The Raymer enterprise., 1915-03-18

HsSS1xaEa denly there was a terrific shock
The vessels bow rose In air So
- sudden was her check that men
wore threwh fiat on her decks. In fifteen minutes
she mad gone down. taking 81 humans and cargo
worm sauo-0oo with her She had struck. right In
'ne customary steamship course. an uncharted
pinnacle OF rock
"hen word OF the fate OF the State OF Cali.
iorn'a reached Washington it added energy to
movement which Secretary Redfeld OF the de.
pafitnent OF commerce and labor had been agltat.
ing Tor some time This movement was to prevail
upon congress to Increase the appropriation for
'he work OF the department of geodetlc and coast
survey, the department that has charge of blazing
the ocean trails
Az The present time there are three vessels en-.
psoyed IN coast survey work In Alaska One was
Confederate gnnboat during the war She had
ohecylinder engine, She is capable OF eight
KNOTS IN still weather. six knots against a breeze
and nothing at all in a blow
The other two were not Confederate gunboats
nut IN other respects they are fully as antauated
as The first Secretary Redaed has termed them
hhseaworthy, dangerous. inefficient old tubs And
10 These craft alone is allotted the Job of guard
Tag the safety OF 1880 passengers who travelled
Alaskan waters last year In addition TO $40 600 0on
worth OF cargo and ships
OF California is but one OF many wrecks that occur
on uncharted rocks along the Alaskan coast
yearly The peculiar formation OF the region IL
Responsible for narrow spires OF rock that rise out
Of the sea floor TO within few feet OF the surface
In localities where all around them the water is
hayigabie Soundings OF the ordinary sort seldom
reveal these Instruments Of death In the way of
ships TO locate them properly the coast survey
mas designed an apparatus known as wire
hfag fhs is wire sunk below the surface
save al both ends. where II is buoyed with floats
The coast survey ships drag this device along
and cover great sweeps OF at time the rock
spurs being detected when the wire catches on
them, They are then either buoyed or DESTROYED
by dynamite.
Alaska" the in the East is apt to say
why. who ever goes up on the Alaska coast ex
eept gold hunters and explorers? What's the use
Of spending money up there"
There is but one answer to this The Alaskan
coast IL equal in extent to the distance between
Charleston on the Atlantic coast and San Diego
on the Pacihc coast And then. as mentioned be-
iore. more than $4,000 persons traversed IL in
ships last year Have those 40 600 citizens not
right to protection asks the photographic office
President Wilson realizes what neificiency In
charting the Alaskan coast means For ON that
subject he wrote:
"fnere is another matter OF which must make
special mention, Ii ! am to discharge nv con.
science. lest II should escape your attention II
may seem very small thing. II affects only a
single Item OF appropriation, But many human
lives and many great enterprises hang upon II
III is the matter OF making adequate provision
for the survey and charting OF our oceans II is
immediately pressing and exgent in connection
with the immense coast line OF Alaska, a coast
line greater than that OF the United States them.
selves. though II is also very important indeed
with regard to the older coasts OF the continent
We cannot use our great Alaskan domain ships
viii not ply thither II those coasts and their many
hidden dangers are not thoroughly surveyed and
charted
The work is incomplete at almost every point
Ships and lives have been lost In threading what
were supposed to be weknown main channels.
We have not provided adequate vessels or ade.
quate machinery for the survey and charting Wa
have used old vessels that were not big enough
or strong enough and which were SO nearly unsea-
worthy that our inspectors would not have allowed
private owners to send them to sea This is a
matter which. as have said. seems small. but is
In reality very great Its Importance has only
TO be looked into to be appreciated"
Perhaps those best qualified to know the perils
OF this great extent Of coast the sailors who
ply IT, Charles 7, Moritz. mate OF the steamship
Spokane writes:
Since ! am going to make the business Of
plotting vessels through the waters of south.
eastern Alaska my llfe's work take more than
an ordinary interest in locating hidden dangers
The men who have gone before me have
pointed out all the dangers on the surface and
many that are beneath; the cost OF locating some
OF the latter has been many human lives and many
good ships.
Must lose the lives OF shipload of passep.
gers to discover some hidden danger? Others
have done SO. aud until know just where all
the dangers are located more will do the same.
THAT such dangers exist and that there Is a
very easy means OF locating them. | hope to show
By the Notice to Mariners. issued by the United