Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-04-28
THE LOST RODGERS.
Effects OF the Less of the Arctic
steamer.

steamer
A dispatch from Washington says:
The news of the loss of the Rodgers, re-
celyed at the navy department, created
sensation in naval circles. The Iro-
quols, now at the Mare Island station.
has just been fitted out for joining the
Pacific squadron. 1t has been ordered
to go to the rescue of the officers and
crew OF the lost steamer. The loss of
the Rodgers and the fate of the jean
nette will probably put an end to Arctic
expeditions, so far as the government
Is concerned, for some years st least.
Capt. Hooper, or the Corwin, who
erulsed in advance of the Rodgers in
the Arctic last summer, is here. He
says that, with present appliances, he
believes the limit of northern explora-
ton has been reached. When the air
IS naylgable the pole may be reached,
but hardly before
PURCHASE AND EQUIPMENT.
In the spring of 1881 $4,000 was
appropriated by congress for the pur-
pose OF chartering or purchasing and
equpplng vessel TO go in search of the
missing Jeanette. 4 course through
Behring strait was manifestly the
proper direction for the expedition,
and. as no time was left to charter or
purchase a vessel on the Atlantic coast
ard send her around to the Pacific,
steps were taken to obtain suitable
vessel already on the Pacific coast.
The Mary and Helen, which had been
lifted out as a whaling vessel to go to
the Arctic regions, was offered to the
government for 100000. The vessel
was thoroughly inspected by board
of officers, and it was decided to pur-
chase her. A board of naval officers,
of which Rear Admiral John Rodgers
was president, convened at the navy
department in March, 1881, which
thoroughly considered the direction of
the search and tbs means best adapted
to the success of the expedition. The
name of
THE MARY AND HELEN
was subsequently changed by the sec
rotary to the Rodgers. The vessel was
at once streLg thened at the Mare island
pavy-yard, differed, manned and pro-
visioned, not only with supplies for the
officers and crew of the Rodgers, but
also with ample provisions for the relief
of any of the people of the Jeanette
or the missing whaling vessels that
might be fallen in with. The COM
mand of the Rodgers was given to
Lieut.. Robert NJ. Berry, in whom the
department had great confidence, and
who volunteered for this service. The
other officers also volunteered The
Rodgers sailed from San Francisco
June IL, and reached St. Lawrence bay,
which is on the extreme eastern coast
of Siberia, near Behring strait, on the
18th of August. On the 2d of August
she entered the Arctic ocean in compa-
ny with the Russian corvette Strelock.
The Rodgers
EXPLORED WRANGELL LAND AND herald
ISLAND
without finding any trace of the miss
ing Jeanette. AT Tiapka, near Cape
Serdze, oA the extreme northeast coast
of Siberia, near Behring strait. house
was built and a party of six was left
for the winter under command of Mas
ter C. F. Putnam. They were hountiful-
ly supplied with provisions and cloth
ing for q year, and also with dogs,
sie6ges, etc, for searching the coast.
The Rodgers returned to ST. Lawrence
bay on the 10Th of October, where she
wintered. 1t was while lying III the St
Lawrence bay, without doubt, that the
vessel was lost. The officers and crew.
Of course, went across the country to
Cape Serdze, to the camp of their com
rades. This, apparently, was but a
short distance. There they could find
shelter and provisions. The charts of
the polar regions show quite number
of settlements in that vicinity. There
was no other way of communicating
with civilization than by getting wo.d
over the country t. Russia. They could
not cross Behring strait, for il was full
Of ice. There is no knowing
WHEN THE RODGERS WAS lost,
but it was probaly early in the season.
The Herald correspondent, Glider, who
went with the Rodgers, left his com
panions at camp near Cape Serdze,
and started across the country. The
journey was nearly fifteen hundred
miles, through country inhabited by
the Chuckches from Cape Serdze to
Verchoiousk, on the Yena river, which
lies east of the Lena river. Vercho-
jousk is north of Yakutsk, on the Lena,
about four hundred miles. The first
large stream that Glider reached after
leaving his companions was the Kaly-
ma river, and from Kalymask, on that
river, he was accompanied by a courier
to Verchojousk. The courier must
have assembled the Lena to its head
and then crossed over to the Adam
river, where he met The Herald CORE
spondent, jackson. The Adam is a
large river, which falls into the Lena
but a short distance above Yakutsk,
from which point it will be remem-
bered, the expedition under Engineer
Melville started for the Lena delta.
The journey accomplished by Glider
was most wonderful one, and must
have been full OF dangers and priva-
tons.
THE OFFICERS.
The list of officers of the Rodgers is
as follows:
Lieut.. Robert VI. Berry, commanding.
Master Howard 5. Waring executive officer
Master Charles !. Putnam Ensign Henry )
liant fson of Gen. II. J. Hunt, L. S. A !. and
George VI. Stoney, watch officers.
Passed Asst Surgeon Meredith D. Jones and
Asst. Surgeon Joaquin D. Castillo.
Passed Asst. Engineer Abraham y Seane
Pay Clerk W. II. Glider.