Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-13
RANDALL UNEASY.
Continued from First Page.

| reported slOSiS IN the Straits OF MSgSliap,
:nd on the southern COAST Of Chill, as
well as some deep ssa sourdings. Incl.
dental to the regular surveying work IN
Alaska, and ss far rs practicable q brief
study OF the fora and fauna WAS made by
the officers Of the survey. DIT H. Sheets,
United States Navy, made small
but valuable collection OF marine fishes
Snd marine vertebrates, IS well rs 8
valuable collection Of bird skeletons for
DR.. Schufeldt, United States army Ensign
&. c. Marsh, United States Navy, col
lected in botany, and ERsign A. P.
Nlblsck in ethaology and memmsla, the
latter also taking vaLusDle series OF
Photographic views interesting from every
stand point.
Previous to last season the survey ex-
tended along the steamer Channel from
the southern cxpes OF AlhskI, at Dixon
entrance, north toward Juneau and S!tkA
IN the luside passages of the Alexander
archipelago. Last seasons worE carried
TT up to Cape FanshaW, about ninety
miles below Juneau. As organized the
party is purely naval one, but l. is under
the direction OF the Coast snd GaCdetic
Survey, the personnel consisting en-
tirely Of officers and enlisted men of the
navy. The work, however, is verified
and published by the Coast Survey. The
results of last seasons work will proba-
bly, be published and issued for sale be-
fore Msy l, 1888.
No previous survey of Alaska has ever
been made. The only charts extsnt are
those made casually By naval Ulcers from
cur men-ofWar occasionally stationed in
the territory, and the old Russian recon-
naisances, feissued by t e cost survey
with corrections and notes up to date from
all sources. There are no new details in
the surveying work excepting possibly
the use of stesl piano sounding wire in
the measurment of baselines and check
bases. Experiments have been made in
regsrd to the elongstion Of the wire IN
der different conditions OF temperature,
etc and the results in the field nave
been highly satisfactory. The topogreph-
ical and geodetic work has been carried
back only few miles into the interior
compatible Only with the actual needs OF
navigation. The astronomical work has
developed decided errors In the old posi-
lions CT important points sometimes as
much SIS from seven TO ten miles. The
southern point Of Alaska, Cape Muzon,
actually extends below the parallel OF
so 40' north. Several large glaciers
were chsr.ed last seasoD, one being
named in honor Of the late Professor
Baird. The Patterson has for her assist
ance three steam Launches. The WORKING
season is from April TO November, and
the finished sheets are sent in for prepare
ton for publication about February l
each year. The principal physical diff
culties encountered in the survey OF
Alaska are swift tidal currents, great
range Of tides, excessive rainfall, preVa-
lence Of togs, and the thickness Of the
growth of timber and brush down TO the
high wsier line. Very little trouble has
as yet been experienced with floating ice
Southern ALASKA has become quite pop
ular excursion ground. During lsst sum-
mer steamers left weekly from Port
". T, for Siika and return,
the fare being quite moderate, and the |
route one Of the most picturesque in the |
world. The glacier region is particularly
Recent discoveries of metal |
bearing quartz near Juneau have some
what stimulated prospecting in |
Alphabetically very little
showing has been made. A farm on an |
island al the mouth of the SItkine river is ,
soout the only attempt on large scale |
Here and there through Southern Alaska |
are garden patches where turnips, rad |
lshes, beets, lettuce, csbbage, and !
potatoes are raised in the virgin soil of |
some clearing. There is some talk of |
cattle rsnching but thus far it has not
been undertaken TO any extent. Our
knowledge of Southern |
Alaska is very meagre, ard there seems
10 be no prospect of accompi fishing much
in this very interesting region, as during
the summer months when navigation is
the Indians are scattered in
summer camp hunting and fishing. In
TIE winter they gather into their perma-
nent villages and it Is then difficult to
reach them. The coast survey steamer
Patterson is now under the command of
Lieut.. Commander C. M. Thomas, United
States Navy, and starts on her fourth
seasons work about the first Of April
next.
CHILDREN OF THE WHITB HOUSE,.
special to The Gazette.
WAsHIN GToN, Feb. IL Mrs. George
Upton, 1.-THE daughter OF Congressman E.
3. Taylor of OHIO, has undertaken q
work which will be read with great in
crest by every family in the United
States, and which will shed s food of
light on the domestic life OF the Ex-
Presidents of the United States and their
antilles. Mrs. Upton has been engaged
~ Lothrop & Co. of Boston to write d
series of articles for their children's
nsgsziue divide Awake" concerning
The Children Of the White House." In
he January number Mrs. Upton has
written q most entertaining article on
Eashington's children, and the current
ssue contains an equally admirable &C
;ouus Of the Adams household. Each
lumber of Wide Awake Will contain the
rory Of one presidential family.
When Mrs. Upton fest undertook this
work she was confronted by obstacles
which seemed insurmountable. Survivors
II the Washiu gton family were reluctant
o give any information to aid her In the
task before her. She WAS met
With rebuff and refusals everywhere.
But since the publication of her nrst
rticle all this reluctance has given way
o hearty welcome, and now the doors
re opened wide on every side TO the pop
liar story writer, who is cautioned to
make their particular family history even
more interesting than President Wash
pgton's family. OF course this work