Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-05
Northern Alaska
Oil Lands to
BE TabuIated

Washington, Feb. 4-(By A. PIN
its latest search for valuable mineral
wealth the government is sending 4
party Of expert biologists and topo-
graphic engineers on midwintcr
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 trcC!Css plains.
y few days ago the geological sur
vcy tod OF the plans 10 send at the
expense of the navy department., a
small party of government techin-
clans to northern Alaska to survey
lands embraced in the navy's largest
petroleum reserve. but little could be
gathered frcm the brief announce
mCnt rs to the hazards and hard
ships this little band of mon probably
will face once it leaves the icc-free
harbor of Seward to travel by rail-
road, boat, dog sled and canoe with
four or five tons of supplies. and be-
fore IT completes its reconnaissance at
DCaSe Inlet, % miles east of Point
Barrow.
Much of the region south Of the
reserve already has been surveyed by
a party under direction of DR.. Philip
S. Smith. leader Of the party now on
its way to the far north. and portions
east of it also have been examined by
!. Is. Mcrtic, another member of this
winters expedition.
The present party, in addition to
DR. Smith and Mcrtie, will consist of
William r. FCran. gcOloGist: Gerald
FITZGERALD and X. *. Lynt, topo-
graphic engineers end several assist
ants. 1t will enter the region from
the south. starting in midwintcr when
some of tho transportation problems
are least difficult. 1t will be left on
it's own resources for at least six
months. and tons of supplies will
have to he transported, mainly by
dog sled, for 400 miles. even before
reaching the reserve.
At Tanana. dog teams will be pur-
chased and packers, camp hands. and
doC-tcam drivers will he employed.
From Tanana the technical members
Of the party will go north with four
teams. comprising 80 dogs, followed
by the slower freight teams. From
Nenana the route leads down the Ia
mana River 10 Tanana, thence along
the mail trail overland nearly $50
miles to the little mission of st!
John Sin the Wilderness. From here
the route will follow the Alatna river,
tributary Of the KOyukuk. which
rises in the high, rugged mountains
that form the southern border Of the
naval reserve.
About $50 miles M The Alatna, the
northern limit of timberiands, the
party will establish a headquarters
camp from which II will explore the
adjacent regions for distances OF so
miles or more and search for pass
across the mountains. while waiting
for the dog freights to catch up.
From here on for a distance of 100
miles, over a vast stretch of'tundra,
the expedition will have to use kero-
sene for cooking food which will con-
sist of moose, mountain sheep, Carl
bou. ptarmigan. fish and the small
black bears of northern Alaska, the
latter to contribute materially to the
provisioning Of the dog teams.
These explorations will determine
the most feasible pass across the
mountains. and when found the party
will 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
four men a period Of three months.
The expedition will then push along
to the west, following the northern
front Of the mountain range. in an
attempt to find pass over II into the
drainage basin Of Meade river.
BY this time the summer season
will be near at hand and shedding no
longer will be possible. One party of
four will then return TO the cache on
the hcadwater stream fthc Colville.
while the other remains on the tri-
butary of the Meade. each awaiting
the break up OF the streams, after
which the rest Of the journey will be
made by canoe.
After the ice breaks the parties will
descend the stree gas. mapping them