Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-23
MOUNT ST. ELIAS EXPLORED.
Work Of the Party Headed BY PREF.
Russell.


SsArrIK, Wssh., Oct. sa.--Prof. Iirae
C. Russell hss returned safely ffon soal
Of exploration around s.. Ellas. Tho party
left here May 50 by the revenue cuttsi
Bear, 10 begin The third sesson's exp,cfa'
tion under the auspices OF the National
0scgraphical Society and the United esates
Geological Survey. Prof. Rnsssll took
with him j. II. Crumback, Thomas c
Stamy, Thomas white, Neal AcCafty and
VIII c. Moore Of this state. men Who had
done considerable exploring in Olympia ;
and Frank g. Warner OF Hartford. Conn,
The first four had accompanied him on
previous expeditions.
They reached Icy bay, and when they
attempted landing June 8. the vavss wers
so high that one boat vas swampsd. and
Moore, with Lieut.. Robinson and fou
members Of the Bears crew. vere drowned
With the exception Of this mishap. all has
gone well. and every ono has had good
health. Some Of the provisionsAnd instru
ments went down with the Inflated boat
but most Of them were washed a,hors
later. The surf was 20 high that il tooh
three days to make . landing.
Having reached shore. they s,arted for
the northern side Of Mount st. Elise. One
days marching brought them TO the snow
line. For two months following they sTent
their time in the snow and ice, and for ~
leaet 80 nighta they slept in the snow. The
rest Of the time they found beds on rcets
Of glacial moraines. Their clothing was
woolen, and they were often drenohed to
the skin and slept without change OF gar
ments. Yet, in spite Of all that. they never
caught cold. Their food vas carried by
men in so pound cases. and an oil stove
WAS used above the line OF vegstation-
The first Elk weeks we're spent crossing
glaciers on the mountains northern side,
which offers the only possible route for as'
cent. Their highest camp was pitched
5000 feet above sea level. and there they
waited I2 days, hoping for an opportunity
to reach the summit. They made several
attempts. but each time were driven back
by snow. On one occasion they reached .
point IL 600 feet above sea level, but after
20 hours Of incessant climbing they had to
take refuge again in camp, utterly OF
hsu.ed. At one time storm came dosn
when Prof. Russell was alone on the high
est point, and for four days he was cut on
from the rest Of the party.
From this point grand view to the north
was obtained, over . country upon which
human eye had never rested. They eonld
see . sweep 800 miles from Mount Fair-
weather, $50 miles southeast. to point 100
miles northeast. The bolt in sight was
about forty or fifty miles vide. 1T is a
scene Of utter desolatiop, f" said Prof. Rus
sell, "a stretch Of snow fields, glaciers. and
ice, broken only by ice-capped peaks. Til.
general altitude Of the snow fields 10 some
eight feet above sea level, and the mout.
tains, which are inuumerable. break throush h
to An altitude Of 10000, 1900. and sv' n
IA 900 feet. One Of them. . singular tAbl.
topped peak, so miles to the north, 10 name
Bear Mountain, in honor Of the governmsri
cutter which took us to Icy bay"
Prof. Russell named several other peaks
but hiss not yet been able definitely u
locate them on the map. lie made susvey'
to a,certain the height Of Mount st. Etis,
From three mile base line at Icy bay hs
took angles to all the peaks in sight, and hs
placed the height Of st. Elias at between
10000 and l9. 600 feet He has not YET
reduced his calculations 90 - to give exsci
figures.
Considerable time was given to study oi
tuc RlHclfrb, uUt VI tIlb uAlH uDJSCtb VI
trip. Many observations were taken Of the
great Matas- Pima glacier, which cover,
1000 square miles southeast Of ST. Elias
between Icy bay and Yakutat bay. The
Elias glaciers are much larger than any i,
Switzerland; indeed, this one alone /.
greater than all the Alpine glaciers put to.
gether. The latter flow down through tn.
gorges till they reach the snow line, where
.hey melt. Some Of the Elias glacier.
separate into smaller ones, but the great
Matas. Pima 10 made up BY the conAuenc
Of four big glaciers and thousands OF
small ones. They n,w into IT a.
water into . lake. These glacia
streams unite into q vast plain Of
ice, as hard firm, and clear ~ was svei
found in \ glacier. MAtas Pima melts or
the plain, part breaking into the ocean. Tht
thickness Of the ice 10 estimated ut from
1900 to 1000 feet. The belt along the edge
from FIVE to eight miles in width. 10 GOV.
cred with mOralnp OF broken and deCOm
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