News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-03-03
HUBBARD GLACIER
AIaska's Gigantic Frczon liver
as II Meets the Sea.
THE MOTHER OF ICEBERGS.

as the Masses of Ice Break Away
From the Face of the Lofty Cliff to
Start on Their Ocean Voyages.
| The birth of an iceberg is strikingly
described in a report made to the Ma
tional Geographic society by Il. S. Tarr
and Lawrence Martin, who headed the
expeditions of the society to Alaska
for the study of the behavior of gla-
ciers there.
"The front of the Hubbard glacier,
measured in a straight line, is three
and one-half to four miles wide. But
since the ice cliff has a sinUous form
with projections in the center it is in
reality much longer than this the total
length being between four and one
half and five miles, This cliff rises be-
tween $50 and 300 feet above the wa
ter and extends an unknown distance
below it.
zone usually needs to wait but few
moments to hear from some part of the
cliff the thunder-like rumble or roar
which is the first announcement of an
. ldll, lOllOW GU lew
later by the appearance Of a great
swell, which on reaching the shore
forms a line Of white breakers even at
a distance of several miles from the ice
cliff.
"By watching the ice cliff one may
see the huge masses fall from the ice
front and a fountain of water dash
perhaps even to the top of the glacier
and then in a few seconds hear the re-
port which the rending Of the glacier
sends out
zone is fascinated by the perform
ance. Sometimes it is only a small
piece that falls, and then, sharp
single report like the crack of a pistol
goes through the air; again a part of
the front crumbles and the down
sliding ice, broken into small pieces,
seems from a distance like foun-
tain of water, while the report is only
a low rumble; at other times huge
masses break away, forming large
icebergs, and the noise then produced
is like the heavy rumble of distant
thunder, ana at rare intervals one
may see a huge mass of blue or
black ice thrust itself up from be-
low the ford, some distance from the
glacier front, as part of the sub
merged ice foot is broken off, and then
no report is heard, but the wave that
follows is far greater than usual.
'The water waves which follow the
discharge of icebergs from the front
of Hubbard glacier are of great mag
niture. In September, 1913, for ex-
ample, the big steamship Princess
was aground on a reef |
just west of Oster island with the
members of the international geo. |
logical congress, who visited Yakutat !
bay under the guidance of the junior
author The ship lay somewhat over !
mile from the glacier, and yet the !
water wave following the discharge .
of icebergs from Hubbard glacier
caused the steamer to roll until she
took in water on the main deck as
first one side and then the other was
tipped far down by the iceberg waves.
There are periods when for an hour
Or two there is very little discharge
and then periods, fully as long, when
scarcely a moment elapses without the
sound of icefalls from some part of the
glacier front. 1t is possible that these
differences are in some way related to
he state of the tide, but we have
lot determined whether the periods
If quiet and activity form part of a
'egular cycle or are merely irregular
due to accumulation of strain
Ind relief from strain or to eXpan-
ZION and contraction under sunlight.
"While there are periods of relative
Iuiet, they are not periods of absolute
epose, and they occupy far less time
han the periods of activity. Day and
light the ice falls, and the reports
hat pass out through the air are so
requent that it is fair to speak of
he glacier as almost ceaselessly &C.
i've. The noise disturbs ones sleep
t first, and sometimes, when an I'M
sually heavy fall occurs, wakens one
ven after he has grown accustomed
o the ordinary rumble. a sense of
ervous relief is felt when camp is
emoved to part of the ford to which
he iceberg roar and the breakers on '
he coast do not reach" s