The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-10
Gunboat Wheeling Sails on Her
Voyage to the Yukon.
SEARCHING FOR A CHANNEL.
Ssrveyorn VIII Look for n New
Route Through the Delta - IL
Found IL VIII Open steamer Trav-
Ell n Month Earlier ana Do Away
With the Dangerou. Run yessei.
Vow Have Through Boring Sea.

The United States runboat wheeling.
Capt Seoree, the only war vessel on thu
Pacific north OF San Francisco. left her
anchorage in the stream yesterday after
noon fer her long voyage 10 the mouth OF
the Yukon river. Every one OF her many
Tags Was unfurled to the breeze. and
their bright colors seemed brighter from
the background made by the Wheeling i,s
her grim warpaint Every steamer In the
harbor saluted the gunboat as she passed
down the bay.
party OF United States geological sur
veyoTs is on board the vessel with twenty
five men and several tons OF personal and
camp outfit. II IS TO convey this party to
81. Michael that the Wheeling goes north
at time when she might be helping the
Other vessels CT the navy do up the Span
iards The party is commanded by Capt.
J. i. Pratt. and the principal resul. ex-
pected from the summers work is the sur
vey or a channel through the Yukon river
delta that can be navigated By ocean YES
sells.
Such channel. IL one could he found.
would be OF immense benefit to AIaskai
shippers. IL means that steamer travel on
the Yukon would open up nearly a month
earlier than al present. for the OCEAN
steamers could get into the river long be-
fore the Ice Is out OF Norton sound Onca
inside. their cargoes could be transferred
10 river steamers. IL would do away with
the dangerous sixty-mile run through Ber-
ing sea that the river steamers now have
TO make
All day yesterday the sailors from the
Wheeling were engaged in TRANSPORTING
the baggage OF the big party from the
Seattle boat house 10 the ship. A portion
or the camp outfit was taken on the
Wheeling. but the big shipment Of supplies
VIII go north on the steamer Charles Nell
son, leaving here June Is. Sufficient sup
plies VIII be taken 10 last the party until
the end Of October. Several launches viii
be sent north on the Nelson
capt. j. +. Pratt. +. a. Young. A. w
Baldwin, r. l.. Faris and q. Dickinson
were the geological survey officers who
went north Oh the Wheeling yesterday
They were accompanied by four survey
ors and twenty-five men. The surveyors
were George Pratt, Of Seattle: DIR. Ed
monds, of San Francisco, Or Huntler, OF
Ohio. and Mr.. Van Wyck, OF Seattle
capt. Pratt is well known in this city.
Up until three years ago this was his head
quarters. Since that time he has been at
Washington city. lie made most OF the
geological surveys of Puget sound and has
been two seasons In Alaska. He surveyed
the upper end OF Lynn canal and was with
the International boundary party in 1923
Capt. Pratt's assistant. q. r. Putnam.
remained behind 10 look after the freight
shipments. He was seen at the Rainier
Grand hotel last night. and said:
"a number of tons Of supplies Of every
kind have been purchased here and viii be
sent north about the middle Of the month.
Three Of the boats We shall use In the rlv-
ct survey will accompany the shipment.
They were built IN the East and have been
shipped across the continent 10 Seattle.
TWO of the launches are thirty-two feet in
length. The third measures seventy-tivs
feet. All are shallow water boats One
seventy-iive foot steamer has just been
completed I'm san Francisco and VIII leave
there Saturday under her own steam The
builders are 10 deliver her at ST. Michael
She VIII use sails whenever the wind is
favorable.
I'VE shall put in the summer searching
for channel through the Yukon river
delta that can be used by ocean steamers.
The work * Of great Importance. and We
shall keep AT i Until just before the freeze
up, As YOU know. river steamers now
have 10 make dangerous trip across BCr-
ing sea 20 ST. Michael before they can get
their freight. The ice goes out OF Norton
sound nearly a month later than out Of
the river. The current drives the ice away
from the mouth OF the Yukon. while the
sun IS the principal factor In clearing
Norton sound.
oar dgst work viii he 4 survey OF tho
coast lire from 81. Michael 20 the mouth
81 the river. After that our lnbors VIII
be confined to +ne Yukon delta We WI
take uD the work from the inside. ard
work 10 the ocean. All We can say IS thai
We hope 10 find a channel. The eastern
side q Bar,ng sta. near cha mouth OF the
riycr Is very shallow, b'lt Il IS very plss.-
be that Z channel can he found The work
IS helms done under q special anpropr.a-
zion 81 congress.
II The channel found i 4 crooked one II
viii have % he marked before the oceau
steamers can use 4. There viii be a great
deal cf difficulty .n k@sp.ug the tueys is
place. fer the iCn IS likely 30 carry tasm
away !u ;As spring"
SEATTLE Ice COMPANY. Tel. Main IS