Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-04
ALASKAS UNDERGROUND ICE
Great Masses Buried by the Ocean and
the Rivers.
QUEER PHENOMENON OF NoRTE
Some of IT Has Been U~ndtsturbed for
CentuFies-An Ice Cliff Against
which the Sea COntinu-
ally Dashes.

WAINWRIGHT, Arctic Alaska, March 8
.-(By Reindeer Mall Service. )-Investiga-
lions now under way concerning the vlst
underground ice fields of northern Alaska
are bringing to light some new and inter-
esting facts bearing on this peculiar Arc
tic phenomenon. Among those giving this
matter careful study are v. S~tefansson,
Arctic explorer, and II. M. Anderson, a
g~eologist.
A characteristic feature Of the Arctic
coast Is the great masses of this under
ground ice, which may be seen outcrop-
ping at intervals all the way from Kotze-
bue sound to Hudson bay. This ice, oov-
cred with clay, sand or gravel and topped
with mellow tundra mold, which supports
struggling Arctic vegetation, Is a familiar
sight during the much abbreviated summer
Of the northland.
At first IL was thought that these un-
foreground ice fields were continuous, but
they are far from being 30. There are
vast regions where there Is no ice at all,
and the present investigation has demon
strated that the Ice seen from the decks
Of ships, projecting from under the soil
mantle, is in reality a tumble Of compar-
atively small blocks sometimes extending
only a few feet inland.
Nevertheless underground ice has been
found 100 miles inland and great stretches
of it are exposed along every river In the
Arctic slope That part of this Ice Is due
to drifted snow that has been covered by
shifting sands is we'll known. But this is
only a small part Of H. .
characteristics OF the Region.
Let 1t be remembered that this region is
I, ,,o.A roIIfnn f,tnaro riainu IN tina intariOF
to majestic ~mountains, where the MOSES
and ichens of the tundra begin to give
place to shrubs and even to trees Of some
size. Under the soil that supports this
flora is the frozen world-frozen to a
depth of over 200 feet.
The shore line is devoid Of harbors, be-
ing bordered by shoals n shallow Ia
goons. Then there is the restless ocean
with it's burden OF eternal ice.
Even In coolest weather this ice Is never
stationary. Throwing open great leads,
heaving, piling itself into great mountains
or dividing itself into ice continents that
crunch together with the sound Of thunder.
It Rrinds ships to powder. When this ice,
moved by ocean currents and FASTENED
shoreward by a gale, reaches the land it is
piled upon the beach. which 1t scores and
scratches deeply.
Near Point Barrow several mounds rise
above the comparatively level tundra some
distance from the beach. They are partly
overgrown with vegetation. Investigation
revealed the fact that these mounds,
thought to be sand dunes, were composed
OF sand, beach gravel and tundra mould,
while at bottom they were nothing but ice.
To all appearances a mass Of ice had
| kaan Awfuan oarnaa fha Rhnala and nm on
the land. blowing up the sea bottom. the
beach and tundra and showing the accumu-
lating mass ahead Of 1t. OF course the load
would topple over and cover the forward
portions of the pack. preserving them.
The uncovered portions would melt away.
leaving the ISOLATED mounds as we see
them.
Ice DIFF Bars the Sea-
At Wainwright there is miles Of such
underground ice exposed along the sea.
which here dashes against q veritabls Toe
cliff. That this Zoe Was driven landward
and buried here as at Barrow is proved
by the fact that the tundrS Is higher near
the sea than It is several hundred yards
inland, where there Is no ice.
The ice here is covered with sand and
clay to the depth OF from six inches to five
Feet Also u Careful examination OF the
ice cellars which the natives have dug
in this Ice at many points reveals a jun
bled mass Of ice blocks forced together by
tremendous pressure, but having in its
interstices sand and even snow. The ice
here is from six to ten feet in thickness.
V shaped bays are peculiarly favorable
to the accumulation OF underground ice.
Deering, Alaska. is situAted on such a bay.
Instead OF having back Of Il a low tundra,
however. It has q high limestone ridge.
which is covered TO some depth with soil,
the rock outcropping with prscipitous walls
at either side Of the entrance TO the bay.
In summer the hills which slope down "a
this little bay are green and beautiful, but
under the Yerdure at the foot OF the hills
Is pack ice. This ice could not climb the
steep slope. II could not dig far into the
frozen talus. much less into the limestone
back OF the tAlus. So 1t stopped with its
nose covered with sand and sea slime, while
talus rolled down on 10 from the hill above.
II has doubtless lain thsrs - unnumbsred
centuries.
Origin OF Inland BeS-
While the Investigation SNOWY thAe ~
II not all OF the underground - Aaar y
shore came from GhS SEE Pet \ + -
possible TO believe that the ArutfS ioepaea