The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-03
BIG MOUNT SEATTLE.
An Alaskan Peak Officially
Named for This City.
RETURN or THE ST. ELIAS PARTY.
Professor Issac G. Russell Talks About
His Explorations in the Unknown
Couutry-Land or Snow.

country-Land OF Snow.
Ihe 81. Elias expedition Of the National &C.
graphical Society has returned, and Mr.. Isaac
=. Russell. its chief, Is at th. Rainier.
Inc party consisted of Mr.. Russell, the geolo-
gfst who IL Q member Of the United States
geological survey; Mr.. Mark B. Kerr. the topog-
rapner, also . member Of the United States
geological survey; Mr.. J. 81. Christy the fore
man, OF Seattle, and Mr.. w. l. Lindsey, Mr.. 8.
Il Doney, Mr.. Thomas Starry, Mr.. Thomas
white, Mr.. William Partridge and Mr.. J. b.
krumback. All Of them, with the exception Of
Mr. Doney. are from Seattle
They started from here June II on the Queen.
After making the regular trip of the Alaskan
tourists, they started from Sitka in the Uni Cd
states naval vessel Pinta, under Captain Faren-
hault and went to Yakutat bay, some 125 miles
further on. Going to the head of the bay in
canoes, they set out westward for Mount st.
Elias
1.-The expedition" said Mr.. Russell to a Posr-
INTELLIG ENcER reporter yesterd ay, twas very
successful. Our purpose was to get geology
cal information, to study the glaciers and
MAKE Typographical map OF this unsurveyed
ana unknown region. We succeeded
in getting material for q map of 1000
square miles, and we took by ansulation the
heights Of oil the peaks in tho region.
Not . man was sick during the whole
OF the time, and though we had some
rather rough experiences, each stuck to his
work unfinchingy and without complaint.
Nothing but praise can be given to the Seattle
men who went with us
"All our provisions were carried on our backs.
Before leaving here We put up mixed rations in
tin cans holding about forty pounds each; and
this stuff we packed with us. We would
deposit some, aud then go forward making q
new camp: thus advancing steadily. Our
clothes were heavy woolens and we were
perfectly accustomed to having them hang We.
on us. To such trifes as that we were hard.
dened. When q man spends thirty-fve days in
the glaciers above the snow line, dry clothes
become secondary matter.
AFTER going bss three miles from the shore
line Of Yakutat bay we found country abso-
lutely uninhabited. There WAS not trace OF a
human being to be seen any side. not
sign that any man had ever been there. We
spent twenty days in going up through this
country to the timber line on Mount st. Elias.
and as have said, thirty-ive days above the
snow line.
1.-THE foot Of the mouatain was heavily tim.
bered with spruce and q very dense under
growth, but 500 feet up vegetation ceases. We
saw but little game, though there are q few bear.
In fact, nothing to eat 10 there except few ber-
ries in the fall The climate 10 extremely disa-
greeable. being damp and rainy, or rather
snowy up where We were. But we
paid no sttention whatever to the
rain and snow, pushing right on
whether they fell or not. OF course, storms
would interfere with our surveying. but when
II came to marching we allowed no difference
to be made between fair weather aud foul. The
snow up there was six feet deep. and the worst
OF all was that It was very soft. So we simply
had to founder or wallow through ii. The
weather was not cold, the temperature being
usually about so degrees in the daytime.
1--WE 6iac0vQrpd that the rnoun raj ms mt
nearly 30 high as they are generally supposed
to be. Mount 81. Elias is set down a. 1850 feet,
but It's summit is less than IL 600 feet above the
ocean level Mount Cook aud Mount Van
couver are reputed to be some 16. 600 feet high.
and yet they are about 10000 feet We named
the various ranges aud peaks there.
In honor of the Seattle men who did their part
30 well in the exposition we gave the title
sMount Seattle" to bold, triangular. pure
white peak, . beautiful mountain near the head
of Yakutst bay. 1t is cast of Mount Vancouver,
and the base is within two or three miles of the
shore. The summit ris IS 10000 feet into the air.
The other names were mostly for the Older
American geoiegists. Mount Hubbard. near
Mount Seattle at the mead of Yakutat bay. Was
for Gardiner Hubbard, president of the National
Geographical Society. Mount Dalton was for
the famous frontiersman, but with these excep-
tions the names were for the dead. rugged
peak was called H. chcock. for the late Profess
sor Hi chcock, state geologist OF Massachusetts;
Mount Rogers for a former Pennsylvania state
geoogist; Mount Newton for Henry Newton
One glacier was named after Archibald Morrow.
II have visited the glaciers OF Switzerland
and New Zealand. but there is nothing there to
compare with the glaciers in this Alaska region
about Mount St. Elias. The only glaciers equal
to them on this continent are in Greenland. We
took number OF observations. the results of
which will be published, with all the other ma
terial. in my reporta One huge glacier on the
southern base OF Mount 81. Elias is about twenty
miles by fifty, thus covering 1000 square miles
I'VE tried the ascent Of Mount st. Elias but
were driven back by the snow. Once when the
party turned back to one of the lower camps for
provisions, pushed forward to the uppermost
camp Then the snow shut down on US and il
was six days before they could get to me, or to
them. M. Kerr was cut off from US by snow
and for three days he was out on the glacier
without fire or food; but he did not suffer any
permanent impairment. Two attempts to scale
the Elias peak were stopped by snow. As Sep
tember came on the snow storms were more fire.
quent, the snow line slowly crept down the
mountain 81 es and we were literally forced
out of the country.
''The few hardships we suffered were not to
be counted, however, against the value of the
experience and the knowledge We gained. We
came down out OF the country We went in,
through the Yskutat bay. Captain Hooper met
US with the Corwin and brought us to Port
Townsend. The ocean trip was the pie asantest
ever enjoyed. for Captain Hoo per is q perfect
sailor and an admirable officer. l cannot say
too much Of his kindness and courtesy in com.
ing for US. About sunrise Thursday we came to
Port Townsend. and from there took the boat.
Mr.. Kerr mas gone to San Francisco"
Mr.. Russell has been working for the United
States geological survey for some years in the
Western states Last summer he explored the
Yukon and crossed the pass at its headwaters
Mr.. F. p Porter, of Be ston, and Mr. ALI W.
Salmon, of Madras, India, arrived in town yes.
terday morning, and last evening started for
Gray's har Dor. Mr.. Salmon has been going
west through Asa, Europe and America, and
he will ultimately reach India The party hopes
to find some eiS shooting in the country back of
Grays haroor.
No More SUNDAY ShayinS