Evening star., 1939-07-28
Alaskan Furs Being Fashioned Into Boots
For Men in Expedition at Other End of World
Officers Here BUSY
Planning for
Antarctic Trip
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

In Nome, Alaska, $1,000 worth of
furs are being fashioned into
mukluks fur boots) and weather.
defying caps and coats by Eskimos
under the direction Of the Indian
arts and crafts service.
In New Hampshire, the son of a
noted Swedish explorer is beginning
to train dogs to haul sleds over snow.
In Boston, special materials in the
way of windproof clothing, tentage
and sledges are being designed and
ordered.
Somewhere between Oakland.
Calf, and Boston, the Coast Guard
Cutter Northland, an ice ship, is on
it's way to being fitted for long,
grueling journey southwark.
In Washington, the services Of
half a dozen Government depart
ments are being co-ordinated to pro-
vide equipment and personnel for
reaching experiment.
The extensive preparations are, of
course, for the expedition into the
Antarctic commanded by Rear Ad-
miral Richard E. Byrd under the
United States Antarctic Service.
To Be Ready in October.
Working on pretty much of "a
hour day basis, the expedition will
be ready by early october to head
for an ice-clothed continent of five
million square miles to investigate
the territorial claims of the United
States in the Antarctic and to survey
the areas natural resources.
Beehive-busy local center Of activ-
tiles is an Office in the Interior De-
partment where DR.. F. Alton Wade,
senior scientist of the expedition,
and Richard B. Black, the Interior
Departments field representative for
the venture, are arranging respec-
lively for scientific equipment and
personnel and laying the actual
groundwork for cooperation be-
tween the interested Government
departments.
DR.. Wade, an amiable young man
with a clipped blond mustache and
Viking blue eyes, served as geolo-
gist on Admiral Byrd's 1855 Ant
arctic trip. He was studying for his
doctors degree at Johns Hopkins
University when that expedltlon
came UP. He deserted the university
for the Antarctic, returning after
wards for his Phi. D. He is now on
leave from Miami University, where
he is assistant professor OF geology.
Preparing Agenda.
His most recent job was the prep
aration of an agenda to set be-
fore the Nations No. l scientists
when they convened at the National
Academy of Sciences Building TO-DAY
to consider the types OF research
to be conducted during the many
months in the Antarctic.
Mr.. Black, like DR.. Wade, was
member of the 1933-35 Antarctic
survey. Dark haired and also boast
ing a neat mustache, Mr.. Black was
called to Washington to discuss
plans for the expedition when 1t was
still just being considered and be-
fore Admiral Byrd was put at the
head of it.
His most outstanding job was the
establishment of the United States
claim to the islands of Canton and
Enderbury in the South Paclhc, pc
ing responsible for the amicable
settlement of differences with the
British, who also laid claim to the
strategic islands.
Both men are particularly inter-
ested in new features OF the expedl-
ton. One of them is snow cruiser,
a complete laboratory on wheels
with a small airplane that rides on
top. Not Government apparatus,
the bus was financed by the re-
search foundation of Chicago's Ar
mour Institute of Technology and
designed by DR.. Thomas c. Poulter,
senior scientist on the 1933-35 ex-
pedition.
Would Walk Home.
Its immense doughnut tires are
designed to give sufficient traction
to travel on snow, but it is still an
experiment.
Picturing the possibility OF the bus
breaking down in the ice-covered
waste, DR.. Wade grinned, If that
thing stalls, I'll walk home. I won't
haul it,
Actually the men do have some
hauling to do. Mr.. Black displayed
an apron-like canvas piece which
hangs around a mans neck and
straps at his waist. He explained the
harnesses are used after men and
dogs, bottled up through the winter.
have grown soft" 1t is then that
the men must hitch themselves to
the dog teams and help haul.
Another innovation on this ex-
pedition are the raised decks in
the bunkhouses. On their last So
iourn in the Antarctic the men had
to wear the mukluks all the time
to keep their feet from freezing
when they walked across the floor
of their living quarters. The only
warm floor was in the taxidermist's
hut which had the raised deck
device.
AS Mr.. Black explained it, the
curtained cubicles where the men
sleep are on the raised deck. Stairs
near one end of the house lead to
a lower landing where the cooking
range is backed up by snow
melter. Near the other end is a
sunken stove Warm air courses
through the space beneath the plat
form and keeps the floor warm.
Two Men in Cubicle.
The cubicles, too, are something
new. Each cubicle is fitted with a
writing desk and double-decker
bed and is shared by two men. The