New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-06
GLACIERS AND DESERT.
Wonders of Nature IN 4ldsha and
California.

There are some natural features of the Cnlteu
States that hardly need the protecting arm OF
the federal government thrown over them Ioi
their preservation from the hand OF the human
desnoiIer go far as man is concerned, they are
amply able to take care of themselves Among
them are the glaciers OF Alaska and the parcheo
wastes of the Colorado desert.
No man has vet been known on the face OF
the earth who could chain a glacier to his
chariot wheels 1t positively refuses to subserve
his PURPOSES 1t Will not be necessary for the
Department of the Interior to withdraw the sites
of the great Alaskan glaciers in order to prevent
their surrertitious capture by the suppostltious
power trust They. at least are safe
AS for the Colorado Desert it is reckoned one
Of the most desolate spots on the face of the
,arth According to many travellers, nature in
his waste space has performed q worse job than
has been charged against any human punderer
of natures gifts.
Some interesting things have recently been
discovered and revealed regarding the glaciers
n Southern Alaska in the ncIghborhood OF
Yakutat Bay and Prince William Sound. The
glaciers surrounding the former bay are believed
10 be the largest between the Arctic and Ant
arctic circles The Hubbard glacier, on the east
side Of Yakutat Bay, for example. has total
known length of twenty-eight miles, the lower
Dart alone having In explored 1t presents
II
10 300 feet high Icebergs almost as high as
the Tribune Building are launched from its
face The Aletsch, Rhonc and Mer de Glace
three of the best known Swiss glaciers, could
be laid on its surface side by side without cover
ing the width of the glacier.
AS for the Malaspina glacier. figures hardy
convey an impression of its immense size. II II
were laid down on the eastern ind of Massachu-
sets it would include Massachusetts Bay. Salem
a,I
would rest on its southern boundary. The entire
State of Rhode Island could be laid upon it
Having an area of 1900 square miles, it is
counted the largest glacier outside the polar
regions
The city of Washington could be laid out on
the lower part of the Columbia glacier, which
projects itself into Prince William Sound.
The Copper River, the scene of rich copper
finds on its journey to the is obliged to
force it's way between glaciers flowing toward it
from different points of the compass Indeed,
its waters glacial in their character. Pass
ing down through the centre Of the Chugach
Mountains from the copper region, it enters the
sea between Yakutat Bay and Prince William
Sound. A railroad more than 12o miles in length
connects Prince William Sound and the copper
region passing up the valley through the glacial
region
The construction of this road was an engineer
Ing feat of great interest, for it necessary
to build five miles of the road directly the
surface of of the three glaciers converging
on the river 1t is considered probable that it
will be necessary to make occasional repairs to
the roadbed owing to the melting and possibly
the movement of the ice supporting it. This
section of the roadbed is five miles long. With
its glacial scenery it is likely to be reckoned
one of the greatest scenic railroads In the world