The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-12-24
NEW ERA OPENS
IN HISTORY OF
OURNORTHLAND

Little wonder that the town made
holiday: that Mayor Grant welcomed
the fiIcrs; that Gov. Riggs and the
mayor OF Juneau and others sent tele-
grams, Little wonder the flers were
feasted aud fctcd The occasion war
ranted II. Here were eight men who
had travelled across the continent to
Serglef island where. In the days OF
the Casslar gold stampede. hundreds
OF argonauts had camped waiting for
the Ice 10 open and clear the way TO
Sttkinc river; where hundreds. too. had
taken breath In that GREATNESS and
historic Klondlke rush. when many had
persisted.
The story OF Alaska would have been
another story had aviation been a
working proposition In 1907. the his
tory Of Alaska will he different his
tory dating from August Ii. 1920 The
flight 10 Alaska has much wider sig
niheance than mere spectacular one.
The war department. through Its mir
service. has not lent itself 10 tile
showmnn's game. Excessive speed or
sensational performances have not
been covered. notably In the London.
Australia flight In the New York
Nome tour. at no time was there
Jump of more than 40 miles nor an
altitude higher than 10000 feet At the
same time II must he horne In mind
that the flight was not without hazard.
There are plensanter places 10 DO
stranded with wrecked airplane than
the Canadian Rockies or the uncharted
wIlds Of Alaska. A flight In almost
any other direction on United States
territory offers more friendly harbors
and happier landing fields.
Significance OF the Flight.
But, hack OF II NIL the Alaskan
hight had deep Significance. II was
undertaken by the war department for
II three-fold purpose aud with the cor
iial cooperation of the Cnndiana gov.
ernmeht. md the aid Of the weather
bureaus III both countries. The fist
great purpose In view Is the photo-
graphing and preliminary surveying
for the opening Of u route tn Alaska.
The second IL tho establishing of n
relay mall ana commercial mir route
which Will cut the time from Alaska
to the states from weeks 10 days. TIE
third Is the mapping OF some 3,oo0
square miles of UNEMPLOYED country
about the fints of ihe upper Yukon
rivera three days task for the four
flying photographers, but n labor of
three years and many men for n
ground surveying party.
With these three purposes In view.
therefore. II needs no prophetic vision
Ia see what changes are to be wrought
IN Aiaskns future by the coming Of
The four nirplnnes To Alaskan soil on
August II last Little wonder. as W
hav. said that their advent was hailed
with rejoicing hy the fur distant and
far~seeing Ainsknns who had hazartic,i
their lives and their fortunes uphold.
ing the uphuilding of Alaska's future
According To the "Nrangcll Senti-
mel. which gave Its whole front page
NJ August ~ 10 story " the arrival
~ the airmen. Capt. Street. who had
bought M Edmonton waterproof
coat with fur cellar and lined with
unelipped lamb skin. and. at Wrungell.
pair of tngvers' rubber packs and n
pair Of socks. that would weigh us
much rs nm ordinary pair Of shoes. Il
reported To have said "When | was
flying over the continuous chain of
glaciers and snow fields between here
and fiHxeltnn. little dreamed that on
reaching wrangell II would be my
privilege 10 feast on home grown Der.
rles and cream. The iuxuriant growth
~ vegetables and the beautiful flow.
ers here are a great SUNRISE 10 me. %
Incidents OF the Flight.
In It's story ef this dramatic moment
IN Alaska's history. the Sentinel notes
the following Interesting item. In the
Night from Haxelton 10 wrnngcil the
aviators fiew over much virgin coun.
try. which. on account Of It's inacces-
sibliity. had never been heheid by hu-
man eve. Much OF the time after
leaving Saskatoon. the fl.ers had 10
rely for hearings upon their compasses.
thus proving their ability as neriai
navigators. The greater part Of the
flying since leaving New York was