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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1910)
14 THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, APRIL 24, 1910. M'KINLEY'S CREST GOAL OF CLIMBERS MOUNT M'KINLEY'S TOP IS GOAL OF EXPEDITION SENT FROM PORTLAND C. E. Eusk Heads Party of Skilled Mountaineers Organi zed by Mazamas and Supported by The Oregonian and Other Publications Doubt as to Acces ability of Peak Will Be Set at Rest. HOTEL MAKES ITS DEBUT. The Blackstone, Chicago, Michigan Boulevard's New Palace, Formally Opened to the Public. OVERLOOKS LAKE MICHIGAN "S Interior a Model of Decorators' Art; Many New Wrinkles to' Insure Comfort of Guests. Oregonian and Other Publica tions to Send Expedition ' to Mountain-Top. MAZAMAS TO FURNISH MEN "DIFFERENT ii i ' " V V ' 1 Mountaineers of Experience Will Endeavor to "Reach Top, nncl If Successful "Will Leave Kec orcl of Accomplishment. (.Continued from Pnge l.t en back before the approach of the merciless Northern "Winter. Record to Be Left. If successful, the record box of the expedition will be placed on the high est ledge of the mountain, where it may be found by other explorers, and will attest for all time to man's de termination that even the most remote spots of the earth shall know him as conqueror. The scientific gains of the expedi tion are expected to bo 'great. Com paratively little is known about the Mount McKlnley region. Maps of the district have been prepared, but con siderable areas have been left un charted. New data of this character will undoubtedly be secured and the party will also bring back much in formation concerning the formations and peculiarities of the great glacial "tretches that almost hem in the peak. Even the exact height of the mountain, usually placed at from 20,300 to 20,500 feet, remains to be determined. Another important, but secondary ob ject of the trip is to give the final word in settlement of the controversy as to whether l")r. Frederick A. Cook, as well as the fat Thank miner, reached the top of Mount McKlnley. I)r. Cook 1ms Uoutly maintained, in the face of deni als, that hia record box Is to be found near the. summit. While the public has undoubtedly lost faith in tho explorer, and has concluded that the ossenttnl statements in his bock. "At. tho Top of the Continent," are fabrler.t Ions, there is a possibility that he told the truth. Tf his records should be found. It would be a matter of great importance, and would probably reopen the North Polo controversy. But if, as seems most probable, the record are not there, complete refutation of Dr. Cook's claims would be secured. The Fair banks explorers say they saw no trace of Cook's expedition, and maintain that they left a flag at the top of the mountain. ' PJiotograplier to o Aloni;. Not the leat important result of the trip will be the semiring of photo graphs not only of tne mountain, but of the glacial districts near by. A ca pable photographer is a member of the party and the pictures will without doubt be the best ever taken of the Mount McKlnley region. It is with full realization of the perils to be encountered that the expedition has been undertaken. From the time that the explorers leave Cook's Inlet until their return they will almost con stantly face dangers. It is to be doubt ed if even a polar expedition Involves more real hazards than an attempt to storm the treacherous sides of this Jofty peak. McKlnley, unlike most large mountains, towers above a comparatively low area. There are no '"foothill?" that can be used s a gradual approach to the pinnacle. The ascent Ls abrupt and must he made over the most formldnble barriers. The glaciers that will be followed for many miles contain huge crevasses. There will be a thousand places where a misstep, a mistake In judgment will mean death. Sheer cliffs must be scaled, treacherous torrents of glacial waters braved and the utmost Ingenuity used to find a possible foothold on the Icy walls. McKlnley is credited with rising higher above" Its enow line than any other mountain In the "world. If It Is oonquered, it will only be after a mighty struggle. Men Carefully Chosen. The one element expected to make pos sible the success of the present expedition ls the personality of the men who will go. All of them have been selerted for their knowledge of mountaineering and their ability us already demonstrated. The very fact that but four will go ia in favor of the explorers. There will