The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-03-13
TO STUDY MINERAL
VEAL TIL IN ALASKA
Survey of $4,000 Miles of
Wilderness Planned.


Washington. I'm Its latest search
for valuable mineral wealth the gov
eminent b sending a party Of expert
geclogists and topographic engineers
% mfdwinter expedition to the tip
Of Alaska on the Arctic. to survey
some $4,000 square miles of uncharted
wilderness. rugged mountain chains
and large stretches Of undulating tree
less plains.
A few days ago the geological sur
veg told OF the plans to send. at the
expense Of the Navy department, a
small party OF government teehnicians
90 northern Alaska to survey lands
embraced in the navy's largest petro-
larm preserve, but little could be gath
cred from the brief announcement as
20 the hazards and hardships this lit
de band Of men probably viii face.
Southern Portions Surveyed.
Much Of the region south of the
reserve already has been surveyed by
q party under direction Of DR.. Philip
s. Smith. leader Of the party now on
It's way 20 the Far North, and por-
fi0ns east Of It also have been exam
fned By J. NJ. Mertie, another member
OF this winters expedition.
The present party, In addition to
Doctor Smith and Mertie, VIII consist
Of william T. Foran, geologist; Gerald
Fitzgerald and r. K. Lynt, topograph-
&c engineers. end several assistants.
IL Will enter the region from the south,
starting IN midwinfer when some of
tha transportation problems are least
diff1culE It will be left on Its own
resources for at least SIX months, and
t0ng Of supplies VIII have to be trans
ported. mainly BY dog-sled, for 400
miles, eTen before reaching the re-
saxve.
AZ Tanafla. dog teams viii be pur-
chased an1 packers, camp hands and
MDg-feam drivers viii be employed
From Tanana the technical members
a. the party WIN go hsrth with four
teams. comprising 30 dogs. followed
BY slower freight teams. From
Nsnana the route leads down the
Tanana river to Tanana, thence along
The mail tran overland nearly $50 4
miles TO the little mission of St. Johns
rthe-Wildernegs. From here the
route viii follow the Alatna river, a
tributary Of the Koyukuk, which rises
in the high, rugged mountains that
form the southern border of the naval
reserve.
! About 150 miles up the Alatna, the
northern limit OF timber lands, the
party VIII establish headquarters
camp, from which IL will explore the
adjacent regions.
VIII Kill Own Food.
From here, on for distance Of TOO
miles, over vast stretch Of tundra,
the expedition win have to use kero-
sene for cooking food, which win con-
sfst OF moose mountain sheep, carl
beu. ptarmigan, fish and the small
black bears Of northern Alaska, the
batter to Contribute materially to the
overwhelming Of the dog teams.
| These explorations WIN determine
he most feasible pass across the
mountains and when found the party
WIN move nOrthward to the drainage !
basin Of some tributary Of the Col |
vile river. Here two canoes will be |
cached with enough supplies to last
4Cur men a period of three months |
TAe expedition viii then push along to
che west
By this time the summer season WIN |
be near at hand and shedding no long
ax viii be possible. One party Of four
WIN then return to the cache on the |
Aeadwater stream Of the Colville, |
EwAfle the other remains on the tribu-
fayy Of the Meade, each awaiting the |
breakup Of the streams, after which |
Ithe rest Of the journey will be made
~ canoe.
Akbnw the ice breaks, the parties VIII |
Id9ee1ud the streams, mapping them |
|&M& the surrounding country In add |
ksen TO making geological researches.
IIne Colville party later viii make a
portage across country to the Chip
lsf Hpikpung river and descend 1t to
|pease inlet, bay lying about twenty
|6ve miles east Of Point Barrow. Meade |
river also enters this inlet and when
the two parties meet here the survey
|pf the region viii have been prac-
ideally completed. Return win be by |
way u Point Barrow. Nome and
Seattle.
u Children Cry