The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-04
=.-ornIKr wAxrs EIBoTRIoIrT.
-.v .. the rood Problem Comes That .
u1umination mud Heat.

Fyop the san Francisco can
Tn the fnco Of all the familiar untoward CON
d,,Ions prevailing in the klondike' Win tne
49, s.vero winter months already begun In
. .uH an,,hern region, and daily reports reaching
80 concerning the misery and sickness occs-
sIoroi Inv scarcity Of wood or by stale provisions
~ nrob,em of communication between the
tsloodiko and the outer world during the long
.hut.in season Is becoming more ana moro serl'
ous. The question naturally arises asto whas
Eai.o, Tesla, and other wizards OF electricity
can do 10 solve the problems.
An old miner recently returned from the
Klondiko stated that, after the food question
r. nost snrious matter would be that OF light
tne rmth RECONSIDERATION Of this calls to mind
MT once the reports of many traveIers IN = y n
that evidences nWS .o OF %SH5 i GoT The sf KiondiEo region.
The reason that these coal fields have rema,hoo
hitherto nndevcloped is lack OF 1r ran pSSe FEAST.
biiity OF changing tho energy OF the coal ineS
electricity BY means OF power e r z. nus ns NH 10
! The Inherent mining camps and towns In Ins
| Kiondike. To open up these coal nelds wou ui1
sSrsiv prove a profitable undertaking: All this
is merely by way OF suggestion. but WHOM
doubt IL Is only n matter OF time when electrlcityS
With all its advantages and convenicnces, q
! modern development. will come to be regnrdeo
Of the yirE sre ef the fr %pGl Sor.b. N'
Every student Of electricity understanas nov,
the latter -ss iyss %p iss p sne in its 81 ps stS IL faSt
the b;gbest temperature obtainable 10 produced
BY electricity in the arc lamp. In many nSmeS
in tho East already all the heating ana cookinE
are done BY means of electricity; Cnnia th,s
genielike power be transferred to the klondike,
some scientists think. its immense value wouio
be at once demonstrated.
For instance, take the electric bIanket Whion
IA one of the newest inventions. This requires
no more energy than that consumed by from
one to three incandescent lamps. acc9.uins 70
the desired temperature, which may 90 reeu-
lated at will by a switch or rheostat, In az
pearance this blanket would resemble tho oraE
nary. Two layers OF asbestos insulate and
inc ose extremely fine wires laid back and forth.
40 that when the current flows and these wires
become heated the asbestos serves to distriopte
the warmth evenly and protects the oiankos
from being scorched. The delivery, coro con-
meets with an incandescent light socket.
Although the summers in the klondlKe orten
register very high temperature. as we are. toiu,
the cold of the winters Is 30 intense as TO treele
tho gravel beds where tho gold is sought to Sucn
a depth that they are never thawed out. Ever
near the surface of their claims the miners mt
great difficulty in accomplishing the tatter
Their usual method is. to I'll the smart luii O.
wood and set fire to 1t. This. however Is Z
waste OF much time and trouble, for the charres
can be commenced Moreover, this system u
further inefficient, because most OF the heal
rises up the shaft.
Now, as the gravel must be loosened We agaiI
turn to electricity for aid in accomplishing ibis
All that would DC needed would DO simply O DC
vice for heating made OF coils OF resistant wire
which a proper protecting case would lnciose
attached to n handle, SO that the thawing AM
working of u claim could proceed simultaneously