Evening star., 1924-11-02

vast Arctic empire with
less than 100 Inhabitants. A
~ desolate waste of steppe and
mountain, stretching from
the southern foothills of the Alaskan
mountain range to the Arctic Ocean,
this region is one Of the least known
sections of the earth's surface. Yet
it may become eventually OF enor-
nous commercial importance-for il
| is rich in coal and oil. The day may
come when great power lines will
stretch from it's mines to the indus
| trial cities of the Nation-when
American metropolises even may
spring up under the northern lights
Out Of this country Of desolation
the first expedition which has made
anything approximating a thorough
| survey has just returned to Washing
| ton. after the successful completion
of one of the most adventurous eX-
| ploitS ever attempted by a Govern
ment department. This is the Geolog-
ical Survey party, under the leader
ship of DR.. Philip S. Smith, former di-
rector, and the successful compile
ton of its work constitutes a new
and thrilling chapter in tho annals
of American exploration.
Time and the rapidly falling Arctic
night has run previous explorers on
the northern slope Of Alaska a close
race, SO that they have been able to
obtain only fragmentary results
The easiest and most practical way
of entering this American empire of
the far North is by way of the Arctic
Ocean, through either Point Barrow
or Wainwright. the two trading viii
lagos which constitute its only CEN
ters Of population. But this necessi-
tates waiting at Nome for the ice to
break up before a ship can push its
way through to Point Barrow. BY
the time of arrival Summer is we'll
advanced. Then the procedure has
been to ascend in canoes some Of the
| swift rivers which sweep from the
mountains to the sea-such streams
| as the Colville, the Meade, the Chipp
or the Kuk.
But this has been slow work. Be-
fore the explorers could get a good
start on their work it would be nee
| essary to turn around and dash for
Point Barrow in time to get the last
trading schooner to Nome before the
| ice formed again. Even II the time
of departure could be delayed, the
Arctic twilight would render work
| impossible. Such expeditions have
been able to work little more than
q month.
This condition, Of course, was very
unsatisfactory to the Geological Sur
vey officials. But the only alterna-
tive was a. desperate one-to send
a party over the Endicott Mountains
in tho dead of Winter by dog team.
so that It would be in the slope ter
! ritory with. the dawn of the perpetual
Summer day, and have tho entire sea-
son to proceed leisurely down one of
the rivers, taking geological and other
scientific observations by the way.
.S
THIS neeeseitated blazing a trail
L through an unchartered waste in
an unbroken night OF frightfu1 cold.
1t neoeesitated carrying food. cloth
ing, canoes, arms and surveying in
struments moro than a thousand
miles through an area Of utter Desc
1ation, which, once the snow started
to melt, would be an impaSsable
swamp. 1t necessitated finding a
pass through the rugged, barren
mountains.
For tho leadership Of this expedi-
tion Dr. Smith was selected. He is
one Of the most experienced ex-
plorers in the Government service, d
man o proven resourcefulness under
hostile conditions. Last January the
party set out from Tanana, the rail-
head Of the Alaskan Railroad, north
toward the Endicott range. The Wash
ington engineers were accompanied
by native dog-team drivers and
guides, who had hunted over the ter
ritory, in previous Winters.
After once leaving Tanana they
were cut OF completely. from civiliza-
ton. In fact, no word camo from
them for more than q month,
when some OF the drivers returned
to, Tanana with the news that the
expedition had crossed the mountains
successfully.
Then the canoes were launched on
the Colville and the scientific obser-
vations started. But the troubles of
DIR. Smith and his men by no means
were over. This has been one of the
worst Summers ever known in the
Arctic. Ice conditions rendered the
passage to9Point Barrow impossible
for months at a time. The Coast
Guard cutter Bear, experienced buff
feter Of Arctic ice, failed in her des-
perate attempt to carry the yearly
mail to Point Barrow. Other ships
which attempted to got through were
turned hack.
II was not until late IN the Sum-
y E Z