The morning call., 1893-09-19
G1oN IN WHICH THE SURVEYORS HAVE BEEN AT WORK

ing the summer. The expedition reached
Alaska in the middle of May and dis
tributed its parties, which worked until
September l, when The steamers collected
the outlying psrties. and all have now re-
turned.
Said Mr.. Ogden yesterday: "The re-
suits of the season have covered very
large area-300 miles of coast in extent
lying from Burroughs Bay on the south 10
Juneau, which is at the entrance to Lynn
Canal.
The American parties were engaged
principally on surveys of the chief rivers
The most southerly-the River Unuk-was
explored by party under control OF Mr..
st. Cyr. a Canadian officer, and E. F.
Dickins of this city. They ascended the
river, making map of it for thirty miles
from the mouth. a great deal of diff
Guilty was experienced in consequence of
strong currents and the shoal and tortuous
channels of the river. Many hardships
were experienced through the sudden rise
OF the river and constant rains, but beyond
the upsetting of a canoe and the loss of the
princi al part of its contents no serious
mishap occurred.
The most northerly river explored, the
Taku, embracing Taku Iulet in the vicin-
ity of juneau, was conducted bv parties
under Mr.. McGrath of the Coast Survey
from the mouth to the head of the inlet,
whence the work was continued for TWENTY
i've miles up the river by my own party
A. Driscoll, Canadian officer, was at
tached TO my party and continued with it
until the completion Of the work.
The Stikine, the most considerable
river in Southeast Alaska, entering in the
nelghbOrhoOd of Fort Wrangell, was in
charge of Mr.. Tittman of the Coast Sur
vey. who was ACCOMPANIED by Mr. Robert
son. Canadian officer. The stream is
navigable for about $50 miles with small
steamers, but the work Of the season em-
braced only fifty miles of the lower part,
which, II is contended, is part of our
Alaskan possessions.
The current of the river was found to
be very strong, and subject to frequent
and sudden freshets, which in the early
part of the season greatly DELAYED opera
tions, but ali that section of the river
which it was desired TO obtain was COM
pleted, Mr.. TiLtmann's party having been
assisted before the end of the season by all
the parties from the Unuk and Taku
rivers.
The Canadian parties. in addition to
that under st. Cyr. were distribu ed along
the whole area, each accompanied by an
American officer.
''At Burroughs Bay there was party
under the drec ion of Mr.. Klotz; south of
the Stikine River, between Burroughs
IL.
Talbot who had Mr.. FIemer of the Coast
Survey with him; north of the Stikine
River party under Mr.. Gibbons. W no had
associated with him Mr.. Pratt. There
were two more parties which commenced
at Holkham Bay, one working southwark
under Mr.. BrabaZon, accompanied by Mr..
Ritter. and the other working northward
to the Taku River under Mr.. Macarthur,
accompanied by Mr.. Welcker. The most
northerly Canadian party under MIR. Ogi-
vie. accompanied by Mr.. Hodgkins, was
working north of Taku River and in the
region north OF juneau.
The Canadian parties secured success
ful observations from the tops of more
than one hundred mountain peaks which,
when reduced into the form of map,
should give very good general descrip-
ti0n nf the region covered But the as
cents oil these mountains were frequently
made under great difficulty, as the snow
line had often TO be passed and MANY of
the summlts had Ice caps, which made
scaling dangerous. Fortunately no serious
mishap occurred with the exception of
misfortune to Mr.. Ritter on descending the
last mountain. when the snow gave way
and he had long slide and a fall
over a precipice, seriously sprainng an
ankle. The work was retarded in the
earlier part of the season through clouds
persistently hanging around the tops Of
the mountains, and 1t was only by seizing
were enabled to make extended observa-
tions. o party had 10 ascend noun ain
eight times before it succeeded in r. aching
the top, at time when il was free from
clouds.
Generally. the season has been much
more favorable than was anticipated. The
raius were not So continuous as We had
reason TO expect. and on the Taku and
Stikine river bottoms we hau weeks at a
time OF good working weather, and if the
mountain tops had been visible at times
when the weather was pleasant below it
would have greatly facilitated the labors
of the parties. On the Taku River for
period of nearly two months there were
only two days on which 1t was Impractical
bic to work ON account of the weather.
"All the results secured during the sea-
son have yet 10 be reduced and joined into
a single map, which, it is hoped, will flu r
nish information 10 the Commissioners on
the part of the United States no Can ad a
that will enable them to lay down lin g
for the international boundary so far as