The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1898-04-22
From Alaska.

Grant county party, and which
was brought back by VIM. Hib-
lou Of Big Stone, one Of thePoppe
expedition. who was compelled
to return on account of an attack
of rheumatism:
Port Valdes, Alaska.
March II, 1898.
| will write you a few lines as
one of the party, Heblou is going
back on the boat tonig ght and will
take the mail. Our party are all
we'll yet, with the exception of
colds. My appetite was never
better ban now. We are camp
ed at the landing and moving
our goods over the pass. My
party have moved 400 lbs. to
the third bench of the glacier,
which is about 9 miles from here
and over the hardest part of the :
pass. | think it will take us
about three weeks to move to the
timber line on the other side OF
the glacier, which is, as near as
| can find out, about 35 miles.
| have not been able to find out
how far it is to the Copper river,
as no one has been through yet
that | know of. There are about
1900 people here and on the trail
bound for the Copper river. We
have our stuff on sleighS and
some places on the glacier we
haul our loads over the benches
with blocks and lines and it is
hard work. A good many have
given it up and gone back, but
think | will make it all right.
The weather is fine here; it is
about 80 . above through the day
and about freezing at night. |
think this is a healthy climate.
One of us has a kodak and
has taken eleven views The
snow is about 6 feet deep here.
There are only four frame
buildings in this place but the
woods are full Of tents.
The following extracts are
taken from the Seattle postIn
telligencier, and may give read
ers an idea Of travel over the
mountains of Alaska, where the
Poppe expedition are now NOV
ing:
GLACIER TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
William Hiblou, of Big Stone, So. OAK, who
went north with party Of forty-two on the first
trip of the steamer Valencia of the
passengers who returned yesterday ON the Excel
sior.
He was taken with rheumatism soon after land
ing and was afraid to continue the trip with his
party, which we'll started on the trip across
the glacier He said yesterday to a Post-lntelli-
gencer reporter: cit will not be long before
travel across the Valdes glacier will become
dangerous. Already there have been SOME mar
escapes from fresh snow sinking which
covered up old cracks in the glacier. About two
weeks ago a young man almost followed his sled
into seemingly bottomless creyasse. He caught
himself by his elbows on the edge of the crack
and was helped out by friends. His sled was
never seen again 1t was very heavily loaded
had just crossed. The force Of the sled's fall
pulled him into the hole. The glacier is still
good travelling, although the fresh snow has to be
beaten down almost every day. It showed daily
for ten days before we left. Nearly everyone has
q severe cold
THE NALDEs GLACIER.
B. F. Millard, Of Wisconsin, writing to Capt.
W. w Robinson jr., from Camp valdes under
S- aud hat
believed to be a correct descriptionof the ascent
of the glacier from tide water to the trail on the
other side of the range Millard is an engineer
and accustomed to taking accurately observa
ito MS Of distances, etc. lie says:
"From the bay to the first steep ascent four
and fourth miles, there is rise of 800 feet
from this point for mile there are several
steep inclines with total rise Of 1000 feet more.
This is called the top Of the first bench. Follow
ing this the trail traverses eight and half miles
Of almost level glacier, with rise Of l25 feet per
mile The next half mile takes You up 200 feet
higher but the next six miles has only rice Of
100 feet to the mile, making good shedding and
easy hauling. The last three-qaarters OF mi!a
to the summit is precipitous, taking the traveller
800 feet higher up The total distance from the
timber near tidewater to the summit il twenty
and three quarter miles.
Mr.. Millard SAYS that the miners have to pack
their frewood up the glacier from the grove OF
cottonwood trees CT the foot Of the pass. There
IS very little dry timber. The descent from tie
summit on the north side is easy. The distance
to the timber il nine miles There 1909 peo-
pie scattered .rom the landing to the summit.
Townsi.e boomers have laid OFT a town aud are
selling town lots with nc title.
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