Evening star., 1909-05-02
A TYPICAL FIELD PARTY AT WORK.

farious transactions rs apparent. \
liquor dealer. for instance. is enabled TO
cheat both the United States ana cana
dian tax collector When the Canadian
tax collector calls all the spirits have
been removed to the United States SIDE
of the house, and when the United states
appraiser appears the case Is vice versa
We are erecting our boundary monu-
ments near such places III such a way as
to. if possible, defeat this plan. and are
endea voring to secure legal enactments
which will render il Impossible in
future.
Unique difficulties are being met and
overcome i'm marking the Alaskan bound
arys as determined by The boundary trib-
unal at London. in 1903. The shortness
of the season in which the work can be
done the absence of all trails, the neces-
sity of climbing almost inaccessible peaks.
and the severe cold practically all the time
have made the surveying of this boundary
a very hard problem. indeed. The work is,
however. being pushed vigorously by both
the United States and Canadian govern
ments.
f.. r. Martin, who is one of those en-
gagged N this survey. happens TO be an
expert and enthusiastic amateur photOg-
rapher. and has practced that art. in ad-
dition 10 his professional duties, under
seemingly impossible conditions. Foe in
stance. Mr.. Martin has made num-
ber of views from kates Needle the
highest mountain in southeastern Alaska
outside of the Saint Elias and Mount
Fairweather ranges. This Is one of the
boundary mountains selected by the
tribunal of London. and whichever of the
pinnacles projecting above the summit
ridge to the height of 10000 feet. or more
from sea level, is chosen as the exact
turning point in the boundary will be
a grander and more enduring monu-
ment than any which can be built by
human agency. The mountain gets its
name from the striking likeness it pre-
sents to the skyline of a woman's face
and bosom. adorned with a fantastic
photographing surveyor with his theo-
dolite mounted upon a pinnacle of this
mountain 10000 feet above the level of
the sea. which is visible in the back
ground.
A brief talk with Mr.. Martin gives one
an idea of the perils and hardships en-
countered in this Alaskan survey. Instru-
ments have to be carried on the backs
of the surveyors up almost perpendicular
cliffs. ropes being employed for the pur-
pose. On one occasion last year, such
an ascent had to be made five times
before the necessary observations We're
completed. Some Of the vast glaciers
have been found quite inaccessible. 'One
of our narrow shaves.' said Mr.. Martin, =
was when returning last year from, a
trip to station near the Muir glacier.
Our outfit spent fourteen hours in unceas-
ingly working the boat through the float
ing ice. During eight of the fourteen
hours no land was visible. and part of
the time the bow of the boat was almost
invisible from the stern. A dense fog
covered everything and the boat had to
be navigated by pocket compass. Some
of the bergs were very large. and the
fact that they break up and roll over
without any apparent reason and without
any warming made this trip by no mea ms
a comfortable experience. One of the
vast ice walls along the coast has moved
a distance of eight miles in ten years
Although we sleep at night in sleeping
bags, as do travellers in the arctic re-
gions, | have taken a refreshing swim in
d pool mountain top"
The arduous work Of the surveyors
however, Is not without its amusing
features. especially in agricultural dis
tricts throughout the country. where
their operations puzzle the inhabitants
not "A little. Indeed, the mystery en-
veloping the labors of the survey has
proven. on at least one occasion, too
much for a congressional investigating
committee. Such a committee waited
upon Ferdinand X. Hasslar. the founder
and first superintendent of the survey.
This was back in 1882. Hasslar was