The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-17
SURVEYING THE
ALASKAN FIELDS
WORK ACCOMPLISHED IN THE
INTEREST OF NAVIGATION.
Ghe Discovery Of 2,5oo Square Miles
of Territory Additional to That
Shown on Maps-Shores Near
Kusilavak Extend Twenty-Five
Miles Further Out Into Behring
Sea Than Believed.

Washington, Nov. 1G.-G. II, Pratt |
assistant superintendent of the coast
and geodetic survey, has submitted to
Superintendent Prichett n report of
the coast survey work last summer in
Alaska.
The report notes the discovery of D.
FOO additional square miles OF United
states territory and deals with the
work accomplished in the interest of
Alaskan navigation.
Referring to the newly explored ter
yttory of the United States-which,
hitherto, has not been included as
part of this country-thc report says:
"The Kuslavak Channel extends
very nearly parallel with the shore
until about half way to the krypniak,
when it turns seaward, and when be-
yond the sight Of land spreads out
into bar with from six to eight feet
on it at low tide. on each side the
flats are irregular. with blind pockets,
etc. The shores in the vicinity of
Kusilavak mouth are about twenty
five miles further out into Behring sea
than indicated on the published charts.
In round numbers this difference in
cludes an area of about $500 square
were almost always obscured by clouds
but it would seem that its present
longitude will not be much changed,
whereas there is a possibility of plac-
ing its latitude more to the southwark.
There is about two feet of water
on the bar at the Aphoon channel en-
trance at mean low water, and inside
of it quite an intricate channel. The
proposed chart of this locality should
be sent to St. Michaels by next sea-
sons coast survey party whose very
first duties should be to re-eXamine for
changes and thoroughly buoy out this
channel, as the ice will carry off buoys
plat the buoys on these charts and then
plant the buoyS on these charts and then
turn them over for general distribu-
ton.
A CHART.
A chart is recommended covering
the stretch from Cape Dyer to Bes.
horo island to assist vessels trying
early in the season, as they usually
DO, to get through to st. Michaels
by going between the Behring sea ice.
supposed to be swept off shore some
what by the currents from the river
mouths, and the Yukon bars or flats
continuing, the report says.
The upper river traffic for the COM
ing season, will be, as heretofore, by
deep-sea craft to ST. Michaers. trans
fer to river steamers, which will go via
the Aphoon channel. This entrance is
the worst they have to contend with,
and has only about two feet on the
bar at mean low water and is rather
intricate. Its advantage is that river
1Nn IN, feht Of 10 nd
all the way from st. Michaels to the
entrance, the only really dangerous
position being in rounding St. Michael
island, a distance of about twelve
miles, in nOrtherly weather, whereas
the Kusilvak, although having suffi-
Client water, has the very serious disad-
vantage of being so far OFF shore that
no natural landmarks can be used for
finding and entering 1t. From the
north shore of Cape Dyer to the Kus-
ilvak entrance is about fifteen miles
less than from st. Michael to the
Aphoon entrance, and even if the Kus-
ilvak could be easily found this small
difference in distance would not be
sufficient to change the routes Of the
older transportation companies that
have costly warehouse facilities at st.
Michael
1T is now a foregonc conclusion that
the passenger business of the upper
Yukon country is and will remain via
the passes, while tor long time the
great bulk of the freight will 60 via
the rivers mouth. There are now be
tween sixty and seventy regular river
steamers in the carrying business, and
still freight was left behind at st
Michael when the season closed in
The ocean traffic has been proportions
ate, there being as many as thirty
deep-water vessels at anchor in st
Michael anchorage at a time, the av'
crage during the season being TWEEN
ty The greatest stumbling block ii
the St. Michael freight business is th'
transfer from ocean to river craft il
an unprotected roadstead, the watel
depth being such that ocean steamers
do not anchor within about two miles
of the nearest shoal water landings
Ocean vessels can be run on com
paratively close schedule as to time
whereas the uncertainty Of the time o
arrival of the river boats, due To get
ting aground, varying strength Of eur