The Alaska daily empire., 1916-09-15
GEODETIC DATA
 IS NEEDED FOR
 ALASKA NEEDS
Pinnacle Rock is Most Dangerous Obstacle Navigation Has to
 Contend With
MORE WORK IS NEEDED

SEATTLE, Sept. TO- - E. Lester Jones. superintendent of the United States coast and geodetic survey, Is in Seattle for several days on one of his periodical trips of inspection. He arrived from Washington, D. c. yesterday morning.
 Mr. Jones will confer with the lo- cal agents of his department and will also map out line of campaign whereby the greatest amount of ef. fective work can be accomplished with the funds appropriated for coast and geodetic survey work in the waters of Puget Sound and Alaska.
 My only regret is that the ap- propriation allotted to this depart ment is not large enough to carry out all of the projects have in mind relative to the Pacific Coas. and Alaska waters" said Mir. Jones at the New, Washington last night, but with what we have secured we expect to accomplish consider able toward rendering more safe for navigation the waters of this section.
 Surveyor Due Next Year
 Besides, by April next, our new lboat, the Surveyor, will be in ser vice in Alaskan waters, and this craft will more than take the place of several of the obsolete vessels which we have finally been forced to dispense with recently.
 "By the use of the wire drag, we have been enabled 10 accomplish great deal of beneficial work along the entire coast of the United States. The use of this method has been Of especial benefit along the Alas kan coast, and, while our appropria- ton is still too little to permit of our accomplishing all of the work we have already mapped out, feel certain that we shall be enabled to rid these waters of many of the ex- isting menaces during the next few months
 Dangerous Rock charted
 "I cannot say too much for the wire drag method Of finding sunken reefs. It will be Of especial inter- est 10 people of Seattle to know that we found such reef, the pin nacle of which was about twelve feet below the surface. and which was higher than the Washington Mop- ument. All about this reef was clear water, and the lead line cost ing showed plenty of water. yes sel striking this reef would have gone to the bottom and the possible cause never discovered but for the wire drag"
 "I am especially desirous of more complete survey of the Alaskan waters. am sorry shall not have the time 10 make a voyage to those waters on this visit, but expect to do so when the new ship Surveyor is in commission early next year. h also expect to see this vessel fol- lowed by at least two more of the same type. which will also be allot- ted to Pacific waters. Such craft are needed. as it is absolutely essen tial that the government render the sea highways to and from Alaska safe for travel.
 Many Lives Lost
 1.-TWO hundred and sixty-three ships and many lives were lost on the coast of oregon and Washington, in nine years through lack of geod- etic data which the government should have furnished In addition to the ships lost on the coast of oregon and Washington, 514 ships and 525 people have been lost in Alaska waters in the past twenty five years for the same reason lack of information, %, said Dr. Jones.