The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-24
NO DOUBT IS CAST !.
ON STUCK'S STORY
Scientists Credit Statement That
He Reached Top of Mount
Mckinley.

Washington. June o3-Conquest of
Mt Mckinley. the highest peak on the
North American continent and one of
the most difficult ascents in the world
by Archdeacon Hudson stuck, Episco-
pal missionary TO Alaska has excited
no surprise among Washington scien-
lists and geographers. who have con-
fidently believed sufh a feat was onlv
Il matter of time.
None of them seem to question the
newspaper reports of the climb of the
Rev. MIR. Stuck and his three compan-
ions. who, according TO Geographic dis
patches reached the higher summit OF
the mountain June I. an altitude of
@o.Soo feet above sea level The north
ern. or lower. peak of the mountain
was scaled in 1910 by Thomas LLOYD.
or Fairbanks. Alaska. and three others.
nut the southern summit, several hun
dred feet higher, had so far defied the
world.
The first mention I have ever been
able TO find of this mountain is in the
writings of George Vancouver, the
English explorer. who observed II in
1921. said Albert L. Brooks. in charge
of the Alaska division of the United
States Geological Survey, to-day.
During the 100 years that followed
hardly any further mention was made
OF 1t. though the Russians knew of its
existence.
Discovered by Minor.
The real credit for it's discovery
belongs to w. a. Dicliey. a miner of
Alaska. who reached its base in 1905.
and christened it Mt Mckinley AL
though equipped with no scientific in
struments, he computed its height with
arfI nj
be more than 10000 feet high
His report was published in a New
York newspaper, and his claim of hav-
ing located the highest mountain in
North America was laughed at Sub
seQuent surveys. one of which | made
myself. have shown this claim to be
beyond dispute"
The first attempt 20 SCALE the noun
Ein was made by Judge James Wick
crsham. later Alaskan Delegate to Con-
Sress, in 1903 He did not succeed in
getting more than halfway Up the
base Since that a dozen or more eX-
petitions have started out to accom-
plish this feat. but none succeeded. A
party got within a few hundred feet
of the top two years ago, but a ter
rifle blizzard forced them to return.
Mountain Is Inaccessible.
The most difficult part of the climb
does not come near the top. bu. at an
altitude OF about 5000 feet The
ground there is so rugged and pre-
cipitous that travel is almost impos-
sible, and it was somewhere in this
zone that the Rev. Mr.. Stuck and his
party spent three weeks in construct.
ing a path three miles long.
1t is the inaccessibility of the
mountain that has delayed its ascent
so long" said Mr.. Brooks. ITO reach
the base one must travel moro than
200 miles through an icy wilderness,
which does not ut one for the arduous
task of peak scaling. All of the Camp
supplies must he conveyed over this
rugged trail. Furthermore. the hard
est part OF the climb is several thou
sand feet below the summit, so most of
the climbers camp equipment must be
carried on his own shoulders Dog
teams have been used To carry the
burdens part OF the way up. where
the trail follows the glaciers, but only
a man can ever get near the top"