The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-01-01
NEW ERA OPENS
IN HISTORY OF
OURNORTHLAND


holiday; that Mayor Grant welcomed
the fliers; that Gov. Riggs and the
mayor of Juneau and others sent tele-
grams. Little wonder the f1iers were
Toasted and feted. The occasion war;
ranted it., Here were eight men Who
had travelled across the continent to
Sergief island where, in the days OF
the Cassiar gold stampede, hundreds
of argonauts had camped waiting for
the ice to open and clear the way to
Stikine river; where hundreds, too, had
taken breath in that GREATNESS and
historic Klondike rush, when many had
persisted.
The story of Alaska would have been
another story had aviation been a
working proposition in 1897; the his
tory of Alaska will be a different his
tory dating from August IA, 1920. The
fight to Alaska has a much wider sig
nificance than a mere spectacular one.
The war department, through Its air
service, has not lent itself to the
showman'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 q
Jump of more than 800 miles nor an
altitude higher than 10000 feet. At the
same time 1t must be borne in mind
that the flight was not without hazard.
There are pleasanter places to be
stranded with q wrecked airplane than
the Canadian Rockies or the uncharted
wflds Of Alaska. A fight in almost
any other direction on United States
territory offers more friendly harbors
and happier landing fields.
! Significance Of the Fight.
But. back Of it all, the Alaskan
flight had deep significance. 1t was
undertaken by the war department for
i a three-fold purpose and with the cor
dial cooperation Of the Candiana gov
eminent. and the aid Of the weather
bureaus of both countries. The first
great purpose In view is the photo
graphing and preliminary surveying
! for the opening of route to Alaska.
The second is the establishing Of
relay mail and commercial air route
which will cut the time from Alaska
TO the states from weeks to days. The
1 third is the mapping of some 3,5OO
square miles of unexplored country
4 about the flats of the upper Yukon
rivera three days task for the four
:. flying photographers, but labor OF
three years and many men Tor q
ground surveying party.
With these three purposes In view
j therefore, It needs no prophetic vision
s. TO see what changes are to be wrought
! IN Alaska's future by the coming Of
the four airplanes to Alaskan soil or
/ August IA last. Little wonder, as VIC
have said, that their advent was hailed
! with rejoicing by the far distant ant
IA far-seeing Alaskans who had hazardet
j their lives and their fortunes uphold
!, ing the upbuilding Of Alaska's future
/ According to the "Wrangell SENT
( nell" which gave its whole front pag'
q j OF August 10 to story Of the arrfya
3 Of the airmen. Capt. Street, who ha'
|. bought at Edmonton waterproof
|, coat with fur collar and lined witt
unclipped lamb skin, and, at Wrangell
& / pair Of loggers' rubber packs and
e pair of socks, that would weigh O
/ much as an ordinary pair OF shoes. !
t reported TO have said; .4.:When / wa
: flying over the continuous chain Q
8 glaciers and snow fields between her
i and Hazelton, / little dreamed that o
). reaching Wrangell 1t would be m
q privilege to feast on homegrown be-
e ries and cream. The luxuriant growt
q az vegetables and the beautiful flov
d ers here are q great surprise to me
It Incidents Of the Flight.
Ill In It's story Of this dramatic momer
IL Alaska's history. the Sentinel mote
the following interesting item. In II
i flight from Haselton to Wrangell Il
% | ayiators new over much virgin coul
a | try, which, on account Of It's inacce
Z sibility, had never been beheld by h
b. man eye. Much Of the time aft
., leaving Saskatoon, the fliers had
Of rely for bearings upon their compasse
"a thus proving their ability as ceri
1t navigators The greater part Of Il
nyln4 since leaving New York W