The New York herald., 1921-04-10
RUSH TOOILFELD
ON Rim OF ARCTIC
Rich Finds Along Banks OF
the Mackenzie River At
tract Prospectors.
AIRPLANES TO BE USED
Tremendous Distances and
short Summer Season to
Be Cut by Inventions.
WILL OPEN IL JUNE
Imperial Oil Company Worked
Quietly for Years Before
Secret Came Out.
AIRPLANES TO BE USED
WILL OPEN IL june

Syre.al Despatch to TIEr NEW 1cnE AznArr.
VANCOUVER. b. c.. April s.--The eyes
or the world are rapidly being focused
upon the sub-Arctic region of north
ern Canada along the banks OF the
Mackenzie River at point some four
teen hundred miles from a railroad,
frcm which stretches what now ap-
pears may develop into one OF the
richest petroleum fields in the world.
The first news OF the immense possi-
bilities became known to tho world
At large in October 1920, when dis
charged employee OF the Imperial Oil
company related at Edmonton, Al
berta, how the company had brought
III a gusher averaging about 1000 bar
rels q day.
Edmonton is the. city nearest TO tho
strike. a distance Of 1000 miles, but
where the recording Office for the
Northwest territories still is. The
news Of the new field spread rapidly
untn by March men in all parts Of
the world had begun preparing ~
rush to the sub-Arctic region as SON
as navigation opens.
The irony OF the present excitenfsnt
is that the knowledge that the Mac
kenzie River region is rich IN oil pos
sibilities Is not at all a new thing.
Alexander Mackenzie, the celebrated
explorer, made much mention OF the
oil seepages along the Mackenzie $50
years ago, and Sir John Franklin also
mentions how the oil exuded from the
earth in great quantities. The exist
ence of oil was also known to many
men in recent days. but the immense
distance of tho field from rail head
and the tremendous difficulties Of
navigation and the shortness of the
season discouraged any individual or
small company from going into this
so far field, lying only 150 miles from
the Arctic Circle.
Imperial oil Co. I'm Field.
But the Canadian Government geoio-
gists had not overlooked the region, and
enc other concern. unharnpered by any
lack OF means. and to which q few years
OF waiting did not matter, went into the
Mackenzie River region a number Of
years ago. and for the last five at least,
as far as can be known. has kept q
number Of men at work prospecting for
oil This concern was no less than the
Imperial OIL Company of Canada, said
by many to be a subsidiary Of the
standard OH Company In the United
States. with the demand for petroleum.
and particularly its by-product. gaso-
lene. continually growing to such enor-
NOUS proportions and to threaten TO ex-
ceed the supply. 1t was but natural such
a large company should eagerly seek a
new field.
So immensely important did the Do
spinfon Government of Canada consider
the new field that on January 25, 1921,
all previous petroleum and natural gas
regulations were suspended BY an order
in Council Following this on February
IL. new regulations we're made known
which read IF oil is discovered the
lessee will be allowed to take out
twcnty-one year lease for an area OF
one square mile, the remaining three
quarters going to the Government
That Is. though the man discover OIL on
$500 acres, which he Is allowed to stake
Under his permit. three-quarters remain
Crown reserve.
Location OF the strike.
For those unfamiliar with the great
northwest OF Canada a good map OF the
region should be studied while reading
the following lines regarding routes
into the new field. The oil strike is in
latitude s. ". and longitude l26 west.
In this vicinity begins the oil field. The
most direct summer route Is covered
ny rail-, steamer and land portage. The
new railroad into the northland runs
some three hundred miles. 10 near Fort
McMurray. over this, much Of which
Il still skeleton track, q light auto runs
on rails. Ii can travel faster than
train could with safety. Fort McMur-
1ay traffic into the great north goes
down the Athabasca River, across Lake
Athabasca and down Slave River TO
Fitzgerald, where Is q sixteen mile land
portage 20 Fort Smith, on the Macken-
zie. which portage is now traversed by
modern caterpillar tractors and big ior-
ries.
from Fort Smith, the Slave River
Slave Lake and Mackenzie River offer
easy transportation TO the Arctic sea-
An alternate route can be taken from
Peace River Croaalzg, travelling via the
Peace River to Fitzgerald. Upon both
tnese routes steamers os very light
draft, gas boats and flat scow boats
carry all supplies and machinery that
gocs into the north. The Atha oasca
River opens about May 1. the Mackenzie
about May q, but Slave Lake cannot
be depended upon until July !. For
nearly three centuries these great water
,yays have been travelled by white men,
first the voyageurs In their canoes ana
Nrorke boats then the later rivermen ~
their flat bottomed scoTs.
Not since the Klondyko rush in US ana
fs9 when Edmonton, Alberta, was one
point Of entrance to the gold fields. has
excitement reigned so high. All berths
81 steamers have been booked for the
first trip IN the spring. From all parts
~ tho world queries are pouring into
sho northern metropolis. The Hudson's $
Bay Company. the historic tradins COM
pany OF the land, received SO many
queries it had to set aside speclal !
ataff TO attend 10 the WORK. Many Trims
are working on large orders to 20 III
IN tno spring.
AirpIane Route short.
Thn feature or greatest Interest 10 the
average man and particularly TO the
historian ii the part the aeroplane will
plov this summer In conquering this
last frontier, this fasthess or Nature
which, but for this strike, might nave
remained forever the haunt OF the
Indian ard the fur trading white man.
srhe Imperial on Company so TAR has
1sd all others In preparation. IL has
two all steel monoplnres ready TO go
north. These machines were flown from
New York to Edmonton, distance of
over two thousand miles, In the dead