Iditarod pioneer., 1917-03-31
PROMINENT MAN OF SCIENCE
 VISITS YENTNA DISTRICT

Herschel c. Parker, former professor of physics at Columbia University, inventor, scientific writer, consulting engineer and ex- plorer of mountains in Washington, British Columbia and Alaska, left this morning on the train for Mile 40, en route to the 4entna district. to act as consulting engineer Tn testing mining claims for himself and cer- tain New York owners says the Seward Post of January 24.
 Professor Parker is physicist by voca- ton. Mountain climbing" said the pro lessor, lis not exactly a lucrative occupa- ton. If one could give assurance that there was mother lode of mineral on the top of a certain mountain he could get an abun- dance of funds for an expedition, but the mere idea of climbing is an entirely differ ent matter"
 In his spare moments he invents. Among his recent accomplishments III thls hne IS he heGoscope. This is a device used Tn submarines for looking under the water lie has offered this patent to the United States government, with the provision Of retaining certain commercial phases of 1t.
 The government Is now making use ot one of Professor Parker's previous ideas. This is the so-called motor destroyer" type of undersea speed boat, operated by but two men, and capable of hurlng torpedoes as well as travelling at a rate of forty miles an hour. It was regarding this invention that Henry Ford became involved in con troversy with Professor Parker just before the formers famous peace ship sailed tor Europe.
 In 1897 Professor Parker sketched the first map ever made covering the country north of the Canadian Pacific railroad, in which district he did considerable moIn taineering He has to his credit in that country the successful conquests of Mount Goodsir. near Dawson, and Mounts Hunga- bee, Deltoform Riddle and Lefroy, in Al berta. He also climbed Mount Olympus, in Washington state, in 1907.
 Professor Parker, it will be remembered, won world wide fame by being the man who headed the first party to reach the highest point of Mount Mckinley. This he accom- plished only after three different eXpedl- tons, finally reaching the highest of the several peaks in 1912. He was with Dr. Cook earlier; but after Dr. Cooks false claim to have reached the top of Mount Mckinley. Parker's association with the doc 
 tor was severed.
 "The spot photographed by Dr. Cook said Professor Parker at the Seward hotel yesterday. land claimed by him to be the summit, was rock 250 feet high and twenty miles from the base of Mount Me kinley I had taken a photograph from almost the identical spot; and with this testified before a board of scientific inquiry in 1916"
 My exploring days are not over' con tinued Professor Parker, "and as soon as my engineering work in the Yentna district is completed I intend to begin the conquest of the hitherto unattainable, the ascent of Mount Everest. in Asia"
 Nobody has yet even reached the base of Mount Everest because of the network of rugged peaks that so completely lnterlace the approach Mount Everest may be ap- preached only from the Tibet side, and rises 29,OO2 feet above the sea level the loftiest in the world
 Professor Parker formerly was vice pres dent of the Explorers Club of New York, and was acting president last year He was also a member of the very exclusive British Alpine Club as we'll as many other noun 1 taineering and scientific clubs.
 He will return to Seward some time in March though his work in the Ientna country will no doubt keep him in Alaska more or less for the next few years. He will bring equipment for the work some time in the spring.