The morning call., 1891-12-20

and geology of the region around the peak
itself, Mr.. Russell made a march across the
Malaspina glacier to Yakutat Bay, and,
taking canoe. padded TO he far end of Dis
enchantment Bay, which runs as n long,
harrow h0rd sixty miles southwark from the
bay. where it had apparently terminated-a
real discovery. There was a crowded house
to hear this lecture, and, as the clear cut,
finely detailed views OF the great mountain
were thrown upon the screen there was great
applause. The stupendous scenery, the
chaos of
ICE AND SNOW,
The veined and glittering ice cliffs AMI the
great fan-like dump heaps lett by fresh ava
lancheS, stirred the company to great enthu-
slasm, but few would care to live among
them for two months. Even General Greedy,
who knows what snow camps are, owned
that an icy bed in the breathable air of sea
level must be luxury compared to the same
cool couch in the rarefed air of 14000 feet.
As not half the company that asked for
cards could be accommodated, the ST. Elias
lecture NAV be repeated again during the
winter. Whether the soc ETY. will send an
other expedition to the resiop is not decided.
Private enterprise has four times assaled
this height, and now il is time that the Gov
eminent did something on its own account.
Some wears ago members of the French AL
pine Club visited Alaska with the intention
OF scaling the untrodden peak. When
these wOuld-be explorers found that there
were no guides to the region, that no
one knew the way, they halted
In their intentions and went no
farther than Sitka. The Royal Geograph-
ical Society OF London was nearly at the
point of sending out Mount st. Elias ex-
petition this year, but out of courtesy
awaited the results of this expedition of the
Washington society. Without doubt there
will be climbers from some geographical So
ciety on the peak next summer. Sue
In atf Fowl
chance with the hardest climbers. The
climbing of the last 1000 feet in that thin
air Is great test, but clear weather lasting
long enough for one to see his way up and
DOWNS essential.
Why have you not Sierra Club OF good
ntain-climblng enthusiasts on the Pa
eihc Coast? Why have all the expeditions
to this monarch of mountains come from
the other side OF the continent, and the
Topham expedition even started from En-
gland? Why has no Western energy spent
itself on the peak just up the coasto Is
the Geographic Society of the Pacific going
to let
THE GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETIES
OF London and Washington, and possibly
OF Edinburgh and New York too, try for the
crown of tho greatest mountain on its own
Pacific Coast, without its attempting a sum-
mer climb too? VIII no Pacific Coast mil
llonalre give tie money for such an expedi-
ton. or die soon and leave few thousands
for the purpose?
During this past week Of perfect weather
all the signs of a Washington winter have
been apparent Formal calling has begnn
with such energy that the uptown streets
have looked really busy of afternoons. and
yestibules and doorsteps were all a-flntter
with the bits OF tissue paper from the many
visiting cards. The Cabinet families are
Fastening to make their first calls unon tho
wives OF the seventy odd Senators against
whose names the Congress ional directorv
places the brand indicating SUCH cnni ugaI
possessions, and lesser lights ara nuiting
themselves In evidence and on recnrd
before the intending ENTERTAINERS i Wata
up their lists. The teapot has b n@%o
Its winter career aud gossip begins With
1t as surely as the steam curls nnward
from its spout. There have still been ,yad
dings galore and the churches have nod
awnings set each week since Sentemhar
ended and the conventional season of we'd.
dings began. Small dinners have bnsisd
every one with engagements. and the o W,oa
President and Mrs Morton have begun their
official dinners OF the winter. librarians
are Tying fast, and receptions and smaI
dances will enliven the December waah.
Debutante' are being brought out with
rush--presented at teas, balls or recentions
az VIII. IN any way they may please, 80 that
they are rescued from the former stats "S
social invisibity. With so MANY fa n,I al
absent this winter the Pacific Coast sociaI
duties will chiefly fall upon Mira. Sta"ford
and Mrs. DOlph. who alone in the deIana-
tlons OF the four States credited to that 1e
gion have houses and io-
THE PREVIOUS ACoUAINrANcr
Necessary to making any figure in that wov
Sena,or relton ahd MS son are quartered in
bachelor-apartment house near the NJ ~
ropoii'ah oiuo' ana Senator Mitchell and