The Wrangell sentinel., 1926-07-08

Alaska this morning, returning tc the States from the seasons aetiyi- ties in the Interior around Fair banks and Point Barrow. He was asked by the reporter what had been accomplished by the Detroit Arctic Expedition, and made the following statement
 While it has been known for a long time that airplanes would function in the low dry tempera- lures found in the North, we have this year drawn attention to the fact that Arctic meteorological conditions in the spring are most favorable for long distance flying.
 We have learned that the Brooks range is considerably high CT than it is eharted, and that to the eastward of the Anuktovik Pass, an area that has not been mapped, there are many high ranges.
 By comparison with the alti- meters we carried the highest peaks of the Brooks range approxi- mate nine thousand feet. We saw many lakes, some of them of con siderable area, and a number of streams and branches of rivers that were not marked on the charts. Some of the rivers in relation to others are wrongly drawn on the map.
 "In flying over the mountains we located three places on the high peaks where naturalization is conspicuous, and it is possible by systematically flying over this area to gain valuable knowledge of the geology of this part of the coun- try.
 I've noticed that in certain con ditions of light it is possible to see tracks of game, and judging from the traces we saw, game is much more plentiful in the country be- tween Wiseman and Circle than in any other part of the country we covered. 1 found that while l could plainly see from the air the tracks of sheep on the muntains, l did not see one of these low statured, al most white animals; but the carf- bou, which are darker in color and taller, consequently casting a lon ger shadow, could be easily seen. We saw caribou on the Arctic slope on each flight to and from Point Barrow.
 I've have come to know by ex- perience the difference in appear ance in varying lights of the low, flat, snow covered tundra and the smooth sea ice, and to judge the conditions of the snow and to se- feet possible landing fields from the air. This is knowledge that can be gained only by experience.
 "We have demonstrated that machines fitted with wheels can be landed safely on the Arctic ice and that with very little prepara- tion it is possible to prepare runway suitable for a take-otf with a single engined machine. We demonstrated with a portable wireless set weighing less than 70 hounds, designed and built by Iieut. M. P. Hansen, of Washing ton. that wireless communication with Barrow is possible at all times throughout the spring and probably throughout the year. It had previously been stated that wireless communication with Bar row was practically impossible.
 "We flew for over 200 miles over the unexplored region in the Arctic and without detracting ln any way 1rom oohiihoHA
 splendd performance, the Detroit Arctic Expedition did more explo- ration and covered more than three times the distance covered in the flight to the Pole.
 I've did not expect and did not experience any difficulty in flying or navigating over the ice' pu' we did expect difficulty in freight ing supplies to Point Barrow This difficulty was greater thal we expected, owing to the delays caused by the wrecking of the tWe machines on their trial fllghts and the unlocked for height ol the Brooks range.