The times., 1899-06-03
EXPLORING THE
WJLDS OF ALASKA
Two Reports Received From
Captain Abercrombie.
Work of the Expedition in the
Copper River Country.
of the Destitute Miners at
Port Valdez.

Assistant Secretary of War Meiklejohr
has received two reports from Capt. w. R
| Abercrombie, Second Infantry. U. S. A
commanding a reconnaissance up tbs
Copper River country, from Port Valdez
Alaska. one dated May and the othel
bearing date of May 10. 1899
Captain Abercrombie reports that upor
! disembarking his expedition at Port Val
dez he organized two surveying parties
| the first consisting of Oscar Rohn. to-
pographer, and Z. C. Worthington as as
sistant. together with axemen and chain
men This party was given the meander-
ing of the shore line of Port Valdez and
Swan Port east, for the purpose of deter
mining tide limits and the summer flow
| of glacial streams emptying into the head
| of the bay from Valdez Glacier and Lowe
River country. and also TO take soundings
4 TO determine the best anchorage and the
| most desirable ground for the terminal oi
the trail.
The second party was placed under os-
car Palmer topographer. who was sent up
TO the mouth of Keystone Canon to pick
up the topography through that canon
and over the ridge forming its northern
wall.
Captain Abercrombie states that neither
party had as yet made a preliminary re-
port but he says, in general. that barring
the SHOWS which were then still falling of
and on. he expects to have a preliminary
report ready TO submit TO the Secretary
OF War with field sketches in a very short
period.
Captain Abercrombie further says that
he has relocated his camp of last year.
which will hereafter be known as Station
No /. He has declared a reservation of
one mile square which may be retained as
wood reservation for this station, but
he thinks it doubtful whether it can be
so retained because the flow of glacial
water and the deposit of glacial silt few
miles above the place may render the To-
cation Valueiess.
On the north side of Port Valdez Cap
tain Abercrombie has reserved all the hay
land" from Shoup's glacier to Station No.
l. his intention being to cut and bale all
the hay required for the season of next
winter for all the stock of his expedition,
and also that of the Cook Inlet Expedi-
ton under Captain Glenn, which Captain
Abercrombie considers will be quite an
item of economy
At the south of keystone canyon a log
house sixteen by thirty feet in the clear
has been built, and in it has been packed
a quantity of stores. This will hereafter
be known as station No. 2.
On Grayiing creek, tributary of the
klutena river. just above Amy's Landing,
a third station tof temporary character)
has been established and placed in charge
OF John F. Rice. as quarfermaster's clerk,
in which has been placed a small guam
tity of subsistence stores.
Captain Abercrombie further states that
ne has two scouts on snowshoes between
Thompson Pass and Copper Center lcok-
ing for the best route through that dis
trict and is of the opinion that by the
last of June he will be in arposition TO re-
port in detail desirable location for a
military trail with low gradient from Port
Valdez to Copper Centre.
Captain Abercrombie says that on his
arrival at Port Valdez he found the con-
ditions there to be those usually attending
the opening of a new country. Many of
the miners were entirely broken down in
spirit and finances. Their pleas for aid
were pathetic. Men would break down and
cry when they were refused free transport
alton out of the country while the anar-
chistic element was in evidence. The
scuryy had thoroughly demoralized almost
everyone. Captain Abercrombie at once
rented and cleaned three filthy cabins, the
stencil from which was horrible. and Or
ganized a relief hospital, with cook house,
bunk house, and dog team transportation
to haul scurvy-stricken persons over the
Valdez glacier from the interior. He also
employed the destitute as far as his au-
thorization would allow him, and in this
way injected a feeling of confidence and
security into the general mass that was
magical in its effect
On April 20 Captain Abercrombie sent
out an organized trail crew TO the mouth
of keystone canyon, where he built a
storehouse and placed a supply Of stores.
In order to further employ the destitute
Captain Abererombie has established a
temporary hay reservation, where he will
cut and bale hay.