The Washington herald., 1921-01-22
HUNDREDS AWAIT
GREAT OIL FIELDS
DASH into ARCTIC
Rush Is Due as Spring
Breaks Ice in Lakes and
Rivers of Far North.

CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. N.-
Busy little stern wheel steamers OF
the far North will carry a new kind
OF business-for them-when the
ice jams break in the rivers and
lakes that water the Arctic Circle.
This summer new reaches Of the
unmapped Arctic rivers will be
charted as thousands Of harSened
prospectors begin the new mao
scramble that is scheduled for can
ada's bOundless oil fields.
Into the Mackenzie district of the
Yukon, whose rivers carried on
their frozen faces thousands upon
thousands who went to moil for
gold twenty odd years ago, VIII go
the hordes of brave men seeking
their fortunes in oil in the new Ell
dorado, at Fort Norman.
Starting from Calgary and Ed
| monitor, the big railroad cities OF
Alberta, the oil prospectors will
| take a choice of two routes to the
| North.
Ships Ready.
To Fort McMurray, on the Atha-
| hasca River. will go the bulk OF
the hurrying travellers, eager 10
! beat their brother prospectors go
| the first chance to stake claim Al
| Fort McMurray. when the ice goes
| out, they will fnd feet OF hardy
| little steamers, all overhauled' ana
| hulls repaired and reinforced with
| second growth timbers TO enable
! them to churn their fiat bottoms
! through the rapid rivers and reety
| r~fA 10
! hazardous.
Up to Lake Athabasca and across
! the dizzy swirl of its fearful wind
! swept waters into slave river ~
| the brave travellers.
! In years before the men aboard
these boats have mostly been gold
seekers, fur traders. missionaries
and the reputable members OF the
| Northwest police force, the Canad-
| ian Mounted Police.
But this year the oil fever is on
! and men are working with frenzy
/ seldom before seen to get all avail :
| able steamers ready to carry north
ward the oil prospeCtors, who have
been booking passage for year or
| more.
Many foxy" old timers are said
| to be planning to travel by the
| Peace River route. in an attempt to
be the first into the new oil country
The Peace River route is a trifif
| longer. but less hazardous. The
| prospectors will go by train 10
| Peace River Landing or Smoky
| Town and then go up Peace River
! by steamer to Fort Chippewyan
| portaging once on the way, thus
avoiding the tedious and dangerous
| crossing of Lake Athabasce from
| Athabasca River to Slave River
| The time thus saved and the pos
! sible accidents avoided may take
! the Peace River delegation into
! Great Slave Lake ahead OF those
who use the other route. From
| Great Slave Lake all will go down
| into the Mackenzie River to reach
their PROMISED land. while vet the
sun of the short summer shines.
Their Former Trade.
During the summer these little
steamers take the bacon, beans
-four and other commodities neCes-
Sary to life in the wilderness, re-
! turning laden to the gunwales with
| bales OF raw furs, worth a king S
| ransom When the snow flies and
the rivers commence to freeze, the
sternwheelers are hauled on the
bank. out OF reach OF the grinding
! ice foes, while the carpenter and
! the engineer overhaul them thor
nughly in preparation for the traf-
fiC Of the short open season. and ne
very sure that this winter the over
hauling is a thorough one. for when
| they again take the water they will
be crowded to capacity by the oil
| seekers.