be no por ters, cooks or other helpera. The men will share in the work on tho tramp and in-the camp. All are going for their love of exploration and because they believe that the results of the enterprise will be of great public value. Mr. Rusk, the leader of the expedition, ls singularly well fitted both by nature and by training for the work of conquer ing this great snow-peak. Tho first im pression one receives on meeting him is that he is a . quiet, level-headed sort of fellow, extraordinarily literal nnd modest when pressed for facts relating to his past exploits and adventures. Only those who have been with him In perilous mo ments on the ice-slopes, know tho quail ties of mind, heart and flnew that place him In the front rank of great moun taineers of the rresent day. "When dan ger confronts him ho is cool, clear-headed, cautious and absolutely fearless, with a persistence that never yields. With all .his dislike ofs detail when forced to talk of his own experiences, one thing is sure to crop out his absolute faith in his power to win. In this Mount McKlnley ascent he is ready to grapple with all the f: rccst forces of nature -and to wrest from them a victory. ' Leader Is Enthusiast. "Of course, there ls always the pos sibility or unforeseen accidents," he aays, "but perhaps I am something of . fataliBt in this matter, for I have felt fall along that If I got started on this .enterprise I shall succeed. This is the supreme effort of my life, the oppor tunity of years of waiting, and every ounce of energy and determination I possess shall be thrown into Its iie- Jcessful execution. My success in this jWlll be the means of placing me in a position to carry out other schemes in fwhat I feel to be my life work ex ploration of the silent places of the earth." Mr. Rusk. who is a lawyer, has climbed no less than 10 times Mount Adams. "Washington, that splendid peak fot the Cascades w'hich has been called the "Matterhorn of America," by rea son of the terrible eastern precipice overhanging Hell-Roaring Canyon. No man living knows Mount Adams so well as Rusk. In 1901, when Dr. Henry Fielding Reid, of Jobns Hopkins Uni versity, the greatest living authority on the movement of glaciers, explored and mapped this mountain, he selected "Rusk as his sole companion and guide and named for him a glacier. Mount ; : v " - , ; i " v v V -. s -v. v v. - '' ""sv' ' c - " - (.' - i pa " - - : - -v - "- ; El bocsi " ; ' . mmm&&si , y3ssr""" w1 fl , - . . ' a , c r rntJm A . I I jWTwawwwnT I I Adams is second in height among' the peaks of the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier being first. Rusk ascended Rainier in 1905. This is the highest mountain in the United States, outside of Alaska. It rises 14.528 feet, a trltle higher than Mount Whitney, in Cali fornia. Rusk Has Climbing liecoiil. In 1103 Mr. Rusk made' a dangerous ascent of Mount Baker, Washington, by a route never attempted before or since. At that time he climbed the perilous east-side chimney of the main peak from the ridge between Park Creek and Boulder Creek glaciers, the ascent requiring 11 hours and the de scent four hours. Overtaken by night, he found himself in a network of treacherous crevasses from which only his skilled mountaineering instinct res cued him. Glacier Peak. Mount Pitt, Goat Mountain and others in the glacier-torn Chelan, Washington, regions have been dscended by iiim, some of these being original ascents. Mr. Rusk is now in his prime, 38 years of age, with hia best work still before him. In build he is tough and wiry, light of weight, with firm, well-trained mus cles. In all his mountaineering he has never yet encountered a difficulty that ha did not conquer. His Chelan home is in tho midst of a wonderful region, and from neighboring heights hundreds of snow-caps can be seen at a single glance. "I had heard that it was possible to see ) snow peaks from one of these mountains, but I did not believe it," said a tourist. "When we reached the sum mit of Mount 3ahale my unbelief disap peared. Worlds upon worlds of moun tains reached away into the dim distance. I have seen the famous' view from the Rlghi in Switzerland, but it does not com pare with this view from Mount Sahale." Others Are Experienced. A. Li. Cool, another member of the Mount McKlnley party, hails from the same region. He is a trapper and has lived alone in the mountains for 17 years. He makes long trips in "Winter, and laughs when he tells the story of