Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-13
The Story or q House.

STRUCTURE WHICH CAPT. HOwGATE WILL
SEND NEXT MONTH TO THE POLE.
From the Washington Post
On vacant lot near Fourteenth street
and New York avenue a large frame
building is in progress of erection, and
has already attracted considerable at
tention. 1t is long shed. like structure,
with doors at both ends and one in the
middle OF one OF the sides. The man
ner OF its construction shows that il is
not intended for a mild latitude. The
sides OF the building are double and the
windows are double, while the doors are
protected by a sort of vestibule or win
ter door. This is the house which Capt.
Howgate intends 10 take on his expedi.
tion to the North Pole, bill authorizing
the expedition having passed the House
last week. This frame house is to be
used for the purpose of carrying out a
plan which has for some years been adj
vocated by Arctic explorers and claimed
by them to be the only efiectual one for
finally solving the problem Of reaching
the North Pole. After it has been con.
structed it will be taken to pieces and
placed on the vessel which is to convey
the explorers northward. Its the pur.
pose Of Capt. Howgate, whom the bill
has placed in exclusive charge of the
expedition, but who will not go in per-
son, to have this building erected on
the west coast Of Smiths sound, about
eighty-one and a.balf degrees north
latitude, where the English ship Discov.
cry, of Mares expedition OF 1873, winter.
ed, and just little north Of the highest
point reached by DIR. Hayes in 1861 and
just opposite Thank God hsrbor, where
the Polaris wintered in 1871. This
point is chosen principally because the
English expedition discovered a vein of
coal in the neighborhood, Musk OK
were also found in this vicinity. Here
will be established permanent depot.
The supplies will be placed on shore,
and the men will take possession Of the
house, which will be banked up with
snow and ice for additional warmth.
From this point parties will be sent
northward by sledge and boat, having
this permanent base of supplies to fall
upon. There is further advantage of
having a headquarters on land instead
Of vessel as heretofore, as there is no
danger of its destruction by ice pressure
and other casualties incident to q vessel.
The Gulnare, vessel Of 200 tons, which
is to be used in conveying the exploring
party and their supplies to the North,
is now lying in the shipyArd, at Alexan-
dria, being prepared for the navigation
among the bergs and ice foes of the
Arctic sea. The expedition will be
under the direction of naval officers to
be indicated by Mr.. Hayes, and will be
under naval discipline. The vessel will
be ready TO sail about the middle Of
May, and after landing the men at the
! northern station will return and next
year make another trip, with additional
supplies and men. The men will be-
come acclimated and there being no
necessity for their return owing to n
failure of their supplies, their opera.
tions can be prolonged until, Il is
thought, success will crown their efforts
and the last triumph of modern discov.
cry achieved. The money necessary TO
carry out this scheme has already been
secured through private subscriptions,
and the Government will only be called
upon for the official recognition which
Is obtained by the present bill.
When the expedition shall have
started there will be four other Ameri.
can exploring parties in the Arctic
regions: The Herald expedition, under
Lieut.. De Long, U. S. Army, which
passed through Behring's straits last
fall; the party sent oat in the summer
of 1878, by the American Geographical
Society, under Lieut.. Schwatka, u. s.
army, TO search for the records Of Sir
John Franklin's expedition, in the
region north Of Hudson's bay; the
coast survey expedition, under Lieut..
Dali, engaged in surveys about Alaska,
and the revenue cutter, sent 10 the
relief of twenty American whalers,
caught in the ice 10 the north of
Alaska.