Evening star., 1926-04-25
WILKINS DOG TEAM
|ATTA|NS POLAR SEA;
FLYERS STILL LOST
"Sandy" Smiths Party to
Push 0n-HopeS to Reach
Barrow Wednesday.
DETR0iTER TO HOP OFF
TODAY OR TOMORROW
Three -Engined Plane to Carry Five.
Sighting of Wilkins by Eski-
mos Confirmed.
BY FREDERICK LEWIS EARP.
Special Core spondent Of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.

Special Core spondent of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance
FAIRBANKS. Alaska, April "a
Sandy" Smiths overland party OF
the Detroit Arctic expedition has
reached the coast of the Polar Sea.
Fragmentary messages from him Fri
day night conveyed the information
that with Earl Rossman, Robert
Waskey, the radio operator, and one
native and a dog team, he intended
TO push on northwestward TO Point
Barrow. and hoped to reach there by
Wednesday.
For a time early last evening the
local radio listeners Howard r.
Mason. chief operator of the eXpedi-
ton: Lieut. II. G.. Messer, Technical
Sergt. c. g. Clark and Pvt. Philip w.
Reed Of the military telegraph once
here. thought that Capt. George n
Wilkins. commander of the eXpedl-
ton. who left here by plane a week
ago Thursday for Barrow was trying
TO communicate, but the messages
never developed
1t is possible that other distant sta
ttons. too weak TO be read. were re
sponsible for the call that sounded
like Wilkins.
Finds Traces Of Wilkins.
The local radio men were unable TO
get messages to Smith. who evidently
il of the opinion that the three
engined plane already has hoped for
Barrow. Further confirmation came
from Smith last night that Eskimos
on their way from Point Barrow had
seen a plane flying over Thetis Island
the day Capt. wilkins left Fairbanks.
but so far we have been unable 10
learn which way the plane was flying.
AS soon as compass adjustments
are made the Detroiter will hop for
Barrow-probably Sunday or Monday
morning Testing the compass just
installed means a test flight. after
which the plane must he refueled and
loaded This will take the better part
OF a day as every ounce of hish.
grade gasoline must he strained
through chamois skin
Two questions are uppermost in the
minds of the people Of Fairbanks
when will Maj. Lanphier hop 10 Point
Barrow in the Detroiter and what day.
hour and minute will the clock stop in
the model cafe at Tenana.
Five to Go In Detroiter.
The clock will stop when the ice
goes out OF the Tenana River. moving
raft connected with the works of
the timepiece. Virtually every solvent
citizen of this part of Alaska is repre-
sented in a Jackpot which will go TO
the man who guessed nearest to the
exact instant.
In the Detroiter will go five men
who have recently become part Of
the life of this hustling little town
Maj. Lanphier, in command of the
party since the departure of Capt,
wilkins for Barrow nine days ago;
Charles Wisely, his pilot; Andy
Hufford, Wright engine mechanic,
Howard Mason, chief radioman of the
expedition, and your correspondent.
When Mai. Lanphier decided to take
the Detroiter to Barrow he called a
conference of the party and every de-
tail of equipment necessary for the
success for the venture both in fight
and case of forced landing was con-
sidered.
Temperature Far Below Zero.
VIII F.. Hudson. cameraman with
the, expedition and an experienced
musher, was appointed supply officer.
Hudson hasn't overlooked a bet from
safety match boxes to snowshoes.
Hudson was photographer with the
Harvard Museum expedition and spent
20 days mushing from Debarkation
Point, on the Arctic Coast, to Fort Yu-
kon. The weather on that heart
breaking trip ranged from 20 to IS
degrees below zero and the members
of the party had only is days rations
for the 90 days.
Mai. Lamphier has checked Hud
1Continned on Page 2 Column a.