The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-29

The Post-InteiIigeneer party for the
exploration Of Mount Rainier has reach
ed WilkeSon ON the return home and viii
have a thrilling story to tell OF the
grand spectacle offered by the volumes
of smoke and steam pouring from the
efater. the roar of the ayalaneheS tear
ing down the mountain side, Of the
cieag. starry nights and the intense cold
endured. The party reached an altitude
0 $500 feet--Iwo-tfairds of the way To
the surnnaii-aHd Was only turned back
by the firm conviction that 10 pusa on
would be certain death. A general re-
view Of the trip and its results is given
Ia the following special dispatch from
the member of the post-Intelligenccr
staff who was in the party and whose
detailed account OF the trip. aecompan-
led by illustrations. will be published
in an early issue os the Post-Intei!i-
geneer:
''Wilkeson. Wash. Dec. Especial
The Post-InteIligencer Mount Rainier
exploration expedition reached this city
this afternoon after a hard ten-niila
tramp over a mountain trail from Camp
Comfort on the Carbon river. the last
camping pace. The members OF tbs.
party are well and In excellent spirits.
though somewhat bronzed and disfigur-
ed by reason OF the intense cold ana
general haruships Of the trip. The ex-
pedition was in every way a success,
although the party did not reach the
top of the mountain. Major Ingraham
did all that ne agreed 10 at the time
OF starting cut. and it has been demons
straeed beyond ali doubt that Mount
Rainier has been IN eruption, bat there
Is no proof that the smoke and steam
which has been issuing from the noun
tain Is directly responsible for the ava
ianches which have changed the gen
eral appearance OF the mountain.
.sThe party reached its highest point
ON Christmas day at the head OF Inter
glacier. $500 feet, and would have pro-
ceeded further. but the wind, which
was blowing a hurricane. was piercing
cold. and the party was almost exhaust
ed from five hours steady climbing In
the snow Aderd to this. To the east
the snow-elad peaks iower down were
enyeloped in sflow-eiouds which the
wind was driving toward the mountain,
The party were at a point from, which
a view Of Blaine glacier. up which the
ascent to the summit was 10 be made,
could be obtained. and the outlook was
anything but favorable. The face of
the glacier was broken and great crev-
asses appeared, showing that ava
Ianehes had taken place. All things con-
sidered. Major Ingraham decided that
1t would be suicide to attempt the sum-
m n
the timber line. II would not have been
possible 10 reach the summit and 10
have merely climbed higher would have
meant that the party should camp for
the night on the bare face OF the gia-
cier, a prey 10 the bowling clements.
The downward tramp was immediately
commenced and within seven hours the
party had travefsed a strip Of country
which required three days Of hard and
almost incessant climbing to ascend.
The trip up the Carbon river 10 Carbon
glacier occupied FIVE days. while the
resura. the men not being 50 heavily
loaded with packs, was made In two
days and half
ION Christmas eve, while crossing the
vast snow fields which separated the
Elysian fields from Winthrop glacier.
Major Ingraham first noticed smoke
and steam rising from the mountain.
We were then at an altitude OF about
1000 feet and the summit WAS conse-
auently but little over a mile above us
on 4 direct line. although over Eve
miles by the route by which It could be
reached. Shooting upward. with noth-
ing to Intercept the view except the
clear blue sky, were jets of steam like
Immense geysers, while from, another
ylac. rose slowly and In a perpendicu-
lar line a ca5.unln OF dense black smoke.
The steam appeared 10 come from the
small crater. and the smoke from the
larger one.
~ss soon as the major noticed the
phenomena. ne grew excited and tailed
the attention os the entire party 10 the
scene. He said he had Dsssn en- the
mountain SIX times before and never
would have believed * was in an &C
tive state had he not seen il with his
szxn eyes. There were numerous ard
freuusnt Jets ~ steam which shot mp
wards perpendicussrly FOR several hun
.srasf feet. while ssae smoke rose 10 "A
higher altitude before becoming ah-
sorl,esi by the atmosphere. The scene
was an awe-iuSpgTlng one. The great
rugged mountain lowered above US al
most perpendicular. his sides scanned
aad rock~ribssef where the avaiaaches
had laid bare the earth ar.E dark eoior-
"a VOLCANIC formation. while ca top
xxsre peaks OF brilliant whiteness. Then
shove all rose the steam ard smoke,
. fsxiax es sidence that the grgtssd Hosiat-
ain was an active velcano.
.'Tale night before t1le party slept la
the snow on Carbon glacier at an as;i-
rude II 5sAa feet The nlgsss vas bitter
rs,,a. the Wind howied and whiSt1e3 ard
chilled the six men to the bane, while
20 add ~ the ;hriilsng sensations came
the occasional sound II tfe boom end
crash % avaianesEes of saaw ans tce
and rocks from Liberty Cap. The pofHt
which can BE SEEN from Seattle Christ
mas night fsasnp WAS n2I3e In She ssa1w
under an irsrlsssSe r0rx s3t-ss sly below
Liberty Cap. where cave was dag 10
fsrosart tbs rnen freal slae elements Il
sras to cosd to sleep nssssEa and seversa.
~ the nls.n vp~e Threatened Ssitt1 frazea
hands ard fest. buz the scene was 50
rsas.A ard on ~ immense a scale thgs
aSsnast -. ssgfxe II feSr was sssg and
taare arge2resi - es Ssa oae agnh--sa
raA.>s tba ttyxs. Major Trxraaas. was