Crews backpacked supplies across snowfields and glaciers as seen in this U.S. Boundary Commission photo. Note the pipe peak-marker on the man second from the right.
Courtesy U.S. Boundary Commission
Story last updated at 1/18/2012 - 1:39 pm
Editor's note: This is the second installment in a two-part series recounting the events of a 1907 border survey team. Part one of the series appeared in last week's Capital City Weekly.
Last week, we learned about how the U.S. and Canada surveyors started in 1907 to establish the International Boundary between Canada and the United States above Bradfield Canal, south of Wrangell.
This week, we continue to follow J. D. Craig, chief surveyor for the Canadians, as he continued up the North Fork of the Bradfield River. His sub-group was sent to explore the terrain and to mark the summit of Mt. Lewis Cass.
The route to reach this mountain was along a mountain torrent flowing through a series of box canyons that was fordable only at the head of the Bradfield Glacier. This, combined with wet weather prevailing during the time, caused the progress of the party to be very slow. The crew not only backpacked provisions and tents to make a "fly camp," but different kinds of metal markers, sledge hammers and concrete to embed the markers. In addition, they packed survey equipment, several tripods, a big camera and containers to protect the glass plates they used for negatives.
As the men progressed up the valley, they occupied a number of camera stations on prominent mountain shoulders to document the topography, but their attempts to climb Mt. Lewis Cass were unsuccessful. Many of Craig's glass plates, taken in 1908, survive at the National Archives in Maryland.
At an elevation of 6,864 feet, Mt. Lewis Cass was named for a Michigan governor, U.S. diplomat and statesman. It is a very sharp peak about 20 miles northeast from the confluence of the north and east forks of the Bradfield River. By 1952, it still had not been climbed by a surveyor of the International Boundary Commission.
The sub-crew put a station marker on the highest part of the peak that could be reached during the expeditions of 1907 and 1908. Several websites still list it as unclimbed today.
Heavy rains set in at the end of September, so the entire party of 13 assembled at the main camp on the Bradfield River and prepared to return to tidewater. On Sept. 21, the river kept rising all day as the men packed. Eaton's account in the Maryland National Archives reported: "At dark we were threatened with a flooding out, so a watch was put out. About 10 the cry was raised that the log jam above camp had broken and logs and trees filled the river. A new jam was formed about a quarter mile below camp and soon we had two feet of water in our tents. All tents not put on logs were immediately washed downriver and everything of value to us was put into canoes and taken into the woods. Darkness and heavy downpour of rain added to the confusion. Candles were our only means of light and had it not been for empty cans they would not have been much use in the heavy rain. The tops were cut off, holes large enough to receive a candle were punched in one side, and thus were protected from the rain."
Eaton goes on to say, "The photogtopographical glass plates had been packed in a box and wrapped in a rubber sheet, but my hand in carrying them to the canoe in the woods fell into a hole and before they were recovered they were thoroughly wet. The water did not subside until about 8 o'clock the next morning. We then put up a temporary camp and dried things out."
On Sept. 24, one small and two large canoes were loaded, and the group started for the mouth of the river. Eaton continued: "The photo plates were put into one of the larger canoes in charge of Mr. Bates in the stern and Wilson in the bow. These two were recognized as good canoe men. Reed was put at the oars, while the cook and myself were passengers. About six miles from the mouth of the river and near Bate's camp, the canoe struck a submerged snag with a prong sticking upstream near the water line. The instruments and photo plates had been tied to the canoe, but Mr. Craig's plates could not be reached before they broke loose, but he succeeded in saving mine. I spent the next day drying them out and they were not greatly damaged."
The five men in the canoe reached shore safely but with difficulty.
Mr. Craig spent several days trying to recover eight dozen glass plates and instruments and even stayed behind with a small party for 10 days after the departure of the main party downriver to Wrangell.
Eaton wrote, "Of my outfit, the phototopograic theodolite and tripod, the tripod to the telephoto camera, a 4x5 Eastman camera, a bag containing blankets and a sleeping bag and some personal clothing were lost and could not be recovered."
On Oct. 14, the crew was picked up at the mouth of the river. From Wrangell, they took a boat to Seattle and the remaining outfit was stored in anticipation of next year's survey.
In 1908, Craig, Bates, Eaton and 13 hands returned, but most of the crew went up the Stikine River. On June 5, a sub-party located their tent camp at the head of canoe navigation on the North Fork of the Bradfield River. They reoccupied the camera stations of the previous year to retake the lost plates. Other phototopographic work was done at several new stations overlooked in the region south at the head of the Blue River of the Unuk River Valley. Early in August they ascended the East Fork of the Bradfield to complete their photography work. Upon return, they joined the Stikine River party.
Apparently no Boundary survey party returned to that area again. Amazingly, only two lives were lost surveying the entire US-Canada boundary when two men at Cape Muzon triangulation base at tide water and were covered by an enormous landslide after a rainstorm.
Pat Roppel is the author of numerous books about mining, fishing, and man's use of the land. She lives in Wrangell. She may be reached at patroppel@gmail.com.
