Evening star., 1926-08-14
AIR SURVEY PROVES
SUCCESS IN ALASKA
Reveals $4,000 HIP. Can Be
Developed by Linking
Vast Power Sites.

Amazing Industrial development is
possible in southeastern Alaska, in the
vicinity of Ketchikan, where an ae-
rial survey has disclosed that gi-
gantic power system can be created
to keep the wheels of industry turn
ing, the Geological Survey here has
been advised in a report from the
air-mapping expedition which left
here in May. and has succeeded in
mapping the mountainous and glacial
region that long de-ed the best ef-
forts of Typographical engineers.
The prospective expansion is based
on the findings of G. II. F'lory. dis
trict forester of the u. S. Forest Serv-
ice. and Lieut.. Ben II. Wyatt. who.
on a special flight. determined that the
low valley at the head of Carroll Inlet
and the valley leading south from Or
chard Lake are one and the same.
$4,000 Horsepower Possible.
This means. it is explained. that
every power site on Revillagigado Is
land and three on the mainland can
be united in one system and deliver
$4,000 horsepower into Ketchikan.
Under such conditions. in Flory's
opinion, a great pulp and paper mill,
furnishing employment to thousands,
could be established.
The Forest Service has suspected
for some time that low country did
exist in the interior of Revillagigado
Island said Mr. Flory after the flight
and we believed that transmission
lines connecting many of the power
sites on the island could be joined in
one big project. But we never even
dreamed that it would be so easy of
accomplishment as is now found the
case.
Low passes leading into this val
ley from the eastern and north shores
of the island would permit the link
ing by cable of three other power
projects, the Punch Bowl in Dudyard
Bay, Short Bay and Bailey Bay into
one big system of S5 900 horsepower
at ketchikan. Undoubtedly the work
accomplished by the air-mappers IS
the greatest single step taken SO far
for the industrial development OF
southeastern Alaska.
Great Savings Seen.
"Many hundreds of thousands of
dollars and countless years of work
will be saved the Government bureaus
in Alaska by the operations of the
survey, as I learned more in a two.
hour flight about the region in and
near Revillagigado Island and the
mainland than was ever able to
learn from my own years of observa-
tion and the records of those who
preceded me-
SO accurate are the pictures taken
that every tree in timber areas can
he counted. timber for mill and for
pulp use can be segregated. and much
OF the work we are now doing at con-
siderable expense can be eliminated. :"
According to r. r. Sargent chief
Typographical engineer for the Geo
logical Survey, who acts as a liason
officer for the IL Governmental bu-
reaus interested in this difficult map
ping feat. the expedition met with the
first pleasant weather since last Oc-
tober on arrival at the first base at
ketchikan.
Lieut.. Wyatt therefore rushed the
mapping with all possible speed, as
the weather continued ideal for over
week, and having arrived with the
planes two days ahead of schedule
took off for actual mapping inside of
an hour of being tied up at the dock.
Two Flights a Day.
The expedition was up at 5 O'Clock
each morning. and made two flights
a day, working as late as possible, ac-
cording to the report to the United
States Geographical Survey. but con-
siderable difficulty was experienced
with the lenses of the shutters which
refused to work in the air though in
perfect condition when inspected as
to their action on the ground.
After many test flights for several
days. the difficulty was solved, and
the films taken to date have been
shipped to the Department of the Int
terror.
The lighthouse service. the forest
service and the tOwnspeople of ket-
chikan. are all united in their efforts
to assist the members of the expedi-
ton, which has received the highest
praise from experts who have re-
ported progress to the authorities in
Washington.
The Coast Guard ship Cygan,
commanded by Lieut.. Weightman, a
Washington man, is standing by to
assist the expedition If required. When
the planes were in the air it made
one short cruise. and during the flight
over Prince of Wales Island. the
Sygan will patrol Clarence Straits
on the east. while the minesweeper
U. S. S. Gannett, on which the men
are quartered will patrol on the west.
The lighthouse tenders, which tie
up at the same dock with the Gan
nett, as we'll as the boats of the
United States forest service and the
Fisheries Commission are also stand
ing by in case Of forced landings at
sea. This is of the greatest necessity,
for. while the region is I'M the direct
path Of thousands Of tourists on the
large coastwise steamers, there are ice
foes drifting down from northern
glaciers near Juneau, and large por-
tions of the thousands of small and
large islands have never been eX-
plored and, in fact, are practically In
accessible in most cases.
Carrier Pigeons Used.
The expedition. which has been
termed in the service as 1.-The Polar
Bears" is absolutely complete with
everything from carrier pigeons to
amphibian planes. The former were
taken to be used on the long trips in