River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-07-06
ST. ELIAS IS KING.
Measurement of the Peak shows It's Weigh
to BE Over Is 600 Feet.


at n recent meeting of the National
Geographic society of this city there
was read an interesting paper by Prof.
Z. C. Mendenhall on some recent work
by the United Ststes coast and geodetio
survey in the mountain region of Alas
ka- The question as to the height of
Mount St. Elias has been of consider
able interest TO geographers for a long
while past from the fact that, though
it was generally conceded to be one of
the highest mountains in the western
hemisphere. the measurements and
estimates of its height which had been
taken during the past 200 years were so
conflicting that, until the report of the
last coast survey expeditions, the real
altitude of the mountain peak was still
in doubt. The most recent measure
ments. however. have been satisfactory
enough to settle the question beyond
the likelihood of change for half CEN
fury or so, and then there is little
chance that correction OF more than a
few feet will be made.
The situation of Mount st. Elias. re-
mote from any civilized settlements
and accessible only FOR limited por-
ton of each year. has prevented many
scientific expeditions from penetrating
the wilderness of glaciers, snowfelds
and barren lava-beds by which it is
surrounded, and only half dozen at
tempts at measurement of the meun-
tain have ever been made. All the pre-
vious observations were made under adj
verse circumstances, owing either 70 q
lack of the proper instruments or to
the fact that but single sight could
be obtained of the crest of the peak.
The last expedition by the coast sur
vey, however, succeeded in establish
ing a very accurately measured base
line, and subsequently FIVE sights of the
summit of the peak from different
points. These calculations worked out
between the limits of $4,000 feet and
Is, Ola. the mean of the observation be-
ing 1900 feet.
This result is satisfactory to the
patriotic American heart IN establish
ing the fact that ST. Elias is the high
est, save perhaps Orizaba, in the Andes.
of all tn mountain peaks in the west
ern hemisphere The height of 0rikaba
is still somewhat in question, being
| estimated by some authorities as low as
1854 feet
/ There is still another question TO be
settled regarding 81. Elias, and that is
/ the interesting one of whether it is
really the property of the United States
or not. The question of the interna-
/ tional boundary of the United States
and British America was defined by the
old purchase treaty in accordance with
/ the map of the country made by Van
| couver, showing n range of mountains
all along the coast where the lower
/ panhandle of Alaska runs down toward
/ the United States.
1t was stipulated that the boundary
/ should run along the crest of this
mountain range except where this
range should lie more than three ma
rine league inland. in which case the
boundary line should run parallel to
the coast and three leagues from it.
In fact, however, there is no parallel
range of mountains in many places to
determine the boundary, and the work
of the international boundary survey
has not yet been pushed far enough to
1 ascertain whether or not the tall mount
1 ain peak will fall within the domain of
Uncle Sam or lap over into his cousin
| j. B. s territory Washing ton Post