how he was overtaken by storms twice in the last few months. Bach time he was on high mountain passes, where the snow. was 20 feet deep and he was compelled to sleep out in the open, "without blankets and without food. He and Mr. Rusk became close friends on the occasion of their successful but dif ficult ascent of Glacier Peak in 1906. Joseph Ridley, the third Mazama member of the party, is a forest ranger in the Mount Baker National Reserve He is a giant physically and his experi ence compares well with that of hia companions. Mr. Ridley ls well known for the maps he has made of the rugged Mount Raker region. F. H. Rojee, of the Kiser Photo Com pany, is to be photographer of the ex pedition. He has had considerable ex perience in mountain-climbing in the Alps. Owing to the available data It is ex pected to avoid on this expedition the waste of time and energy that has han dicapped other explorers who traversed the great district south and east of Mount McKlnley. The cutter Tahoma will take the present party to Cook's Inlet, where they will probably land at Tyonek, although it is possible the cutter will leave them at Seldovia or Port Graham. From. Tyonek they will take a specially constructed boat up the Sushitna River and from that up the Clulltna to the Ruth Glacier. Mont Trip Dangerous. This part of the Journey is regarded as hardly less dangerous than the as cent of the mountain. Both these rivers are swift, muddy glacial streams, and many miners have lost their lives in the perilous currents. The trip up these rivers will cover about 160 miles. This "will bring the party to within 30 miles of the summit of the mountain arid the trip on foot up Ruth Glacier will there be begun. "Where'the boat ls left a camp will be established with a reserve supply of provisions. If the snow is still on the glacier, the remainder of the outfit will be taken by sled as far as possible. In case sleds cannot be used, the men will divide the outiit into two packs of 60 pounds for each person and start their journey, double-tracking all the way. "When it comes to the real ascent of the mountain, it is probable that each man will carry about 30 pounds of pro visions and camping necessities. Mr. Rusk believes that the greatest danger in the ascent of the mountain will be from avalanches. This is the one peril that skilled mountaineering cannot avert. For it is frequently neces sary to go where avalanches menace, and that risk must be run. There ls also the possibility of being caught in a storm or frozen despite all precau tions. The party will be equipped with sleeping bags and alcohol stoves and will expect to encounter weather 15 to 20 degrees below zero while they are on the peak, but a severe storm ls a se rious menace. The danger of slipping and falling into crevasses will be put at a minimum by roping the explorers to gether. Mazamas Are Active. John A. Lee, president, and C. H. Sholes, chairman of the outing commit tee of the Mazaqas. both of Portland, have been very active in promoting the arrangements which have been under way for several months. The entire membership will have a special interest in the. successful outcome. The Mazamas the name comes from a species of mountain goat were organized on tho summit of Mount Hood on July 19, 1894. On that day 155 men and 38 women reached the top of Hood, and 105 affiliated themselves in the new society. The presence of euch a large number of people on the summit of a peak 11,225 feet high, is one of the most remarkable incidents in the entire history of moun tain climbing. From the first the Mazamas have ad mitted no one to membership who has not been to the top of some notable snow-capped mountain. Each year an outing is given, including the climb of some Pacific Coast peak. Rainier, Shasta, Adams, Baker and many more well-known peaks ,have been ascended. Among the lesser peaks ascended is the one in Southern Oregon which holds the wonderful Crater Lake. This was named Mount Mazama, a name that has been officially adopted. Government scientists and educators from all parts of the United States have accompanied the Mazamas on their an nual pilgrimages. Detailed maps have been made -of much mountainous land that had been known in only a general way before. A careful study has been made of Pacific Coast vegetation and the various plants classified. But most of all the members, the majority of whom are prominent people of the Pacific Northwest, love the mountain-climbing