The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-07-18


measures from beginning to
end exactly 1.507 miles. and runs
as straight as the crow flies from
Mount st. Elias directly north, over
moving glaciers and some of the high
est mountains in the world, to the
Arctic ocean. It took seven years Ia
Dor of seyenty-five men to accomplish
this difficult task. 1t cost the United
States government In round figures
t75O,O0O, with the Canadian govern
ment contributing like amount, the
cost of the whole work amounting to
81, $780, 900.
The story of this great work reads
like some of the romances written
years ago OF the so-called Wild and
woolly west. The men who took part
In the work tell tales rivaling those OF
Admiral Peary in his search for the
north pole, and Of Amundsen in his
hunt for the south pole. AS q memen-
Ito of the hazardous nature OF the
work the bones Of some OF the heroic
scientist explorers lie today, whitening
along the bleak and desolate trail OF
the international boundary line In
Alaska.
The American party was made up
Of nine engineers surveyors, and topo-
graphers, with thirty assistants, pack
ers, instrument men, and others. It
was in charge OF Thomas Riggs, Jr.,
Of Washington, D. G., with w. B. Rae
burn, w. B. Gilmore, w. G. Guerin, r.
IS. Ryus, G.. v. Guerin, ID. w. Eaton,
Asa C. Baldwin and e. c. Guerin.
The Canadian party was in charge OF
II. D. Craig. celebrated civil engin-
eer Of the Canadian government.
Old Resident In Charge.
Thomas Riggs is an old resident OF
Alaska He acquired the gold fever
during the wild rush of 1897, and
promptly packed his kit and hiked to
the new Eldorado Of the northwest
He remained there about four years,
prospecting in many sections Of the
country, but at last becoming dis
couraged, returned home. Just about
this time Uncle Sam was looking
around for likely men to run the In
ternational boundary line between the
/ United States and Canada along the
forty-ninth parallel OF latitude. This
was another job similar in character
| to the Alaska boundary, but not near
ly SO difficult. Riggs applied for the
job, and was promptly employed
With number Of other engineers and
surveyors, he put in the following five
years on this work. Then In 1906 he
was appointed engineer In charge tc
run the Alaska Canadian boundary
which has now been brought to sue
cessful conclusion.
The Alaska boundary is marked by
1888 stone monuments set three miles
apart from Mount st. Elias on the Pa
cific coast to the Arctic ocean. Mos,
exploring parties usually follow the
line Of least resistance. These men
however, we're compelled to follow
the line laid down by the treaty be
tween the United States and Canada
This resulted In great difaculty, espe
cially in transportation and field
| work The past year the men had t.
cross the British mountains, which
rise to height OF more than 1000
feet. From the summit Of these noun
tains could be seen the Arctic ocear
in all It's terrifying silence. frozen al
far az the eye could see.
It was at this point that the frsl
| bad luck happened to the party. Rae
burn was taken Ill with pneumonia
and laid up for three weeks without
medical assistance Of any kind. Twt
members Of the party made hurried
return trip to Herschel island, III
miles away, where the steam whale1
Belvidere was Wintering, In the hopes
Of obtaining medicine. In order t.
reach the whaler, they had to cross
. body Of water more than three miles
wide, frozen solid In places and In 9th
ers broken up. On the shore they
found prospector. The three ropel
themselves together and started o.
the perilous trip across the Ice to thu
island. It took three and half hour
to make the trip. Upon reaching thu
Whaler they found 1t frozen solid II
Ice. Obtaining some medicine from
Captain Cottle, they started on the re-
turn Journey and reached camp afte1
two weeks absence.
el<eletons Found.
Near the Arctic ocean the engineoe,
found the skeletons Of three mei