeling confident, he knew Togo had an instinctive sense when it came to danger and would remain calm and confident and get them through.

As the cases in Nome increased, the story took

over newspaper front pages across the nation, with headlines reading “Dogs Pitted Against Death,” “Dogs Carry Anti-toxin to Snowbound Alaskan City,” “Nome Takes Hope as Dogs Draw Near,” and the like. Working their way toward the final handoff, more teams were recruited and gallantly navigated through the subzero temperatures, fierce wind, and ice fog.

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By now Seppala, Togo, and the team had safely crossed the sound and had already covered 170 miles. As they were nearing the handoff point at Shaktoolik, they almost passed the other sled driver who yelled, “The serum! The serum! I have it here!”

As night fell, Seppala had his doubts about recrossing the ice, but the long route would take an extra day and with news that the epidemic had spread, he worried about his own daughter and knew Nome could no longer wait.

Unable to see through the dark, Seppala put his full trust in Togo. With his head down and unfazed by the howling wind, Togo continued to navigate a straight course despite the cold and sometimes slippery ice. By 8:00 pm, Seppala and his team, led by Togo, miraculously crossed back over the frozen Norton Sound only three hours before the ice broke and was swallowed by the raging waters driven by the storm. The dogs had traveled an incredible 84 miles that day—mostly running against the wind—and at this point were worn out. Two more teams were recruited. After covering 340 miles total and completing the most difficult leg of the relay, Seppala handed the serum off to Charlie Olson, who then passed the serum to Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dog, Balto.

ARRIVAL IN NOME

The vials of serum arrived intact in “What those dogs did on the run to Nome is above valuation. I claim no credit for it myself. The real heroes… were the dogs on the teams that did the pulling, dogs…that gave their lives on an errand of mercy.”

“Wild Bill” Shannon, musher who met the train on January 27. At least 5 dogs died on the run.

just five and a half days, and after a few hours of thawing were ready to be administered.

The relay would be known as “The Great Race of Mercy” and would become the inspiration for The Iditarod—which ironically was greatly altered this year to protect the population from the spread of COVID-19.

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