The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-16
The Party 10 Divide Into Three Sections
Upon Reaching Saagaay.
One VIII Proceed to the Klondilse
Region, Another viii Descend
the Tarana River to It's Mouth,
While the Third VIII Devote
It's Attention to the Location Of
a Possible Railroad From Cooks
Inlet to the Yukon.

WASHINGTON. March 15.-Prepara-
tions have been made by Director Wal
colt of the Geological Survey for an eX-
tensive exploration of the geological,
typographical and other features OF
Alaska. This will be done under au-
thority of Congress, which appropriated
$40. 600 for the purpose. Then offlcers OF
the survey will be assigned to the work
in prospect, viz: George H. Eldredgc,
Arthur Keath, j. T.. Spur, Alfred
Brooks. f. c. Barnard, w. j. Peters,
Robert Muldrow, w. S. Post, w. Z.
Mendenhall and F. G. Scrader. Inc
latter two are to accompany military
exploring parties.
In addition to the above named
eighteen camp men will be employed.
Four parties are to be organized :lnder
the general charge of Mr.. Eldredge
Seattle will be the Quitting point. and
the whole expedition will proceed there
on April LIST The gunboat Wheeling
will transport the parties.
At Skaguay two parties will be de-
tached, the first, under Mr.. Barnard,
proceeding to the Klondike region for
the purpose of making a topographic
survey of the district adjacent to the
meridian. This survey will extend west
ward from the Yukon, between the 9th
and G5th parallels of latitude, and will
include the Forty-Mile District. The
survey to be made by Mr. Barnards
party will serve as q basis for care
full geological investigation of the re-
eion by Mr.. Keath who will use Barn
ards camp as q basis, but will operate
i 4 +1xy
The second party, leaving Mr.. Ed
redge at Skaguay, will be in charge CT
Mr.. Spur, who will cooperate with
Barnard in crossing the passes and
in reaching the mouth of the White
River. He will enter upon his special
field Of work, namely, the exploration
of the White and Tanana River sys-
tens It is expected that this party VIII
descend the Tanana to its mouth and
explore the Melogikaket with view to
future operations on the koyukuk.
After organizing the Barnard and
Spurrparties at Skaguay, Mr. Eldredge,
with the remaining members of the
force. win go on the Wheeling to Cooks
Inlet and land at the mouth of the
Sushitna River He is expected to pro-
ceed with the entire corps then with
him up the Sushitna to about latitude
63 degrees 40 minutes, where several
forks of the river combine. At this
point q party under Mr.. Peters viii be
detached to explore the northeast por-
ton of the Sushitna Basin, with the
expectation that their work will con-
meet with that of a party sent from the
War Department on Copper River, and
that they will close on Mr.. Spurs sur
veys down the Tanana.
After detaching Mr.. Peters party
Mr.. Eldredge will proceed with an as
sistant westward across the divide be-
tween the Sushitna and the kuskolIui1
to survey the headwaters of the KuskO-
lxulx and to determine the navigability
of that stream by descending it to the
lower Yukon In the exploration by
1Ir. Peters and Mr. Eldredge attention
will be given to the location of pos
sible railroad from Cooks Inlet to the
Yukon. All the parties will rendezvous
at ST. Michael by September LIST.
The routes traversed will be critically
inspected with view to ascertaining
the most practical location for trails.
wagon roads or railroads; the charac-
ter and extent of the timber will be
examined as to the possibilities Of nav
igation and hight Of falls and rapids,
while the rise and fall of tides will
also be recorded. The geological sur
vey is to be SO conducted as to ascer-
tain the general distribution of rock
masses their relations, and. so far as
may be- the character and origin of
each.
AL occurrences of valuable minerals
will be noted and special attention
given to the presence or absence Of
gold. whether in placers or veins.