The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-22
WRECKED BY THE SNOW HABIT.
The Awful Fate of a Man Who
Turned from Whiskey to "the
Beautiful"

Turned from whiskey to "the
Beautiful"
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Every great discovery in the worlds
history has brought with it an accom-
panying affliction, and it has remained
for the Klondike to develope a peculiar
mania that threatens to outrival opium
eating. Among the residents Of the far
North is known as the "snow habit"
and 1T is said to be incurable. Henry
Barnum, of Great Bend township, has
returned from the Klondike. and tells
the strange story.
There are many strange things in
the Klondike," said Mr.. Barnum, but
perhaps the strangest and that about
which nothing has been written so far
is the dissipation caused by eating
snow. In the north. when the thermo-
meter reaches 80 degrees to 40 degrees
below zero, mouthful Of snow is like
molten metal 1t brings an inGamma-
tion to the palate and tongue, and it is
impossible to quench the thirst. The
first advice an Old-timer offers new
conner in the region is, Don't eat snow
There are men in that country once
| hearty, robust miners, now weak, effe-
inmate creatures, whose fall can be
traced directly to the time they began
munChing snow.
THE matter has been but little in
vestigated, but the scientists who have
examined the subject say that the
waters of the North are rich with
mineral deposits, which are being con-
stantly washed down from the noun
tains. n certain per cent. of this min
eral Is taken into the air when the
Vapor arises, and the snow becomes i'm
preSnated with it. There have been
! several falls of red snow near Point
Harrow, the deposits being of a red
dish brown color, due entirely to min
erals. Thus ii can be seen that a per-
son eating large quantities Of the snow
takes into his system corresponding
amount Of minerals"
While coming down the Copper river
last spring Mr. Barnum came upon
party of miners where one was dy-
ing from the effects of eating snow.
He had bean hard drinker but had
run short of whiskey. His thirst be-
came uncomfortable, and as water was
scarce in midwinter he had taken to
eating snow. Soon he claimed it re-
lleVed his APPETITE for the LIQUOR, but
his companions noticed that his appe-
tltc for snow increased until he was
consuming enormous quantities. Grad
ually, his skin, which was dark
bronze, grew light. his rugged stature
became bent and even his harsh voice
changed to the effeminate squeak of
an old woman. His strength gave way
and his companions tried to break him
Off the habit. He would lie on his
pallet and moan pitifully for a mouth
tul OF snow and when opportunity
offered would steal unobserved to the
doorway and gulp down huge hand
fuls. At last, seeing death was newt
able, his companions allowed him the
snow, hoping to prolong his life. 1t
proved unavailing and one morning
just previous to Mr. Barnum's de-
parture the man was found dead.
There are some spots on the copper
river where the snow, when melted and
strained through a cloth. shows per-
ceptible signs of minerals, and often
gold is found plentifully intermixed.
but of course not in paying quantities
Where this comes from is a mystery,
but ii may be brought from the far
north by the heavy winter gales that
sweep over this part of the country
1t has been saiu that if the snow could
be melted away it would leave de-
pOsits of millions of dollars in gold
dust on the ground.
Mr.: Barnum had close call himself
from falling a victim to the snow habit.
TT was in the winter of 1861" he
said, "and l was new to the country.
An old miner near Dawson had warned
me against eating snow, but I. with
my partner, had gone back in the hills
on prospecting tour, and had got
caught in a blizzard. We were shy of
provisions, and on our way up lost the
package containing our cooking uten-
Slls. This we rCmedied by broiling our
cooked foods, but we had nothing in
which to melt the snow 1t is claimed
that melted snow is harmless, as the
metallic deposits it contains sink TO
the bottom of the receptacle. We de-
cided to try it raw and we did.
Whether 1t was the food or the snow,
I don't know; but during the week we
waited for a chance to get out we had
an ever-increasing thirst, until when
we were finally able to strike the trail.
we were consuming snow at a fright
ful rate. When we reached our COM
panions we attempted to assuage our
thirst with water but it did no good
We had acquired a taste for the frozen
water, and it seemed to have invigor-
atinG qualities. At night we could not
sleep unless we took our snow. We
were fast approaching the degenerate
stage, when I reached a realizing sense
of our condition, and undertook to
break it off. / began by degrees and
worked down, but up to the very mo-
ment | left the country the sight of
snow always raised in me an inordn-
ate craving. 1t cost me many Sleep
less nights and weary days to restrain
myself. Had given way to the habit,
! would, like many another poor fell
low, have lost all ambition and filled
an unknown grave in that frozen will
derness."
=, t.