The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-09-19
Secret Convention Of the
Knig ights of Labor.
The Thin Story Of Neyada's
Gay Masher.
Unfortunate Position of the
Greedy Party.
The Ill fated Greedy Expedition.

admit that the present situation OF at
fairs is serious one, but they do no
regard it as in any sense hopeless. II
the first place they say that Lieut.
Greeley's party's original supply o1
prOviS. Ons was calculated to last
years, or until the summer of 1884
This supply, they think, must have
been very considerably augmented
by fish and game procurable in the
immediate vicinity of Lady Frank
lin Bay Station. So if the party re.
mains there it will not be in danger
of starvation before next summer.
Gen. HaZen's orders to Lieut.. Gar.
lington it is true,stated that the food
supply of Lieut.. Greeley's party
would all be exhausted the present
fall, but it is said at the Signal Of
fee this Was an extreme view, based
on the most unfavorable suppositions
as to the amount of consumption and
waste, loss ETC., and did not allow for
any care or economy in the use of
fond, or for any increase in the avail
able supply by means of hunting. 1t
was a statement OF the worst possible
aspect of the case, intended to en-
phasiZe the necessity of relieving the
Greeley party at once. It is positive
ly asserted, therefore, by the acting
s gnal officer, that Notwithstanding
contrary statements in Gen. HaZen's S
orders to Lieut.. Darlington, lieut..
Greeley has provisions enough at
Lady franklin Bay Station to last
until the summer of 1884, if he re-
mains there until that time. How
ever. it seems more probable to the
authorities here that he should have
abandoned his station on Sept. 1st and
returned down the coast of Grinnell
land to the mouth of Smiths Sound,
expecting to find there the relief par
ty and deposit of stores. His sltua-
ton may shortly become critical. How
large quantity # provisions he
would find at Cape Sabine and Lyt-
tleton's Island, is not known, but it
is feared the supplies left there last
year and the small quantity saved
from the wreck of the Proteus would
not maintain Lieut.. Greeley and his
men at the mouth of Smiths Sound
through the coming winter, even if
the party had shelter and fuel. Some
help might he obtained from Esqui-
maux off Greenland COAST, could
Lieut.. Greeley find an open commu-
with them; but this is ad-
mitted to be an uncertain reliauce.
It has been suggested that another
ship be sent from st. Johns to the
mouth OF Smiths Sound at once, and
also that a sledge party be dispatched
from Upernavlk up the Greenland
roast; but no course Of future action
has as ct been decided npon.
The War Department authorities
say they can form no plans until they
receive fuller information from Lieut..
who has been asked for
suggestions.
Persons here, who are not content
ed with the War or Navy Depart
ment, but who have long been inter-
ested IN Arctic researches. and are
familiar with the history of the ex-
ploration Of Smiths Sound, express
grave doubts as to the ability of
Lieut.. Greeley's party to retreat down
The coast of Grinnell land on sledges
after september 1st. Autumn sledge
travel along that coast was found by
The officers of the British Arctic ex-
pedition of 1875 to be practically i'm
possible. On Sept. 9Th a sledge party
from the steamer Alert ATTEMPTED to
open communication with the steamer
Discovery, which was then in winter
quarters on the north side of Lady
Franklin Bay, near Lieut.. Greeley's
present station. The party succeeded
IN getting only three miles from the
,hi y and then abandoned the attempt.
On October I'd a second sledge party
Was sent down the coast for the same
purpose, but it returned unsuccessful
1t the end Of ten days, having been
unable to get more than nine miles
rom the ship. The attempt was
hen abandoned for that season.
About the same time, Captain
of the Discovery, started
with sledge party up the coast in
The direction OF the Alert. He could
get only SIX miles from the ship and
'eturned with both slelges broken at
The end of the second day.
AS his conclusion from these ex-
oeriments, Captain Mares reported
hat autumn sledging along the coast
If 1rinnell Land, between FlOeberg
Beach and Lady Franklin Bay, was
impossible.
The two ships Of the expedition
ay only 20 miles apart on the same
coast from the Goth day of August,
875, to the 10th day Of March. 1876,
learly seven months, without any
of communication. This
act alone, it is said, shows that Lieut..
ireeley, with 25 men, and some Of
hem possibly in i'll health, could
hardly make an autumn sledge jour
ley Of more than 800 miles along the
;oasC of Grinnell Land to Lyttleton's
sland. If. therefore, he waited at
he station until September 1st for
he arrival of relief steamers, he is
probably there still and will remain
here until next spring. 1t is
hought. however, by those who ex-
,Iess their opinions, that Lieutenant
ireeley, foreseeing the impractical
,ility Of making his escape on sledges
n the fall. and esiring to obey his
,eremptory orders to start down the
;oast not later than September 1st.
would perhaps abandon his station as
'arly in the summer as open water
hould appear in Robertson Channel.
ay the last week in July, and at
empt to reach Lyttleton's Island in
,oats. In this way it might be effect
ID under an average condition Of ice
md weather, because small boats
;ould dragged across the interven-
ng barriers Of ice between the lakes
md pools to open water where the
hip would be stopped.
II Lieutenant Greeley and his men
eft Lady Franklin Bay in boats late
n July or early in sugust, they
night perhaps reach the mouth Of
,mith's Sound by the 18th or 10th of
August, two or three weeks after the
departure of the Yantlc. Upon
inding the records at Lyttletop's
Island of the loss of the Proteus,
hey would have before them two
possible courses of action. First. If
The season was not too far advanced,
hey might provision their boats from