The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15
FOOD FOR KLONDIKERS.
western Genius Proposes to Put 1t
In Concentrated Form.
Philadelphia Inquirer.


There is a man in Seattle Wash who
says ne Is gong to make millions out of the
hbIiondlke treasures without going to Klon-
dike-in fact, by staying right where he is
Inns man mas long head. and he says that
the genius who solves the food problem will
De richer than the man who strikes the
that he is that genius
:, Why man." he says, Sin an ordinary va
Use L can put enough food to last a healthy
man a year and give him menu just as
varied as he could find in a first-class hotel
lie can easily take another one of those va
Uses, and when he reaches Dawson CITY he
can sell 1t for 81 600. That's what a years
supply of good food is worth there. If he
wants to load himself down with a good
sized burden he can take four or five sup
plleS' ana ne Will be comparatively rich
man the moment he reaches his destination
why one of those valses Will buy a half
interest In claim pannirg $500 a day / am
Sellng them for $3.50 each and they cost me
$o0 make 40O per cent. profit, and the man
VINO takes them makes at least ZOO or 800
per cent That's a pretty big scheme
isn't it?''
Two years ago the speaker was one of a
party that interested the United States gov
eminent in condensed food scheme to be
adopted in case of war. A commission APP
pointed by the secretary of war, ana COM
posed of experienced army officers, made
thorough Investigations, and their subse-
quent reports were largely favorable. 1t
was shown that it would be possible for a
large army to move a considerable distance
from its base of supplies without the usual
attendant wagon train and beef lin the
packet of condensed foods. 1t was however
reported that while foods of this kind could
safely be used in event of emergency; it
was not advisable to furnish them when
fresh foods were obtainable.
In the Chino-Japanese war the soldiers of
the Mikado executed several long marches
with unusual dispatch by the use of con-
densed foods. Each soldier, in addition to
a cartridge belt, carried what was called
dinner belt. This was filled with d large
assortment of capsules pills, buttons and
small packages, none of them larger than
a medium-sized pocketbook The dinner
belt weighed but ten pounds, but it con-
tanned enough nutrlment to sustain the SOL
der for thirty days
The present scheme is to furnish Klon-
dixie VoyagerS with an assortment of con-
densed foods somewhat similar to that car
ried by the Japanese. but adapted to the
peculiar needs of the man in the diggings
The great beauty of this food" said the
genius, lies in the fact that the miner
doesn't have to waste any time for meals
and every minute counts in that district
when the mining can only be done three
months Of the year. The ground cannot be
thawed out until June ], and after Sept
it is useless to attempt anything. In those
three months he has to crowd in enough
labor to make up for the nine idle months
and If can save him an hour each day of
the working season it is an item of cOnSid-
cradle Importance"
Anything in the eating line can now be
put up in condensed form. from Il canvas
back duck to corned beef and cabbage, and
in such light shape that either dish could
be sent through the mail for cents. Even
boned turkey is put into tablets, to say
nothing OF Boston baked beans, oysters
fruit and vegetables.
cup Of coffee or tea is crowded into
a mass as thin and as small as a medium
sized button. 1t is already sweetened with
a saccharine product of coal tar which is
200 times sweeter than sugar, and accord
One of these buttons dropped into Il cup
OF hot water becomes Immediately a cup
Of good coffee or tea.
All kinds of soups are prepared in the
same way. The buttons contain mixture
of meat and vegetables, fully seasoned and
ready for hot water. A sausage-like affair,
not as large as frankfurter and made of
pea-meal, fat and bacon makes twelve
plates of nutritious soup. This has been
used in the German army for nearly thirty
years, It's efficacy being determined during
the Franco-German war, when the German
soldiers, on their quick marches in the en-
emy'S country, had little else to eat.
Mince pie, plum pudding, apple dumplings
and kindred delicacies are also to be had in
forms not larger nor heavier than q silver
quarter But this is not the kind Of food
that the genius proposes to put up in the
miners kit. He is going to use the sub
stantials only, and prepare his provender
on the lines of that used in the army
One of the essentials will be dessicated
beef, an ounce of which is equivalent to five
ounces of fresh meat. 1t is put up In hard
little chunks-so hard that ordinary
knife makes little Roadway against it. A
tiny machine like a coffee mill grinds it
into fine shavings, which can be spread on
bread or used for soup making.
A loaf of bread is compressed into mass
not much bigger imam SODA cracker Wnen
soaked in water it swells up like a sponge,
and when drie, out makes very fair eating.
A loaf of the same size is composed of a
preparation of flour, beef, fat and salt and
contains all the essentials of a plain but
hearty meal This is somewhat similar to
the pemmican ration used IN the British
army.
Ten pounds of onions carrots, potatoes,
turnips, cabbage or any other vegetable are,
by the condensing process, crowded into
one-pound cans, and for soup-making pur-
poses are said to be excellent
The man who counts upon being million
aire through his scheme does not expect to
do anything this season, as the time for
leaving for the <londike is practically over.
launch his project early next spring, when
the first steamer sails and when the food
supply in the mining district IS practically
exhausted.