The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-17
EXPLORATION OF ALASKA.
Government Expedition VIII Start
for Conner River This Week

for Copper River This Week.
Seattle, Wash, March 1.-THE Govern
ment expedition for the exploration of the
Copper River country and the survey of
an all American route from salt water to
the gold fields of the Yukon will start
from Seattle by steamer this week. The
Government herd of reindeer. secured by
the War Department in Norway. num-
bers $50 head. These are in charge of
William Kjellman, the Laplander. who
5haSs for years been employed under the
Government superintendent of Alaska
schools, Sheldon Jackson, at Teller
Station. Kjellman has with him nearly
leo Laplanders, who accompanied the eX-
petition from Norway and who are nee
essary for the handling of the animals.
The herd will be divided into two expe-
ditiops. One of them Will be in command
Army, a noted traveller and explorer, and
is destined for the Copper River country.
In 1888 Capt. Abercombie made an eX-
haustive exploration of the Copper River
country and vicinity, ard much of the de-
tail of the Government maps is due to his
researches. Two hundred reindeer and
fifty LaplanderS will sail from Seattle for
Prince William Sound by steamer within
the next few days. The expedition will
start from Point Valdes, at the mouth of
the Copper River. The reindeer will be
divided into relay groups. Relay stations
will be established along the route, to be
selected by Capt Abercombie. The ami
mails will subsist on Alaska moss, which
they will find under the snow by digging
through the snow with their sharp hoofs.
1. L -Tx,a, T.T.,
his exploration of the Copper River coun-
try and the Yukon, that a much shorter
route can be found to the gold fields
than that now pursued. The opening of
such route, together with the exactons
placed on placer mining in the Northwest
Territory by the Dominion government
will, it is believed, tend to accelerate the
development of the gold mines in Ameri-
can territory.
The, Klondike relief expedition planned
by Secretary Alger having been abandon
ed, it is the intention of the government
to utilize part of the reindeer and Lap
landers now concentrated here to estab-
lish permanent winter route to the gold
fields over the Dalton trail This is in pur-
suance of the recommendations made to
the Interior Department last fall by Shell
don Jackson Forty LaplanderS. under
Commander Kjellman, will be shipped
Wednesday on the Seminole to Pyramid
Harbor, and they will proceed over the
Chlkoot Pass along the line of railroad
surveyed by Pierce Humbert. the mil
lionaire Boston banker. Stations will be
established about every fifty or sixty
miles. Houses Will be built, and the herd
of reindeer will be divided among these
stations. to be used during the Winter
transporting supplies into the interior
and carrying the mails.
On it's natural food the reindeer can
make fifty or sixty miles per day in the
Winter and by means of the relay sta
tons communication can be kept open all
Winter from Haines' Mission, on Pyra-
mid Harbor, to the interior. In an emery
ency such as that which has confronted
the Dawson miners during this season.
supplies in considerable quantities can be
gotten into the Yukon district when other
means would fail. The warm climate
of Puget Sound has not agreed with the
reindeer. Green grass now growing lux
uriantly here is not a suitable substitute
for the moss on which the reindeer sub
sists in their native haunts, and they
are dying at the rate of one per day.
Kjellman said tonight that as soon as
the deer were landed in Alaska they
would thrive.