The Indianapolis journal., 1898-03-16
ALASKA TO BE EXPLORED
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PARTY WILL
MAKE A CRITICAL EXAMINATION.
Expedition That Is Expected to Add
Much to Information Concerning
the Gold Fields.

WASHINGTON, March 15.-Preparations
have been made by Director Walcott, of
the Geological Survey, for an extensive ex-
ploration of the geological, typographical
and other features of Alaska. This will be
done under authority of Congress, which ap
propriated $4,000 for the purpose. Ten Off
GERS Of the survey will be assigned to the
work in prospect, namely George II.
Edridge, Arthur Keith, ]. E. Spur, AL
fred Brooks, E. C. Barnard, W.. ]. Peters.
Robert Muldrow, w. s. Post, w. C. Men
denhall and F. C. Schrader. The la ter two
are to accompany military exploring par
ties. In addition to the above named eight
cen camp men will be employed. -Four par
ties are to be organized under the general
charge of Mr.. Eldridge Seattle will be the
outfitting point, and the whole expedition
will proceed from there about April l. The
gunboat Wheeling will transport the par
ties. At Skaguay two parties will be de-
tached, the first, under Mr.. Barnard, pro-
ceeding to the Klondike region for the pur-
pose of making topographic survey of the
district adjacent to the eastern boundary of
Alaska, the 14lst meridian. The survey will
extend westward from the Yukon between
the sixty-fourth and sxty-ifth parallels of
latitude, and will include the Forty-mile
party will serve as a basis for a careful
geologic investigation of the region by Mr..
Keith, who will use Barnard's camp as a
basis. but will operate to some extent inde-
pendently
The second party, leaving Mr. Eldridge
at Skaguay, will be in charge of Mr. Spur,
who WIFI cooperate with Barnard in cross
ing the passes, and on reaching the mouth
OF the White river will enter upon its
special field of work namely the explora-
'H0n1na
TENS. It is expected that this party will
descend the 1anana to its mouth, and
should time permit will explore the Melogi-
kaket with a view to future operations on
the koyukuk. After organizing the Barnard
and Spur parties at Skaguay Mr.. Eldridge,
with the remaining members of the force,
will go in the Wheeling to Cook inlet to
land at the mouth of the Sushitna river.
He is expected to proceed with the entire
corps then with him up the Sushitna to
about latitude sixty-three degrees and forty
minutes, where several forks of the river
combine At this point a party under Mr..
Peters will be detached to explore the north
eastern portion of the Sushitna drainage
basin with the expectation that their work
will connect with that of party sent from
the War Department on Copper river, and
that they will close on Mr.. Spurr's surveys
down the Tanana- After detaching Mr..
PeterSS party Mr.. E1ldridge will proceed
with an assistant westward across the
divide between the Sushitna and the KuS-
kokwim to survey the headwaters of the
kuSkOkwim and to determine the navigabil-
ity OF that stream by descending it to the
usual portage to the lower Yukon In the
exploration by Mr.. Peters and Mr.. Eldridge
special attention will be given to the oca-
ton of a possible railroad from Cook inlet
to the Yukon.
All the parties will rendezvous at st.
Michael's by Sept Is. The routes traversed
will be critically inspected with a view to
ascertaining the most practicable location
for trails, wagon roads or railroad the
character and extent of the timber will be
noted and the rivers or streams will be ex-
amined to the possibilities of navigation
nd nferlf ~ foil or fnT mid 0d 10
rise and fall of tides to ascertain the gen.
eral distribution of rock masses. their rela-
tions, and so far as may be the character
and origin of each. ALI occurrences of val
liable minerals will be noted, and special at
tention given to the presence or absence of
gold, whether in placers or veins.