Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-06-16
the historian IL the part the airplane
will play this summer In conquerlns

the historian IL the part the airplane
will play this summer In conquerins
this last frontier. this faStneSS OF ma
Pure which, but for this strike. might
have remained forever the haunt OF
the Indian and the fur-trading Wh1te
man. The Imperial Oil company So Iar
has led all others In preparation. IL
has two all-Steel Tnonoplanes ready 10
yo north. These mac hines were flown
from New York to Edmonton, a dis
lance OF over two thousand miles, III
the dead of winter, but though this was
very important event In the way OF
IL cross continent flight, almost nothing
was made known of ii. The Dominion
government Is preparing to put on
Seaplane service to carry mall ana
members of the geological and registry
staffs which will 90 north this spring.
The value of the air route is it's
shortncss, as from Peace river town to
the scene of the strike is only 400 miles
In an airline, cutting the distance 10y
river more than ii half. The Imperial
Oil company has hangars at Peace XIV
or crossing. Lieut.. j. Guynor ana
Capt. Fred Mccall, two famous Cana
dian aviators with notable records,
have ordered from England two spe-
cially designed passenger seaplanes.
The quoted fare to the oil fields Is
$1,000.
That the new oil field " rich In pos
chill 4; l,n liz tha IniIl;
action of the Dominion government in
changing the regulations existing in
1920 to new ones by which three-quar-
tiers of any mans discovery remains
the property of the crown, which was
done immediately 1t became apparent
there would be rush 10 the new field.
That the field Is worth while Is aprar-
ent from the fact that the Imperial OH
company has had dozen oil rigs work
ing In the northlnnd for some dime
testing all the way from the arctic
circle 10 the American boundary.
The geological department at ottawa
estimates the field may easily be 800
miles long rs 30 broad, while other TX.
perts place the oil.bEaring region to
cover m area Of 100000 sqnafG niles.
Sir BOverton Redwood, the world ia
nous authority on oil, in volume OF
his two-rolumf treatise OF oil fields
Of the world long ago pointed out that
all the geological indications pointed
to rich oil fields existing In this region.
However, even should the field prove
rich in oil yield as to make 1t Of world
wide importance the obstacles in the
way of getting the oil out are very
great. Oil tankcrs could only ply these
northern rivers four months In the
year, and then the portaScS on the
Athabasca- Mackenzie route would
have to be piped But oil experts hav"
already pointed out pipn llne from
The field to Edmonton, Il matter 0f
some 800 miles in direct line would b"
feasible. There are pipe lines IN the
United States very much longer than
this projected one.
Old Timers Already There.
Whatever be the outcome Of This last
found world oil field, thousands Of
hardy Adventures will journey In this
SlbIlliR Will lIt VI lSUtj'lIs
Already Il sturdy score or so OF old
time mushers had gone in by dog train
from Dawson Edmonton and other
northern points. The Royal Canadian
mounted police Che new name for M"
famous X. y. W. NJ. - have been re-.
enforced to cope with the situation
and n" person likely To become pub
iir charge viii he permitted to enter
the country. Exceptionally strict watch
Will be kept IA shut "ut tiaiii. in liquor.
AT present a central office has br"it as.
tabliShed at Ottawa. Cnhahl for the
purpos" of compiling and arranging all
possible data ON the new field. Al
present the mining recorders office l.
AZ EdIiuuion | 400 miles from the
fringe of the field but this will likely
Ice moved To some tar northern point
with the coming of spring.
Whatever be the outcome of THIS tat
est oil field. the great nOrthlHnd is now
to be invaded as never before by white
men. The vast Strctt hes of country on
either side Of the ma ieStic Mackenzie
will wake to life. The roar of the fly
ing machine will greet the ears OF Is
kimo and Indian and they viii turn
their eyes to see this latest wonder OF
the white man, which in an hours time
can traverse distance that takes them
months of arduouS toll to cover. And
with the coming of the airplane and
the Seaplane into general use the old
romance of the land will vanish from
this last of North A"Icrica's frontiers
The trials which faced the famous
French Canadian voyageurs In their
canoes and lOrke boats, and the scoH-
men who came later, will no longer
trouble the modern seeker after "binck
gold" travelling in comfortable river
steamship or by aerial boat to the
fringe of the arctic circle, where
great fortunes may this summer he
made In crude petroleum., which Is now
more important to the world at large
than the yellow precious metal.
Maxlco Bare AuArieap Norkera