XII. McCLURE'S ACHIEVEMENT AND TRAGIC 

 DEATH, 1897 



BY HERBERT L. BRUCE AND PROFESSOR H. H. 



McALISTER 



VISITORS to Paradise Valley, who climb above the Camp of the 

 Clouds to the snowfields, are sure to be attracted to McClure 

 Rock. It is the scene of one of the mountain's earliest 

 tragedies, in which Professor Edgar McClure of the University 

 of Oregon lost his life. He was trying to measure accurately 

 the height of the great mountain as he had already done for 

 Mount Adams and other peaks. 



The record of his extensive observations was computed with the 

 greatest care by his colleague, Professor H. H. McAlister of 

 the University of Oregon. An account of the work so tragically 

 ended was prepared by Herbert L. Bruce. Both articles were 

 published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for November 7, 

 1897, from which paper they are here reproduced. The por- 

 trait of Professor McClure is furnished by his brother, Horace 

 McClure, editorial writer for the Seattle Daily Times. 



The height of the mountain, 14,528 feet, thus obtained, remained 

 in use until 1914, when the United States Geological Survey 

 announced its new and latest findings to be 14,408 feet. 



One of the most tragic incidents in modern science 

 was the death of Professor Edgar McClure, who lost 

 his life on Mount Rainier July 27, 1897. Occupying, 

 as he did, the chair of chemistry in the University of 

 Oregon, his personal tastes, instincts and ambitions 

 were essentially scientific. In addition to this he was a 

 member of the Mazamas, whose purposes in the line 

 of scientific exploration have lent a romantic interest 

 and a cumulative value to the geography of the north- 

 west. The particular expedition with which Professor 

 McClure was associated when he met his untimely 

 death, left Portland with the distinct object of making 



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