Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-04-25
FITTING FOR FROZEN SEAS.
Preparing for the Greedy Relief Expe-
dision-A Warehouse ofWearing APP
parel and Provisions.
From the New York Sun

Preparing for the Greedy Relief EXpe-
dision-A Warehouse ofwearing APP
parel and Provisions.
From the New York Sun
Notin many years has Brooklyn Navy
Yard had as much life and business
within its walls as at present. Trucks
of all sizes come and go, and at early
and late hours of the day long lines
of workmen file in and out at the
gate. The trucks come loaded with
supplies and provisions for the arctic
expedition, and the men are working
on the Bear Thetis to complete the al
terations necessary for the safety and
comfort of the men who are 10 take
part in the search for the Greely
party.
In the provision storehouse the FIRST
floor is covered with heaps, pyramids,
and spreads of casks and kegs, iron,
bound, and filed with meats and
fruits and vegetables of every eatable
hind, from the beef and tallow mix
ture called pemmican to oysters that
are fried to turn, and from cold Irish
potatoes to current jelly and rasp
berry jam. Each key is labeled with
the name of the steamer it is to sup
ply, the name and quantity of the con
tents, and the words First year" OF
Second year." Clerk William
Gibson, who stood checking off the
bill of lading of a two-horse truck,
said that the supplies were to be used
in the years designated. The quantity
for each year is so large, however,
that there is no doubt that if frozen in
Commander Schley and his men
WOULD NOT GO HUNGRY
for three years. There is even ques
ton WI ether the vessels have room tc
carry it all, and there is talk of the
necessity of hiring transport. 1t is
said that 5000, 900 worth of food has
been contracted for. The extraordi,
nary care taken in packing the goods
in alright kegs is necessary, to insure
that nothing is spoiled while lying in
the ships hold awaiting use.
On the upper floor of tue storehouse
are immense boxes of clothing for the
men. Long red wooden stockings,
short wooden foot mitts, long thick
overstockings that lace up in the in
step, and great sealskin boots, lined
with lambs wool, will clothe the feet
of the men when on duty about the
deck, a rubber slipper with sole like
a door mat, going on over the boot, to
keep the sole off the ice and the feet
from slipping. The soles of the boots
measure 81 by Is. There Is nothing
peculiar about the underclothing fur
nished the men unless it is the I'M
usual thickness and fine quality, but
the trousers are made close fitting
around the calf, so that they will slide
into the boots easily. For trips across
the ice, longlegged leather boots that
lace in the instep and have ice creep
ers on the sole are supplied.
OF all the supplies that convey the
idea of warmth and comfort in biz
zard the deer-slzin suits and the
sleeping bags of the same material
are the chief The coats are made Oh
the pattern of shirt, with flaps in
front and rear like a Chinaman' S
blouse. The ends of the sleeves are
fitted close to the wrist. A hood
comes up over the neck and head AID
buttons under the chin The trousers
are in shape much like common ones.
Tie suit is worn with the fur outside
1t is said that five minutes in it in this
latitude is equal in its effects to
A TURKISH BATH.
The sleeping bag is sort of close fit
ting, flexible coffin, with a short slit
from the hole that represents the face
plate down, and a fur flap to cover
the hole. The slit is closed by but
toning one side over the other. The
buttons are wooden oggles two inches
long, and the buttonholes are loops
of silk chord.
The spare clothing is packed in
bundles by wrapping up several suits
in paper and then placing them in
hydraulic presses with pieces of oil
cloth above and below. The bundles
are then squeezed down to about one
fourth their original size and the oil
cloths are stitched together over the
paper wraps. Then the seams are
smeared over with white lead to make
them air tight, and coarse canvas
cover is stitched over all Then on
the outside Of each bundle is painted
the name of the ship for which it is
intended, the contents of the bundle
and the words, First year." or Sec
cond year."
A gang of men in the boat house
are building the whaleboats and
dories for the expedition. There are
for each ship two boats twenty eight
feet long and three twenty-four feet
Side keels are bolted under the bilges
of each boat, to serve as runners when
the boats are to be transported over
the ice. Stanchions two feet high
are placed at intervals along the rail
by which canvas screens can bt
stretched to protect the men. 1--WE
masts with triangular sails, that ara
easily hoisted or lowered for reefng,
go with each boat. If the party is
obliged to stop on the ice mast car
be laid on two stanchions amidships
where it will serve as ridgepole for 6
tent that can be made of the sails
Besides full set of common oars,
each boat is furnished with set OF
paddles, with small thick blades or
one end and sharp chisels on the
other, to poke or cut away the ice
The dories have only one mast. AL
the boats have lockers along the
sides.
TEE STEAM WHALE BOATS
are little broader in the beam than
those built in the yard The yard
workmen, when questioned about
these launches, shrug their shoulders
and say nothing, but one man on the
Bear said they would do well enough
until they got where the ice was; then
he thought the cold would have an
effect upon their delicate frames
The boilers in the launches look very
much like galley ranges. There is an
arrangement for getting the wheel
out of water when the launch is sail
ing. These launches can be housed
over with canvas like the whale boats
The sleds are double-enders, and,
before loading, either side will serve
as the top side. They are made oil
bent hickory, iron-shod, and are prob
ably the best that can be made for the
purpose. They are about ten feet long,
foot high and two feet and hall
wide.
One Of the things that conveys an
idea of what the men have ahead OF