The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-10
CANNOT RESCUE wHALERs.
Captain of the Revenue Cutter Bean
Points Out the Difficulties.

Captain of the Revenue Cutter Beau
Points Out the Difficulties.
WASHINGTON Nov. 9.-Secretary Gage
to-day received the following telegram
from Captain Tuttle, in command OF the
Bear. now at Seattle, Wash: Repairs 70
the boiler, air pump, bridge walls, new
sails and docking vessel cost $l,50O. Befor0
the Bear can reach st. Michael's the bay
will be frozen over The vessel cannot win
ter at ST. Michael's, as the ice would carry
it away There is no harbor north OF Un-
alaska that does not remain frozen until
late in June. Bering strait is closed by leo
in November and remains so until june
The whaIers at Point Barrow are within six
miles of the point and eighteen miles Of the
former refuge station. / understand from
Captain McGregor, of the steam whaler
Karluk, that Liebes, agent at the refuge
stations has about three hundred barrels
of flour With this and the provisions OF
the vessels there should be no starvation.
Those frozen at Demarkation Point have
the supply station at Herschel island sta
ton to fall back on. While it will probably
be necessary to abandon the vessels. do
not apprehend the crews will meet with
anything worse than privations and hard
ships. The Bear can be ready to start in
two weeks. There is plenty of coal at Tn
alaska. / can see no way of rendering as
sstance until the ice opens next July. No
vessel can do anything in the Arctic ocean
until July"
Notwithstanding the almost hopelessness
of the task, as indicated by Captain Tuttle.
Captain Shoemaker, chief of the revenue
cutter service, gave instructions for the
Immediate repair of the Bear, with a view
TO being ready for sea at the earliest mo-
ment Point Barrow, near which the Ice
bound Whalers are supposed to be-, Is about
1900 miles north of Seattle and about !, 200
miles north of Unalaska>
The Cabinet also gave consideration to
the ice-bound Bering sea whaling fleet to-
day. Two plans have been decided on, one
to send the Bear from Seattle, which cam
not be got ready for two weeks, and an-
other to send the ThrasheT, a whaling ye1~
sci now at San Francisco. This latter de-
termination was reached after the receipt 0f
a telegram by Secretary Long from the
commandant of the Mare Island navy yard
The Thrasher can be provisioned at once
and sent Immediately on her mission 1t il
stated that there is a very good supply of
provisions at Point Barrow and another
supply at Herschel island: also, that AZ
least three vessels well supplied with pro-
visions will winter in the Arctic. The loca-
tion Of the reindeer in Alaska, which "a
wanted for transportation, is not known
but 1T is believed supply can be obtained
The information laid before the Cabinet
to-day a basis for its action was coriS
tanned in the kilograms from Commandanf
Kirkland, of the Mare Island navy vard
steamer Baylies had arrived at San Gran.
cisco to-day from the Arctic. He said tha
whaling steamers Crca, Freeman Relyi-
dere and Roserio were at Point Barrow ON
Sept. 13 with about 160 men. These are now
probably closed in by ice near that place
The whaling steamers Newport Fearless
JEANNE and Wanderer were at Herschai
island, Aug. 26, with about lis men, All fh6
above vessels expected to return this faIl
and had only about three moEths' rationa
Besides the above ships, there were vessela
at Herschel proylsioned for one, TWO ANA
three years, prepared to stay IN the Arc~
tic. and intending to sail soon for the VI
cinity of the mouth of Copper Mine river
to winter Captain Devell SAYS there ara
about four hundred barrels of flour AZ
Point Barrow. probably within reach of flss
closed-in whalers. He does not think there
will be starving among whalers this vim
ter, though they may be on greatly reduced
ratiOns
Commandant Kirkwood also said A.
seemed advisable to send the Bear or steam
whaler Thrasher, now at San Francisco
with provisions. medicines and clothing for
three hundred men for one year to Port
Clarence or Norton sound If found possl-
BILE Use reindeer at Port Clarence to PACK
provisions to Point Barrow. foiiowing shore
line and keeping lookout for whalers Plan
requires four officers, one being a surxeOr,
and four men OF the navy. Chances OF sta-
cess regarded as slight and every davsn
delay will add to difficulty. Amy vessel 60