Northwest History. Aviation 8. Wilkins' Expedition, United States.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1926
• Subjects: polar planes; Cordova; sea voyage; steamer Victoria; game law; snow motors; Nenana; Point Barrow; supply party; George H. Wilkins; Fairbanks; monoplane; Arctic ocean; Alexander M. Smith; supply expedition; Tanana river; Palmer Hutchinson; North American Newspaper Alliance; Detroit transpolar expedition; Alaskan gulf; weather; Seward; Juneau; Ernest P. Walker; United States biological survey; polar sea; hunting game; Earl Ressman; Tolovana; Campbell's trading post; Howard Mason; radio operator; A. Malcolm Smith; caravan; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Aviation; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Detroit; Pacific; Wilkins; Barrow; Alaska
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/86076

Polar Planes Reach Cordova: Big Machines Stand Sea Voyage Well, Lashed To Decks Of Steamers./Won't Break Game Law./Snow Motors Still Have Tough Time Hauling Supplies, But Won't Be Abandoned Yet. POLAR PLANES REACH CORDOVA Big Machines Stand Sea Voyage Well, Lashed to Decks of Steamer. WON'T BREAK GAME LAW Snow Motors Still Have Tough Time Hauling Supplies, but Won't Be Abandoned Yet. CORDOVA, Alaska. Feb. 19, (/P) -- Difficulties which have hampered the progress of the supply party from Nenana to Point Barrow will not likely result in abandonment of the snow motors, Captain George H. Wilkins declared here today. Wilkins, who passed through here on his way to Fairbanks to assemble his way to Fairbanks to assemble his monoplane for flight attempts over the Arctic ocean, said Alexander M. Smith, head of the supply expedition, had reported by wireless that progress was satisfactory. "The unusual weather conditions thsi winter are making progress more difficult than anticipated," Wilkins said. "I admit there is danger of the supply train falling through the ice of the Tanana river. However, the snow motors are not an essential part of the expedition, though they will be a great help if successful." PLANES STAND VOYAGE WELL. By Palmer Hutehinson, special correspondent of The Spokesman-Review and the North American Newspaper Alliance with the Detroit arctic expedition. Copy right, 1926, by the North American Newspaper Alliance. CORDOVA, Feb. 19.-The steamer Victoria, with the two monoplanes and flying personnel of the Detroit transpolar expedition aboard, docked here this morning after a fair weather passage across the Alaskan gulf. Rough weather had been feared as a source of danger to the planes, but from now on the ship journey to Seward will be made in sheltered water. While at Juneau notice was served on the party by Ernest P. Walker, Alaska representative of the United States biological survey, that he had already ordered all United States game wardens to arrest any member of the expedition who attempted to kill game to sustain life. Walker was informed that the expedition has no intention of taking the birds or animals for food in Alaska, but that in event the planes are forced down on the polar sea outside the three mile limit or near new land, every effort will be made to live by hunting game. KEEP SNOW MOTORS GOING. By Earl Ressman, special correspondent of The Spokane-Review and the North American Newspaper Alliance with snow motors division of the Detroit arctic expedition. Copyright, 1926, by N. A. N. A. TOLOVANA, Alaska, Feb. 18. (Via Fairbanks, Feb. 19.)-The snow motor train hauling nine sleds of supplies for the Wilkins transpolar flight is due here at noon tomorrow from Campbell's trading post, 35 miles up the Tanana river. Howard Mason, the radio operator, and myself are at Tolovana, having come ahead by dog team. The five others of the party headed by A. Malcolm Smith will camp tonight on the river trail, overflows rendering night driving on the ice dangerous. With the two snow motors and all our gasoline and oil supplies destined for the polar flight base at Point Barrow, the caravan left Campbell's at 8 o'clock this morning, "Sandy" Smith striding ahead of the train on snow shoes, breaking trail. Give Motors Thorough Trial. Smith is determined to give the motors a thorough trial before he will be satisfied that they can not make the long journey to Barrow, although the train had made little better than 40 miles in five days' travel. When the entire load has been too heavy for the motors over the bad stretches it has been necessary to abandon temporarily two or three sleds and then make additional trips to recover them when the trial is broken. This accounts for the short distance covered to date. Nobody is discouraged at the slow headway thus far, taking into consideration the rough trails at the outset. Shortly after leaving Campbell's, Smith ordered Mason, with his radio equipment, and myself, with the cameras, ahead by dog team to Tolovana to prepare camp and await the arrival of the caravan. Mason and I arrived here at 4 p. m., driving dogs which pulled a load of 600 pounds of freight. Mason and I will leave here early tomorrow morning with the dogs to meet the caravan.