The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-20
ST MICHAEL IsLAND-HEADaUARTERs OF SURVEYING PARTY

the course of future traffic in the
northwestern territory. If one cannot
be found. then Alaskan enterprise may
turn another way. John f. Pratt an
experienced officer of the United States
coast and geodetic survey. viii have the
distinction of making the first expio-
ration of the six mouths Of the Yukon.
Mr.. P-att is now stationed in Washing
tn, but he has spent the better part of
his life in charting the Pacific and
Alaskan coasts. and he probably has
better knowledge of those regions than
any other official of the government.
Three years ago ne was at the head of
the government expedition which sur
veyed the Alaskan boundary in the
neighborhcod of the now famous Chill
koct pass. lie is a fearless pioneer.
familiar with danger and hardship. and
knows how 20 handle large bodies of
men in desolate countries far removed
from a base of supplies. He will leave
Washington on May ! with six scien-
tific assistants. and he will take with
him to the frozen regions of the north
a force of 80 others. hardy and adven-
furious men, Injured to cold and danger.
The delta at the mouth of the Yukon
is the largest in the world. the bar
which stretches before il extends from
St. Michael island on the north to Point
Dyer on the south, a distance of 40
miles, and its average width. as calcu-
lated by occasional naVigatorS, is 40
miles This is an area nearly equal to
that of Massachusetts. Soundings have
never been taken over any portion of
it, and il is an UNEMPLOYED expanse. 1t
is known to exist only as vessels ap-
preaching at various points have been
compelled to stand off.
Mr.. Pratt's duty VIII be to explore it
thoroughly. make soundines every
where. discover channel suitable for
seagoinc vessels if possible. and come
back with q full report in the fall
DIFFICULTIES OF THE EXPEDI-
TON.
He will have to carry with him all
his implements ana provisions for a
distance Of nearly 5000 miles, and the
most important part of his outfit. the
boats from which the soundings viii
be made, are to be carried across the
continent as well. There are no boats
in existence suitable for the kind of
work he proposes TO do. He will need
stanch craft Of light draft, easily
handled. and fitted To stand all sorts
of weather. These boats he mas been
compelled to design himself. and he
will have TO suDerintend their con-
struction in person. The contracts have
already been let for them, and they
Will soon be under way in New YORK :
They will be three in number. One is
a large steam launch, - feet over all
and IS feet beam. drawing a little over
three feet: the other two are steam (
launches. 81 feet by s. These must all /
be shipped to Seattle by rail and then 4
conveyed to the field of survey by /
boat. The two small launches can be
handled easily enough, for they are I
constructed so as to fit a fiat car eX-
actly; but the large launch must be I
so arranged that il can be taken apart 7
and put together again in sections /
when il has reached its destination. /
Mr.. Pratts men will have 10 spend a |
mart of the time after their arrival at 4
the mouth of the Yukon in putting to- 4
gether this craft; and in order to save /
time. they may he compelled to go on /
with their soundings from her unfin-
ished hull while bringing her to com
pletion. The party will be obliged to
take with them over 10000 feet of lum-
Der. Part Of this viii be used in erect
ing beasons along the course of the
Standings. These beacons will vary
from u to so feet in height. according
10 the contour of the country, and they
viii be whitewashed so as to be con-
spicuous at great distances. Other
lumber will be needed to house the
largest launch in wintef. as the boat
will have TO be left somewhere ashore
for another summers work. Altogeth-
er. the supplies which Mr.. Pratt will Z
have to take with him on his uHtried
journed will weigh about $50 tons.
-FOUR THOUSAND MILES.
Four thousand miles of sound:ngs will
be taken, and the work must be done in