The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1921-08-20

booked TOT the HrSt Trip III lne Spring
From all parts Of the world queries
are pouring into the northern metrop-
oils. The Hudson's Bay company, the
historic trading company Of the land,
received 80 many queries it had to set
aside a special staff to attend to the
work. Many firms are working on large
orders to go in in the spring.
Airplane Route Short.
The feature of greatest interest to
the average man and particularly to
the historian is the part the airplane
will play this summer In conquering
this last frontier, this fastness of ma
ture which, but for this strike, might
have remained forever the haunt OF
the Indian and the fur-trading white
a The Imperial Oil company so far
has led all others in preparation. 1t
has two all-steel monoplanes ready to
go north. These machines were flown
from New York to Edmonton, a dis
lance of over two thousand miles, in
the dead of winter, but though this was
a very important event In the way Of
a c-ross-continent flight, almost nothing
was made known of it. The Dominion
seaplane service to carry mall and
members of the geological and registry
stats which will go north this spring.
The value of the air route is its
shortness, as from Peace river town to
the scene of the strike is only 400 miles
In on QirIinn arIftinn tho dictonna hu
river more than a half. The Imperial
Oil company has hangers at Peace Riv-
er crossing. Lieut.. j. Gaynor and
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 Is rich in pos
sibilities may be gathered by the quick
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 a rush to the new field.
That the field is worth while Is appar-
ent from the fact that the Imperial Oil
ing in the northland for some time,
testing all the way from the arctic
circle to the American boundary.
The geological department at Ottawa
estimates the field may easily be 500
miles long by 80 broad, while other ex-
perts place the oil-bearing region to
cover an area of 100000 square miles.
Sir Boverton Redwood, the world IA
nous authority on Oil. in volume 1 Of
his two-volume treatise on oil folds
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 tankers could only ply these
northern rivers four months in the
year, and then the portages on the
Athabasca-Mackenzie route would
have to be piped. But oil experts have
already pointed out a pipe line from
the field to Edmonton, a matter of
some 900 miles in direct line would be
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
spring with the opening of navigation.
Already a 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 (the new name for the
famous r. N. w. NJ. P.) have been re-
enforced to cope with the situation,
and no person likely to become a pub
lie charge will be permitted to enter
the country. Exceptionally strict watch
will be kept to shut out traffic in liquor.
At present a central office has been es-
tablished at Ottawa, Canada, for the
purpose of compiling and arranging all
possible data on the new field. At
present the miniAg recorders office is
at Edmonton, 1,400 miles from the
fringe of the field, but this will likely
be moved to some far northern point
with the coming of spring.
Whatever be the outcome of this lat
est oil field. the great northland is now
to be invaded as never before by white
men. The vast stretches of country on
either side of the majestic Mackenzie
will wake to life. The roar of the fly
ing machine will greet the ears of Es-
kimo and Indian and they will turn
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 Americas frontiers.
The trials which faced the famous
French Canadian voyageurs In their
canoes and Yorke boats, and the scow-
men who came later, will no longer
trouble the modern seeker after 'black
gold," travelling In comfortable river
steamship or by aerial boat to the
fringe Of the arctic circle, where
great fortunes may this summer be
made In crude petroleum, which Is now
more important to the world at large
than the yellow precious metal.