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,
Surveyors VIII Look for n New
Route Through the Delta - III
Fonnd IL VIII Open steame Trav-
ell N Month Earlier and DO Away
Now Have Through Boring Sea.

The United States gunboat Wheeling.
Capt Se5ree. the only war vessel on tho
Pacific norm of San Francisco. left her
anchorage IN the stream yesterday after
noon for her long voyage 10 the mouth OF
me Yukon river. Every one OF her many
flags was unfurled 10 the breeze and
their bright colors seemed brighter from,
the background made by the Wheeling n
her grim warpalnt. Every steamer In the
narbor sa.uted the gun5oat as she passed
down the bay.
4 party or United States geological sur
Feyors is on board the vessel. with twenty
FIVE men aud several tons OF personal ard
camp outfit. 1t is 10 convey this marty to
st. Michael that the Wheeling goes north
at 4 time when she might be helping the
Other vessels OF the navy do I'D the Span
iards. The party Is comma nded by Cant.
! +. Pratt, and the principal result ex-
pec'ed from the summers work is the sur
Vey OF IL channel through the Yukon river
deila mat can be aav!gated by ocean yes
sells.
Such a channel, if one could he found.
would be or immense benefit TO Alaska
shippers. IL means that steamer travel on
the Yukon would open up nearly a month
earlier than at present, for the ocean
steamers could get into the river long be-
tore the ice Is out OF Norton sound. Once
inside. their cargoes could be transferred
70 river steamers II would do away with
the dangerous s:xty-miie run through Re--
Ing sea that the river steamers now have
10 make.
All day yesterday the sailors from the
Wheeling H.,
the baggage Of the big party from the
Seattle boat house 10 the ship. \ portion
or the camp outfit was taken on :he
Wheeling. but the big shipment Of supplies
VIII 30 north on the steamer Charles Mel
son. leaving here June Is. Sufficient sup
plies VIII he taken to last the party until
the end OF October. Several launches viii
be sent north on the Nelson.
Capt. j. +. Pratt. f. \. Young. A. w
Baldwin, r. l.. Faris and G.. Dickinson
were the geological survey officers who
went north on the Wheeling yesterday
They were accompanied by four survey
ors and twenty-five men The surveyors
We're George Pratt, OF Seattle: Or. Ed
monds. OF San Francisco; Or. Huntley, OF
Ohio. AMI 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 1898.
Capt. Pratt's assistant. c.. r. Putnam.
remained behind 10 look after the freight
shipments. He was seen At the Rainier
Grand hotel last night. ard 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 r.v-
er survey viii accompany the shipment
They were built in the East and have been
shipped across the continent TO Seattle.
TWO OF the launches are thirty-two feet in
length The third measures seventy-fivs
feet All are shallow water boats One
seventy-flve foot steamer has just been
completed in San Francisco and VIII leave
there Saturday under her own steam The
builders are - deliver her AT S. Michael.
She Will use sails whenever the wind is
favorable
we shall put in tse summer searching
FOR L channel through the Yukon river
delta that can be used hY ocean steamers.
The work is Of grear Importance. and we
shan keep at Il until just before the freeze
up As yots know. river steamers now
have % make a dangerous trip across Ber-
iog SEA "a 81. Michael before they can get
their freight. The ice goes cut OF Norton
sound nearly month later than out Of
2
from the mouth % the Yukon. while taa
sun - the principal factor In clearing
Merton sound
our frs work wifi Ne 4 survey Of the
coast line from s. M.chsel - the month
q che river. After that our lahoes VIII
b" confined 80 the Yukon delta Ne VII
take up the work from tine inside. aud
work 10 thF ocean. All we can say Is tina.
We heDe 30 nud a chained, The eastern
side OF Boring sea. aear the Ucu;A OF tne
river - very shallow, but x Is very posi-
hle that a channel can be- found The work
Is being done under special aTpropria-
tom az congress.
III th@ channel found s. 4 crooked one l.
VII aave - be marked before jfe occau
steamers can use g. There VII be a great
deal os 3nlcujty Ia keeping the t0sys in
place, for tae s~e Is likely 80 carry Them
away IN the SDr.Gg."
SEATTLE Ice Company. Tel Man sSi.