SILENCE BODES ILL FOR FLYERS
Rescue Plane Will Leave Soon for Barrow.
RADIO IS MUM
Army Major Will Take Food in Big Machine for Dog Team.
MAY SHOOT ANIMALS
Lack of Feed Has Kept Overland Supply Party Stalled on Way to Arctic.
By Frederic Lewis Earp, Special Correspondent Of The Spokesman-Review and the North American Newspaper Alliance with the Detroit Arctic Expedition. 
FAIRBANKS, April 5.-The. Detroit arctic expedition members here under the leadership of Mayor Thomas G. Lanphier, army flyer, today began preparations for sending an airplane relief party to succor the expedition's overland party, headed by A. Malcolm Smith, and possibly the commander, Captain George H. Wilklins, who arrived at Point Barrow on the arctic last Wednesday in one of the expedition's two planes. 
With the failure of Captain Wilkins and his pilot, Ben Eielson, to return here today despite perfect flying weather, it was believed that he may be in need of assistance. No word by radio has been received from him since Friday night. 
The overland party, proceeding to Point Barrow by dog sledge, is encamped on the Anaktuvuk river. Robert Waskey, radio man with the party, sent word last night that they must have feed for the dogs at once or shoot the animals. 
Mayor Pushes Repairs. 
Mayor Lanphier is rushing repairs on the Detroiter, the expedition's big three-motored monoplane, and hopes to get into the air in two or three days. He is planning on flying over the sledge party and dropping emergency rations and then proceeding to Barrow to investigate the silence of Captain Wilkins. The Smith party's camp is 80 miles from the mouth of the Colville river. There Waskey, Earl Rossman, photographer, and another man are waiting the return of "Sandy" Smith and Herbert Anderson, who have goes by dog team to the nearest settlement for provisions. 
The 27 dogs left at the river camp have had nothing to eat for four days, Waskey's message said, and if the return of Smith and Anderson is delayed, the dogs must be shot and the party will have to "neck" a Yukon sled down the river ice to Jones island in the Arctic sea. 
Men Find Enough Food. 
Since Smith and Anderson left, taking the best 17 dogs to pull their two sleds to Stevenson's store for provision,