The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-03

tle-kiondlke News Bureau and Merchants
Protective Association were two young
men. strangers in Seattle. VINO rented desk
room In tae Washington building. and pre-
pared for business along the lines indi-
Gated, bat who have already abandoned
the whole thing. They left for Alaska sew
erai days ago. and before complaints reach
ed the city OF their very question: Die meth
DDS. The following Il a copy OF the adver-
tisement clipped from an Iowa paper:
'-Klondike positions secured with trans
portation furnished. Guaranteed latest re-
liable information concerning outfits
routes mining laws. sailing OF vessels, etc
Write plainly questions or positions de-
sired, inclosing 81 to Merchants protective
Association. Washington building. K. y.
box l2az Seattle, Washington"
c. f. ID Burch and Arthur L. Kasson,
the latter connected with the Northwest
Fixture company, OF this city, are inter-
esfed In 80 IN, ention, the result OF The
study OF Mr. Burcn. Whit promises 10
be OF great value Ia winter working the
gold fields OF Alaska and the Northwest
territory. The invention. for which pat
en;s have been asked. involves the apph-
cation of wood gas. which is easily pro-
duced under any conditions where fuel can
be procured and which IL Is believed viii
simplify the process OF winter mining in
placer districts. The present system de-
scribed by all travellers out from the gold
fields Is that OF building fires on the
ground and by continuing the process OF
picking anI burning send down the shaft.
The same amount Of fuel applied 10 the
manufacture q gas by the process or
which Mr. Burcn Is the inventor VIII
more than twenty times accomplish the
same results in a simpler and much
cleaner manner. Yesterday demonstra-
ton of the power oe wood gas was given,
TO which a Post-Intelligeneer reporter was
invited. A battery of three retorts had
been built and a fire lighted under them.
The retorts had iron cases filed with wood
slipped into them and heads that made
the compartmenn air tight were clamped
over the open ends. The fire tnen began
the conversion OF wood gas from the
sticks that had been placed in the cases.
From each retort n pipe. with a goose
neck. led 10 . cylinder. where the fumes
from the rapidly disintegrating wood were
mingled with a chemical pr aaration and
then passed through a rubber nose 70 fAe
burner and cut of which are part OF
the invention. The burner is known as a
compound Banser burner and the gas Is
first received IN q hollow compartment
and then distributed through three tubes
10 the bunch of pipes. The gas is used
as soon as Il Is generated and in this re-
spect lies tho principal claim 60 origin
atty In the invention. other wood gases
have required gas meter and a wash
ing process. bat this simple use Of the
new appliances entirely does away with
this necessity. The cutoff includes a de-
vice that viii entirely prevent any posi-
hility az the flames returning through the
flexible tubes, by the possible introduce
ton OF air Any wood or moss. earth
or dead leaves will answer for the mat
ter Of which the gas ia made and this Is
another ~ the claims which the invent
ors ard owucfs advance for It's practical
use tn thawlug out the frozen earth. The
nF Of Alaska. ard preferably the green
wood Is thought 90 be- best for use IN the
machine When the application OF the
flame VAS made in the experiments OF
yesterday y melted glass bottles and con-
vorse1 pile IL bricks into a glowing
mass The gauge on the chemical tank
showed AZ this time a registered pressure
or less than a pound. The trial Was very
interesting aud completely demonstrated
tho practical manufacture az gas from
weed itS Immediate use and the Intense
heat of the flame. VITA a proper burner.
designed for the purpose, II has shown
Itself 20 be an liiuminator ~ high quail
ity. 1t promises 70 settle one Of the qucs-
tions Of artificial Ugh: IN the far nortn.
Mr. B9rch has been working On his In
ventioa fer less than year.
Many notable arrivals have been regis
tered la the various hotels IL tsix city
and special mention may be made 81 81
mon KICK "a full-hlce8ed About Indian.
This son os Alaska IS a vsrv Intelligent
Young man. ara speaks EnElssh huently
tits rhvsicai traits alone betray his In
dian birth he was born ~ Anfk. on the
Yukon. and edacsted az tha Roman CATH
ollie mission os Holy cross. near -. Nil
chael Yer a time Re 8ctel pile, 0a a
steamer thar Piled gp tho Yukon river
ana Na Is thoroughly oec9a'n'ei With ne
various passages 8ud currents. The Ia
.s-