The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-02


Useful Discoveries Mado.
PoKT TouNsxxD, May l-fEpecial. 1.-THE mem
bers OF the Alaska exploring expedition, sent
out year ago By Arkell Harrison, prcprietcrs
OF Frank Lesties Illustrated Newspaper, arrived
here today on the steamer Mexico. Recently
Newspaper reports were afoat that z. Haxard
Wells, the chief. and one man had probably per
hhed OF starvation, and later the superstition
was that the men would escape The last news
OF them was in July. 1880. when weila was push
Ing into the far interior Of Alaska. The explor.
er and three men in his party did have q thrill
Ing experience, Afterwards battling against star.
walton and other dangers, barely escaping with
their lives. One man, De Haas IN old noun
taineer, was afterward left 1t trading post suf-
feiing from prostration from the journey. The
men returned are Z. Hazard Wells, the leader,
A. B. Schans, scientist aud Frank Price The
Chilkat native Indian wss left at juneau, Alas
ka- He accompanied Wells through all of the
trials The other whites and natives employed
In the work OF the expedition were discharged
in Alaska. Altogether over l50 persons saw SER
vice at difesent times - retainers Of the expor-
ers.
Mr.. Wells sHys: EssNone OF NJ attempted to
travel beyond the River Jordan, as Newspaper
reports imply. We paused and starved upon it,
bank. To correct the fsnciful statements pub
hshed briefly present some facts prior to the
publication OF an illustrated narrative and geo
graphical rcporta The expedition originally
consisted of five white men and twenty-nins
Chilkat Indians. We left the Pacific coast at
chs,rn. A1.as ~Ay !" 1oSo' " c1oss s's
.-a..1 lrpun..ns ~ fou.e never oeiore
- ~ %n'.e men. IT. lille, u oefuns
t ~. 1917. $1,000 .sosnusu ~ anosner Ious =
srd NJ 1890 ns on .ne 1871 saus'
~ 49, iooAeo on into the country peyonos
but had returned without penetrating It. Our
49, We" .ne uIss ~ oerceno tne laI sac OF the
$50. ., Asel ul.le ms1cn acfos. noun
s, sla.ieIs suo .o,Ien0 : as1Eo iaAo W.
Ioun1 81. usmeu ArAeL smsner axe
"a n.aleu nsuo .axo Arxen proved 70 p
sae m :. .esslson o. inc isnk river, ana We
~. = ~ - .no svuIcv Oh tne 1ukon nvef.
ussu a een u me iukon were iocased ~
S'1 ssAa ~ sns SnalAss "ounsaanss
iua .nsr sou'n-
q sne upper eno % A.4e AIkeu tne nauvs
p.cAes. were =. oiscnsiSe0 ave lnuiaks ana ~
. .uIue. ION. = :. uiave ana sonn dalton were
slsn 0ss-,.eu - 40 exploration WORK on the nm
suow" o.ssenA user, supposed 70 q Close q
nsno: 1ney successfully accomplished the I'M
oelnking. We sew them no more Giave's mar.
rsuve nas ereaoy oeen puolshed The main
pesss SsesAse91 so.lf eApso1Aous on the iake
s ~ snen On me 1anA nvefs wnicn was mapped.
Ivy seseso sackHess OF a. D. ccnana next neces-
ntsseo cnanee OF pians- ne was lett at Sur
veyos Mcuistn camp, ON the Yukon river, In
care OF DOCTOR. then enhanced the party BY
sooine TWO wnite miners, named DeHaas ana
LAegitt, ana started on the long contemplated
Journey overland INTO the interior OF Alaska,
marching tnrongn an unmapped region Tor sev.
erai nunoreo miles. The scenery was chaotic,
grano ana oesoiate. The moon seemed to have
Photographed an impression OF itself upon the
race OF the earth Leggitt Went back to his gold
Claim.
Tne Tour OF M remaining pressed on, and
were nnaiiy reduced TO desperate straits By star.
vatfcn- mountain trap inclosed rs, and In
gloomy silence We blaxed large Or tree, and
wrote our names, date and directions - 10 our
Intended route, so that our fate might perchance
one day be known II We failed to escape.
Banned IN one direction, We hoated down hith.
erto unexptoTed river for l6o miles, and amidst
exciting adventures and hair-breadth escapes
from death we finally struggled 100 miles to .
trading post. The narrative Of tbs journey
WIN NIL pages. subsequently with i've men
made q Journey OF $50 miles In the cold days
OF fall and winter, using dog teams and sleds
Tor 500 miles through snow. We reached the
southern coast OF Alaska In safety, having for
tunately been rejo'ned by schsnx, whose labors
In the interim had been important
Ut appears that after he recovered from hfs
Illness he lett Surveyor McGrath's camp with
two men, undertaking skiR journey down the
Yukon. He finally met trading boat and took
passage. At st. Michsel's he ascertained that
no ship would call before July, 1891. and sup
posed his associates on the expedition would be