The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-03
IN NORTHERN ALASKA.
Survey Reports Interesting Affairs in
That Section

Washington, March Am account is
about to be published of the only expedi-
ton that ever crossed Central Alaska
from the Yukon TO the Arctic Ocean. This
remarkable trip was made in 1901 by Mes
srs. F. c. Schrader and w. ]. Peters of
the United States geological survey. Other
white men have reached the northern
shore of Alaska and the southern shore
of the Arctic Ocean by means of whaling
vessels and other sea craft, but this
overland journey is absolutely unique in
the history of Arctic adventure. 1t will
be interesting to those who follow the
development of our frozen areas to read
Professional Paper No 90 of the Surveys
publications, which is a report of this
unusual experience entitled, "A Recon-
naissance in Northern Alaska"
Messrs. Schrader and ePters left Wash
ington in January and sailed for Alaska
early in the spring. An arduous prelim-
mary journey of 1900 miles by dog sled
was made down the Yukon to 1.-The Ko-
yukuk." above the placer camp on the
continent. Conditions there were found
to be prosperous, SD a day being the aver
age wage. From there. explorations were
made by dog sled to discover pass over
the rugged mountains to the north For
tunately, one was found. and as soon as
the ice of the rivers broke up in June.
the dogs were abandoned and the journey
was continued northward by conoe UP the
torrential waters of John River. thence
by portage across the pass, and by canoe
down the Anaktuvuk and ColviIle to the
Gt
by thrilling incidents. such as the occa-
sional loss of provisions in mid-stream,
but an abundance of game happily made
good such losses. After weeks amid
primeval solitudes. the rule hospitality of
the Eskimos found on the Arctic coast
seemed very acceptable Point Barrow
was reached September 3. but no vessel
was in port or in sight and as the ocean
was about to freeze up for the winter
the party put to sea in an open whaleboat
and coasted southwark for 300 miles
Near Cape Lisbourne a collier was for
tunately encountered, which landed the
party at Nome late in September. To
moke Nome SCENE genuinely home-li like
one should approach it from the north
Though the purpose of the survey was
y
geographic and geologic results. This re-
gion was found to consist Of three we'll
marked geographic provinces. the noun
tain or middle. the koukuk or southern.
and the Arctic slope or northern. which
are comparable to the Rocky mountains.
the great interior basin. and the great
plains in the western United States The
middle province consists of a belt or rug
ged mountains Loo miles in width and $500
feet high. They are a continuation OF
the Rocky mountain system. but turn
here and run east and west at right
angles to their main trend. on either
side Is a gently rolling upland country.
To the north 1t slopes down 10 a nea~y
fat coastal plain along tho Arctic.
The geology Of the region is interesting
Evidence is cited To show that northern
Alaska has been tilted TO the westward
in geologicaIIy recent time The rocks are
sedimentary. ranging from palezoic to re
cent in point OF age. The palezoic rocks
are OF economic importance since they
seem 10 be hte source Of the metsllferous
placers found in the country. The reIa-
tons of the various rock masses are
graphically shown ii a geological section
nearly 400 miles in extent. which promises
To be Of far-reaching Importance in max
ing future correlations with Asiatic as
well as Alaskan stratigraphy.
Occurrences OF gold. silver. copper. lead,
antimony and coal are described. The
most important OF these minerals is gold.
which has been produced there in com
mercial quantities since iSss. Il IS found
in the district above the sixty-seventh
parallel. where IL occurs in widely dis
trihuted placers. The production for 800
was about S3aoo and that Of SEC about
$3.50 90. Prospects are also reported from
the Arctic side Of the divide. Coal Is
widely distributed. Il occurs IL the koy-
ukuk province. probably in economic
quantities. as bituninous coal Some IS
also found or the Arctic slope on the