Northwest History. Alaska. Aviation Blunt, Harry L.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1935
• Subjects: Alaskan Air; Spokane; Pacific Alaska Airways company; Father Hubbard; Aniakchak volcano; air mail service; Kuskokwim river; Bering sea ports; Harry L. Blunt; Maxine; Nome; gold rush; airplane; Alaska territory; Anchorage; Fairbanks; Sprague; shipments; southern Oregon forest; northern California; Felts field; coastal fogs; the Dessert; Santa Clara university; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Alaska; Bering Sea; Hubbard Glacier; Pacific; glacier; Kuskokwim
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/89646

Hero Of Alaskan Air Episodes Returns To Spokane To Reside. Hero of Alaskan Air Episodes Returns to Spokane to Reside Six years as chief pilot for the Pacific Alaska Airways company. First to fly Father Hubbard, glacier priest, over Aniakchak volcano. First to inaugurate air mail service on lower Kuskokwim river and to Bering sea ports. Hero of a dozen "mercy flights" to isolated communities with serums and food supplies. The above are just a few of the accomplishments of Harry L. Blunt who has returned to Spokane to make his home. Mrs. Blunt and their 18-year-old daughter, Maxine, are here with him. In Father Hubbard's book, "Mush, You Malemutes," the scientist pays tribute to Mr. Blunt's flying ability by devoting practically an entire chapter to a story of their first trip over the volcano with a crater 30 miles in diameter. "It was a real pleasure to fly with that nervy little professor from Santa Clara university," said Mr. Blunt. "In addition to having lots of nerve and stamina, Father Hubbard, by his repeated explorations is performing a real scientific service for mankind." Sees Nome's Rebirth. That Nome, center of the 1900 gold rush, and almost entirely wiped out by fire more than a year and a half ago, is staging a real comeback, was another angle to Alaska development brought out by Mr. Blunt. "The government engineers laid out the new town that is rising from the ashes of the old. It will be well constructed with substantial buildings, the streets will have an orderliness never before seen in Nome and it is already an enterprising little city. "The high price of gold has proved a wonderful stimulus not only to the country round about Nome, but to the entire Alaska territory. Much of the supplies to those who work the gold claims is transported by airplane, which is a great time saver, also obviates much labor. I learned from merchants in Anchorage and Fairbanks that their shipments of supplies to outside communities by airplane, in one year, amounted to nearly $300,000. Thus one can see why flying business, up north is still good." Boosts for Spokane. This modest and unassuming pilot who appeared to be not more than 41 years old, is a great advocate of Spokane being the real key field for mail and passener flights into Alaska. Born at Sprague, and graduate of the grade and high schools there, he learned flying at Oakland. He flew forest service over northern California and southern Oregon forest for several years before going to Alaska. "In regard to Felts field here as being the logical port of entry for Alaska, I believe it will be a cinch before many years," he said. "The interior route is much preferred by flyers the year round because of the absence of coastal fogs, which impair vision. On the route from Spokane to southeastern Alaska there are no high mountain ranges and weather records show it is clear at least 50 per cent more than along the coast." Until they find a home the family is at the Dessert. Mr. Blunt said their real reason for coming to Spokane was to place the daughter in college.