The Alaska citizen., 1910-09-05


 and Witherspoon, while Collier stud jed the geology of the Yukon, and Peters made a detailed topographic survey near Juneau.
 Of the twenty or more parties which the Geological Survey has sent to Alaska. hardly a single one has failed to execute the work allott ed to it. This is largely because those who were entrusted with their lead ership were especially fitted, by na- ture as well as by experience and training for the undertaking. The parties have usually been made up of a few carefully chosen men, and the physical work and discomforts, as well as hardshps, have been shared by leaders and men alike. In connec- tion with the topographic surveys geologic investigations have gone hand in hand; in some instances somewhat detailed studies having been under taken. while in others the work was purely of a preliminary character.
 The topographic and geological mapping carried on in various parts of Alaska since the organization of the systematic surveys has resulted in the completion of preliminary map of the Copper river basin and of the Seward Peninsula. A consider able area has also been surveyed in the region lying between the Yukon and the Panama A more detailed map of a part of the Juneau mining dis trict has been finished, which is to serve as the basis for geologic stud ies during the coming season.
 Besides the geologic work already mentioned, it is planned to make reconnaissance of the oil fields of the Pacific coast belt of Alaska, and to study the placer fields of both the Panama Yukon district and the Seward Peninsula In addition to this economic work steps have been taken to make detailed examina- ton of some of the tertiary and me sozonic beds exposed along the Yu- kon.
 Subsequent to the work done in collaboration with members of the Geological Survey in 1898, the army continued to send out expeditions. In the following year some more or less detailed surveys were carried on in connection with constructing the military trail across the Chugach mountains from Valdez. These oper- ations, as well as some minor ex- plorations, were carried on under direction of Captain Abercrombie Oscar Rohn, a civilian employee of Abercrombies party, with one com panion, made a daring journey, in which he crossed the Wrangell noun tains to the Panama waters, and then returned to the Copper river, mak | ing a sketch map as we'll as geo. | lOSiC oDSSl NdtlOIS'
 Another party provided with horses and a large river steamer, was sent | to Cook Inlet under command of | Captain Glenn. The most notable contribution of this expedition to geographic knowledge of Alaska was Lieut. Joseph S. Herron's explora | tion in the upper Kuskokwim basin Following the general route previ- | ously trayersed by Spur and Post, entered the great lowland which lies to the northwest. Here considerable | time was lost by a search for na- | tives to act as guides, during which the early frosts killed the grass and the pack horses had to be abandon | ed. At length, with the aid of Indian guides, Herron's party reached the | Yukon in the early winter. c. F.. | Griffith, topographer of Glenn's | command, led small party from Knik Arm, Cook Inlet, to Eagle, on | the Yukon His route lay partly through the region previously ex- plored by Glenn and Mendenhall, and partly over the well-traveled trail which leads from Valdez to Eagle. | George w. Van Schoonhoven, also of | Glenn's party, attempted, with full equipment of horses, to reach the Panama from Cook Inlet. He first | followed the route surveyed by Eldridge and Muldrow in the previ- ous year, but turned back at the Cantwell, reporting the route impas- sable In this he was mistaken, for Brooks and Reaburn in 1902 crossed the Cantwell where he turned back, and continued through to the Tan | ana without serious difficulty.
 During the past two years the Signal Corps of the army has been pushing the work of constructing tel egraph lines, and as result has | connected by wire the most import ant points, both inland and on the coast Reconnaissance surveys have to a certain extent been carried on subservient and preliminary to the construction of the telegraph lines. Conclusion.
 Over century and a half has