Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-17
EXPLORING ALASKA.
LIEUT.. ALIENS TRIP ACROSS THE
UNKNOWN TERRITORY.
The Mighty Yukon. the st. Lawrence
River of Alaska"-Ocesn Currents,
Volcanic Peaks and Mountain
Ranges Riches.


1ne exploration OF alaska oy Lieut. lehtS
T. Allen. OF the Second cavalry. is calling
attention to the wonders Of our continent,
in which somewhere must lie the resources
of future development and wealth. The
accounts say that Lieut. Allen ha' put his
name among the very greatest explorers.
He Travelled 00O or 5000 miles in all He
connected by an overland route our settle
ments on the North Pacific with those on
Bshrng straits Before he went over this
country We did not know anything about a
greatriver in the north of Alaska
THE LIEUTENANT'S TRIP.
When you go into the North Pacific you
strike the town of Sitks, comparatively low
on the coast, and the coast above it forms a
grand arch, above which is an unknown
continent The great mountain Of st Elias
stands up to the height Of some Is 900 feet,
like a light house to the dark and icy world
beneath it West Of this noun tain, perhaps
100 miles, is the Copper river, on which is
another mountain called WrangsL This
river IL at one OF the deepest points of linden
tation on the coat Up this river Allen
went, and then he crossed the great Alaskan
mountain range, which is the termination
Of our rocky mountains, that are called the
Rockies till they get to the Yuk on river
and west of that river they continue for
about 600 miles. no longer running north
and south, but east and west
Crossing them, the young officer went
down their northern side till he came to
the River Tanensh, or Tennah, which up to
1869 had only a traditional existence. and Is
put on the coast survey maps as a supposed
river, only reported by Indians 1t runs
like the rivers of Oregon, between noun
famous walls. and empties into the great
river Yukon, which has meantime flowed
through the bend of the Rocky mountains
and turned tn the SOUTH west Along this
river the officer went 400 to 500 miles and
closed his journey at Fort St Michael,
which is on Norton sound, a portion OF
Behring's sea.
THE MIGHTY YUKON.
The great Yukon river has been known a
little for seventy five years. Posts were
established on it before 1919. It may be
called the St Lawrence river Of Alaska,
running west instead of east 1t rises be-
hind Sitka, flows north through lakes and
cascades drains a great watershed. and
then going through the mountains turns
south westward and flows into Behring sea,
some 20J miles south Of Behring straits
This great stream of Alaska is believed to
be l,So0 miles long. Some say it is
fully 1900 miles long and thres-f0urths
OF it navigable for river steamers.
and that on the lower Yukon it is SO wide
that one bank is invisible from the other
At places far up the river it i twenty miles
wide 1t is one of the largest rivers in the
world-larger than the Ganges or the Ori-
noco-and equal to the Danube or La Plata
There some wonderful ocean currents in
Behring sea, which make this north western
coast warn: and mild while all the north
eastern coasts Of America about Newfound
land and Labrador is like ice. The gulf
stream Of the Pacific in these parts is called
by the Chinese the Black Stream; some call
il the Japan current 1t brings a warm
moist atmosphere, which is condensed on
the snow-peaks of the coast ranges, and
causes the wonderful rainfall which extends
along that coast as far south as Oregon.
MOUNTAINS OF ALASKA.
There Is said to be sixty-one volcanic
peaks In Alaska, Of which only ten spit fire
now. Mount St Elias is put down at ID, 900
feet in some of the reports Mount Fair
Weather at Il, OO0 feet and the Rsdoubt vol
csno, on the Alaska peninsula, at IL, 900 feet
The Alaskan mountain range is really the
Rocky mountains joinsi to the coast range,
we call it in California The two ranges
run into each other and become Identical
North Of the great bend Of these mountains
the country seems to become comparatively
level SO that the products OF the interior
can be taken down the yukon river In this
Yukon valley has been found a very differ
cut class ef animals and birds from what
was known to the south.
The superficial area of Alaska is believed
to be about $50, 900 square miles Fifteen
years ago Mr.. Doll, who lead the Western
Union Telegraph expedition into Alaska,
said: The field now opened to America for
exploration and discovery is grand The
interior every where in Alaska needs explora-
ton, particularly the great plateau north of
the Yukon, the valley of the Kuskoquin and
that Of the Copper river The Arctic ocean
north Of Behring strait has so far been neg
lected. Wrsngers island offers to explorers
a more fruitful field than the well -trodden
shores north Of Hudson bay
Alaska is not TO be measured only by its
surface. The same range OF Rocky noun
tains IN which the precious metals have
been found passes by long course through
Alaska, and mining may be one Of the levers
to raise this unknown country to import
ance.