for the adventure it involves, for the blood-stirring liie in the open air and for the exhilaration that comes only in loking down on cloudland from some giant peak. r A "different" hotel made its formal bow in Chicago last week. It was without any fanfare of trum pets that the Blackstone. the big house on Allchigan Boulevard, overlooking. the waters of Lake Michigan, made Its Ftart. For weeks and months the builders and decorators have been la boring in the big structure. For weeks an army of employes have been drill ing constantly in the duties of the vari ous positions. More than three score cooks under the direction of Gustav Becker, who for seventeen years was the chef of the kitchen in the Holland House in New York, have been getting acquainted with the great kitchens of the Black stone. And when Messrs. Tracy C. and John B. Drake, with their assistant man agers, Paul Gore and J. R. Tompkins, after a. linal survey, passed the word that the doors were open, the routine began like the movement of a smooth running machine in which every part was perfectly adjusted and in perfect balance. Inspection by Stockholders. The occasion of the opening was made the time for the gathering of the stockholders of the Blackstone Hotel Company, who, with their wives and daughters and sweethearts, filled the main dining-room and overflowed into a smaller one. And finany when the ex cellence of Chef Becker's art had been duly praised they passed out into other parts of the building, to the beauti ful ballroom and to the balcony sur rounding it. and up and down Art Hall with its magnificent hangings and draperies, and into the private dining rooms adjoining it, then to the floors above to inspect the bedrom suites with the splendid appointments, and they said: "What a different hotel!" The Blackstone is to be. in fact it al ready is. one of the landmarks of Chi cago; It has a frontage on Michigan Boulevard of eighty feet, just north of Hubbard Place. It towers 260 feet above the street level, twenty-two stories in height. "It already has taken Its position as one of the most prom inent features of the great sky line on Michigan Boulevard. It is the first building to be seen from the boulevard, and from the lake it stands out alone, proud and beau tiful. The slanting rays of the late afternoon sun or those of the early morning bring into especially beauty the. lines of the green-tiled roof. The surroundings, with the view across Grant Park looking on to the waters of the great lake, are not surpassed by any hotel in the United States. Interior Is " Olfferent." But the wav in which it Is "different" lies in the Interior. The main entrance to the Blackstone is on Hubbard Place. There is a carriage entrance on Michl- gan Boulevard. There is an entrance on Hubbard Place leading directly into an elevator which lifts the guests directly to the ballroom flour, with its (lressln-roorns for men and women, permitting them to attend a ball or re ception in the hotel and be entertained in the private dining-rooms without having to pass thruugjj the main lobby of the hotel or to appear in the halls or promenades. There ls nothing gaudy about the Blackstone. No one will ever sav "gin gerbread" on entering any apartment of the establishment. It is not gay with gilt or tinsel. It Is not gorgeous n the common use ot tnat term. The ballroom, the main corridor the private dining-rooms, the main dining-room all have the quiet elegance that comes from perfect taste, perfect harmony displayed by the best artists. The main lobbv is paneled in French walnut. The ceiling is of old ivory. It Is of the period of Louis XVI. The draperies, all from France, harmonize with the paneling. Passing up the broad marble steps the clerks' offices are on the left or west. On the east is the entrance to the main dining room. French Dlning-Koom. The dining-room, fifteen feet above tbe level of the avenue, extends along the entire east side of the hotel, over looking the lake. It is another model of French art In decoration. The chairs, tables, draperies, hangings, even tho lamps on each of the tables, came from Paris. Each lamp, covered with a wide-spreading shad?. Is lighted from a storage battery underneath the table. In the brass work directly beneath the lamp Is a flower holder. All the linen bears the crest of the Blackstone. The upholstery is in American Beauty rose, as are the draperies over the French windows. It is a room that for beauty and elegance