Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-11-16
MUIR GLACIER.
The Great Alaskan Ice Pack Said to
Be DYING Fast.

The Great Alaskan Ice Pack Said to
Be Dying. Fast.
Seeking inspiration in the wilds or
Alaska, T. j. Richardson, an American
artist has spent sixteen Of the last
twenty three summers at points along
the northern coast of the Pacific ocean, |
and of the Muir glacier he has madel
q particular study.
Until this summer no steamship has
yentured up the bay leading to thel
Muir glacier since IT was shattered by
an earthquake nine years ago. MT
Richardson visited the glacier first In
1901 and was there several times pre-
yious to the upheaval. This summer
during q ten weeks sojourn in thel
north he again went to the ice field,
going in on the second trip made by
the Pacific Coast Steamship compa-
ny's ship Spokane. His observations
on the present condition of the glacier
as compared with its former appear
once Is the first authoritative and In
telligent narration of what change the
ice field has undergone in the interven-
ing years
81 first went to the Muir glacier in
1891" said Mr.. Richardson. II oc"u-
pied the cabin of the Professor Muir
expedition, which had been at the gla-
cier during the previous year. 1t was
only three-Quarters of mile away
from the face Of the glacier, when at
that time had a solid face, two miles
long and about $50 feet high, above
the water line. although below the
water the ice extended to depth or
500 feet
'1t was a grand and awe Inspiring
sight. for the great ice mass was DIS
fntegrating fast, and the detonations
as the bergs toppled off into the sea
were like the roar of artillery. Hardy
ten minutes would pass without the
collapse of some big piece OF ice ana
the tidal wave which would follow.
The submergence Of big fragment
would send a wall Of water ten reet
high or more rushing in to the shore.
One had to be constantly on guard
against this when on the beach.
lie SlSll VI lllG iOAAiLS A~S>S~N~ -
ice used always to make me think OF q
fight of giants. in which the front rank
was always falling. pushed on to de-
struction by their fellows behind.
"Only about half of the former race
of the glacier is active in discharglng
TO the sea. Today the active portion
NAV be described as the left arm. Inc
right arm is hardly active at all, ano
TO nv mind will be dead in com
paratively few years. Already In from
of the face are showing sand anC
gravel ridges in the water which indi
cate that the ice mass is FORMING
terminal moraine, which in time vii
grow to such proportions that the gla
cier will be entirely separated from th'
sea.
sJ NAV explain that technically
live glacier is one which discharges
directly into the ocean. while dead
glacier is one which ends on lana ant
where the ice mass is dissipated b,
the action Of the sun alone. 1t melt
away. while the live glacier disin
tegrates in huge masses. when noa
away to sea in the form of icebergS
The dead glacier is of comparativel
small interest to any save the scientist
while the live one with its awe II
spiring detonations and activity, WI
hold the attention of any creature. q
matter how unschooled. Even the VI
educated natives will stand tor nour
watching the movements of the Ice.
snow to make clear the change e
fected by the earthquake at Mul
glacier When | was there in lSs
the glacier presented a straight wa
of ice two miles wide across the hea
of the bay. The ampMthester OF moul
tains which feed the glacier WIN Il
and snow has an estimated area {
500 square miles, and all the ice rorn
cd in this area had to make its ex
through this two mile outlet. AT TIL
time there was an island In the 4
field about a days journey from II
face of the glacier, which we USED
visit. The term island is used to q
scribe the top of hill which protru
ed through the ice field. and. althou9
It was days journey away, that WI
because Of the rough surface OF II
ice.
THAT island is now fully expose
and Is a mountain which divides Il
glacier into two streams. The strea
TO the right is composed Of differe
quality of ice from that to the LEI
and II is melting off quickly, so tn
the face of the right wall Is near
four miles on to the rear of where
old face lay. showing that that porti
Of the glacier has receded about TO
miles since its disturbance. Why t
ice In this arm should melt so RAPID
do not know. but it is filed WI
gravel and sand. and perhaps the pr'
ence of this material accounts for I
rapid disintegration.
"The steamers can ascend the cns
mel made by the melting of the rig
glacier for a distance OF four MILL
and as the left face is In something
the shape of crescent splenC
view of it can be obtained. The Ice
clear and brittle. and it will be 10
time In receding as far as the rig
arm. For the spectator | think I
sight is even better than 1t was IN
days previous to the change. Seat
Post-Intelligencer.