The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-10-11
"rnE EsQUIIEAN nuLLErIN."


The Only Newspaper Published Within
tho Arctic Circle.
San Francisco Chronicle
The Eskimo BulLhn is tho most uni.
que newspaper in the world and is the
only journal published within the
Arctic circle. 1t is printed at Cape
Prince oil Wales, Alaska, in latitude 81
degrees 40 minutes, and is issued only
once a year. Cape Prince OF Wales is n
low sand spit running out just where
the Behring strait joins the Arctic
ocean. 1t is destitute OF timber, and is
about as barren aud desolate spot rs
could well be imagined. On it, how
ever, is situated an Eskimo village and
n missionary school. The teacher is
Harrison r. Thornton, a relative Of ex-
Supreme Judge james ID. Thornton, OF
this city, from whom copy OF the last
number of the Bulletin was procured
1t is dated May l, 1898.
The Bulletin is small sheet, twelve
by eight inches. printed on ono side
only, OF stiif.white paper. is printed
by the heitograph process, which is
simply method OF multiplying copies
OF writing. The writing is first made on
paper with prepared ink, and is then
impressed upon gelatine. From the
gclatine impressions are made upon
many other sheets. As there is practi-
cally one mail to and from Cape Prince
OF Wales during the year, one issue OF
the paper during tho period is quite
sufficient.
The curious little paper contains
variety Of news arranged under differ
ent heads. In mirthful imitation OF
the daily papers in other localities it
triumphantly carries at the head OF its
columns the legend. Largest Circula-
ton in the Arctic" aud also the ad-
ditional boast OF "0nly yearly paper in
the world"
The headings nre Local Items"
"Rural Notes." Society" Fashion"
Marriage Notices" whisky in the
Arctic" is the heading over an editori-
al. Every scrap of news is like breath
from the far north. As space is scanty
condensation is a fine art with the
editor. He displays quite a fund OF
humor, too, and there is u strain OF
gentle playfulnoss in nearly everything
he writes.
The Bulletin has two illustrations, one
OF the school house aud the other OF
scene on Behring strait. The heading
is also decorated with drawing OF an
Eskimo's head. As the paper is edited
by the teacher. Mr.. Thornton, it is very
probable that it is designed to be sent
rs an auxiliary to his instruction II, as
well MS q circular letter to be sent
abroad by the few white inhabitants OF
that far northern land. He is greatly
interested in his work, and his sympa-
thies are wholly enlisted for the In
dams under his charge.
Mr.. Thornton has made a profound
study of the Eskimo language, and is
engaged in compiling dictionary OF
the Aleut tongue. During the progress
OF his studies he has made n singular
discovery. The Greek and Sanscrit
were the only languages heretofore
known to have three numbers-singu-
lar, plural and dual. Mr.. Thornton has
discovered that tho Aleut language also
has three numbers. This he regards as
discovery of which philologists may
well take note, as tho origin OF the Es-
kimo has been the subject OF much
discussion and speculation. Mr.. Thorn
ton ia gathering large quantity oil ma
tcrial respecting the manners, customs,
religious ideas, traditions and lingual
peculiarities OF tho tribes OF Alaska,
which he will probably publish in book
form,