cannot be equaled In a hotel perhaps in the world. - The ballroom, which will be used as a tearoom and a meeting place during the afternoons, is all in white and gold, a fitting frame or setting for belles of the dance who will visit it. It Is a room that the decorators may point to without fear of unfavorable criticism. It, too, looks out upon the lake. A balcony runs around the room and French doors open from it. The ar rangement of lights and the beautv of the ceiling, all culminating in the cen tral cluster of lights and crystals, com bine to make a room that will become faitious all over the polite world. ers, and easy chairs, with window seatf and handsome draperies. The bedrooms are models. They are so arranged that they can be used sing ly or thrown together. In every way the comfort of the guest has been the first thought. Not the slightest thing has been overlooked. There are sidelights and "lights along the side of the mirrors in the bath rooms that will appeal to the man who shaves himself. Thera are electric con nections for the woman who wants to heat a curling Iron. If, as the guest leaves his room, he turns the key in his door all the lights In the room will ! be extinguished automatically. Air and Water Purifiers. There is a unique system of cooling the air and ventilation; there is a filter smmmm sips i i sail? i immmk mmkm, i - wfatii:i li ! .villi hi I i M H I r.,trwiiJiTrtiwiiiw '.ami r.. v nun ::!imtinl ii lu l iiii it re T7-' rfl i r, P-'i.-i . Tin. - , r-tf if" THE BLACKSTONE, CHICAGO. The private dining-rooms which open from Art Hall all follow different schools of decorating. There is a Colonial room, in which every detail of Colonial art is followed. The Fngllsli room, the largest of the private dining rooms, and a French room will also have their admirers. Bcdroonw Are Homelike. The floors above are given over to the bed chambers. A separate plan has been followed in the decorating and furnishing of each of the 400 bedrooms. Every bedroom is an outside room and each has Its own private bath, which has also an otitslde window. All the appointments are modern. Thev haVe a homelike appearance that does not usually appear in a. hotel bedroom. There are twin beds, -with brna,! dress- system by which every drop of water used in the hotel, even" In the baths, is perfectly purified, and the very air which is drawn through the great ven tilating system is filtered throng! water; there is an ice-freezing plant and an electric generator these are only some of the features that go to make the Blackstone a "different" hotel. It should be understood that it is a hotel for the transient guest and that It is not a family hotel in any sense of the word. The architects, Messrs. Marshall and Fox. and the owners, the Drake Hotel Co., undertook to put together a hotel for people who are accustomed to the best and who will appreciate it," said a prominent stockholder, "and I believe they have succeeded." for Councilmen to succeed G. "W. Hubbs, J. L. Drake and Lew Ames: S. E. Richardson for Recorder to succeed himself, and M. J. Adams for Treasurer to succeed himself. No other ticket has been placed in the field as yet, but it ls expected that there will be at least one before election. The proposed amendment to the city charter will be voted upon and promises to supply a very interesting contest. Xorth Yakima "Uses Xew Depot. NORTH YAKIMA. Wash.. April 23. (Special.) The new Northern Pacific pas senger station was put into use today for the first time, when the equipment, of the passenger-room and telegraph office was transferred. The structure has been about 10 months In building. umm ' mi RATED CELEB El FEK. Silverton Ticket Named. SILVERTOX, Or., April 23. (Spe cial.) Election for the city of Silver ton will -be held the first Monday in May. At. a convention held yesterday J. M. Wolfard was nominated for Mayor to succeed L. E. Rauch; L. H. Fischer, P. W. Potter and Lew Ames property today? It's worth your while. Take the Sellwood car and get off at Tolman avenue. Columbia Trust Company Board of Trade Bldg. , Perfectly pure, thoroughly aged, and brewed under conditions that insure its health producing qualities as the ideal beverage during the Spring and Summer months. IT IS UNEXCELLED and seldom equalled as a gentle tonic that combines all that is best known to the brewers' art. Send in your orders. Free delivery to all parts of the city. " , HENRY WEINHARD BREWERY MAIN 72 - PHONES - A 1172