The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-05
THE ALASKA LINE.
Arrival OF the Coast Survey
Party.
An Extensive Government Survey
Expedition to Sail From This Port
to the Frozen Ocean.

Messrs. Herbert G. Ogden and o. II. Tit
man, prominent officers of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey. have ar
rived in the city and are registered at the
Palace Hotel
In conjunction with several other officers
of the same service and OF the United States
navy they will sail about Aprl 10 for Vic
toria, B. c., to join similar parties detached
by the Canadian Government on the same
duty, which is 10 make an International
survey of the boundary line between Alaska
and the British possessions.
The parties are sent up into that black
and inh0spitable wilderness to gather the
necessary facts and make surveys to en-
able the United States and Canadian bound
airy commissioners TO determine upon the
location of the line.
The survey il joint affair The general
direction of the Canadian party has been
intruSted to Professor W. F. King, Chief
Astronomer of Canada, who is now at Vic
toria awaiting tile arrival of the American
party from San Francisco. The United
States party will be under the direction of
DIR. MenGenhalI, Superintendent OF the
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
There are five American parties in all.
Two OF them viii go to the Taku River,
which promises 10 DO one Of the highways
into the interior. One will DO under
Herbert G. Ogden and the other under john
E. MeGrath- Another party enters the
country at Holkhsm Bay under Ii. p. Rit-
ter. y fourth party. under Captain E. +.
Dickens of this city. will proceed to the
Unook River. The fifth party. under o. b..
Itttman, viii begin operations on the
Stckeen.
Each party consists of five officers and
ten men, OF abont fifty in nil. The Cana
dams will send one of their number with
each American party and the Americans
send one OF their number with each Cana
dian party. Messrs. Pratt, Walker, Flem-
mer and Hodgkins of the United States
Geodettc Survey viii join the Canadians as
representatives of their Government.
Captain s. NJ. Ackley of the United States
navy viii have general charge of the move
ments of the vessels. The Hassler through
out the season will carry the chronometers
between the stations and at the close of the
season, some time next September, will
bring the whole company back 10 San Fran
cisco.
An important feature of the expedition
will be astronomical work. Astronomical
stations are to be esta blished which will
exchange chronom etrie observations with
the principal astronomical party at Sitka
under the direction Of Fremont Morse.
The coast survey ships Patterson and
Hassler, under Lieutenants Moore and
HARDER, will carry the parties 10 their
respective destinations.
Harry Edmonds OF this city will estab-
fish the astronomical station on the Unook
River as assistant to Captain Dickens.
About four wears ago similar expedi-
ton under j. E. MeGrath and J. H. Turner
went TO the Yukon and Porcupine Rivers
to locate, where the 141st meridian line
under the treaty between Russia and Eng
land crosses those rivers.
Last summer further work was under
taken by the Governments of the United
States and Canada at Kakuiat Bay. 10 de-
termine the geographical position of Mount
st. Elias. II was then shown that this
mountain Is just within the territory of The
United States and VIII probably be adopted
as one OF the grand marks on the boundary
line. 1t is also very close to the 141st me-
ridiau.
The terms Of the treaty between the
United States and Great Britain is simply
restoration of the treaty between Russia
and Great Britain. IL provides that the
| line from the southern point of Prince of
Wales Island shall pass n0rthward through
Portland canal, and thence parallel TO the
| coast along the crest OF the Rocky Mountains.
IL found 10 exist to the Rocky Mountains. But
if it is found that there is no range of noun
tans within ten marine leagues of the shore,
the boundary line shall then run to point
ten leagues from the shore.
The present expedition is to ascertain the
facts for the delimtation of thai part of the
line due north from Mount ST. Elias to the
frozen ocean.
The party, which leaves the city next
week on the steamer Hasser and Patterson.
is the largest of it kind which has ever left
any port in the United States.