Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-03-22
A SNOW EATING HABIT.
a vERAc!oUs YARN ABOUT AN AL
LEGED KLONDIKE MANIA.

The First Advice an Old-Timer Offers to
Newcomer Is, "Don't Eat Snow 1T
Makes Weak, EHenlnate Creatures of
Once Robust Miners-Inordinate Thirst.
Every great discovery in the worlds
history has brought with it an accom-
panying affliction, and it has remained
for the Klondike to develop pecn-
liar mania that threatens to outrival
opium eating. Among the residents
OF the far north it is known as the
'tsnow habit" and it is said to be in
durable. Henry Barnum of Great
Bend township, Ohio, has returned
from the Klondike and tells q strange
story.
''There are many strange things in
the .Klondike," says Mr.. Barnum,
"but perhaps the strangest and that
about which nothing has been written
so far is the dissipation caused by eat
ing snow. In the north, when the
thermometer reaches 80 to 40 degrees
below zero, a mouthful of snow is
like molten metal. 1t brings an in
hammation to the palate and tongue,
and it is impossible to quench the
thirst. The first advice an old-timer
offers a-newcomer in the region is,
Don't eat snow There are men in
that country, once hearty, robust
miners, now weak, effeminato crea-
lures, whose fall can be traced direct
ly to the time they began munching
snow.
''The matter has been but little in
v.stigated, but the scientists who
have examined the subject say that
the waters of the north are rich with
mineral deposits, which are being
constantly washed down from the
mountains. A certain per cent. of
this mineral is taken into the air when
vapor arises and lie snow becomes
impregnated with it. There have
been several falls of red snow near
Point Barrow, the deposits being of a
reddish brown color, due entirely to
minerals. Thus it can be seen that q
person eating large quantities of the
snow takes into his system corre-
spending amount of minerals.
While coming down the Copper
river last spring Mr.. Barnum came
upon party of miners where one was
dying from the effects of eating snow.
He had been hard drinker, but had
run short of whiskey. His thirst be-
came unendurable, and as water was
scarce in midwinter hea had taken to
eating snow. Soon he claimed it re-
lieved his appetite for the liquor. but
his companions noticed that his appe-
tite for snow increased until he was
consuming enormous quantities.
Gradually 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 of the habit. He would lie on
his back and moan pitifully for a
mouthful of snow, and when oppor-
tunity offered would steal unobserved
to the doorway and gulph down huge
handfuls. At last, seeing death was
inevitable. his companions allowed
him the snow, hoping to prolons his
life. 1t proved unavailing, and one
morning just previous to Mr.. Bar
NUNS departure the man was found
dead.
There are some spots on Copper
river where the snow, when melted
and strained through a cloth, shows
perceptible signs of minerals, and
often gold is found plentifully inter-
mixed, but, of course, not in paying
quantities. Where this comes from
is mystery, but it may be brought
from the far north by the heavy winter.
gales that sweep over this part of the
country. 1t has been said that if the
snow could be melted away it would
leave deposits of millions of dollars in
gold dust on the ground.
Mr.. Barnum had close call him
self from falling victim to the snow
habit. 'It was in the winter of 1896
97," he said, "and 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 hill on q prospecting tour, and
had got caught in blizzard. We
were shy of provisions, and on our
way up lost the package containing
cooking utensils. This we remedied
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 re-
ceptacle. We decided to try it ''raw"
and we did. Whether it was the food
or the snow, I don't know, but during
the week we waited for chance to
get out, and we had an ever-increas-
ing thirst, until, when we were finally
able to strike the trail, we were con-
suming snow at frightful rate. When
we reached our companions we at
tempted 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 invigorating
qualities. At night we could not
sleep unless we had our snow. We
were fast approaching the degenerate
stage, when 1 reached realizing
sense OF our condition and undertook
to break it off, I began by degrees
and worked down, but up 10 the very
moment I left the country the sight
of snow always raised in me an inor-
dinate craving. 1t cost me many
sleepless nights and weary days to re-
strain myself. Had I given way to
the habit I would, like many another
poor fellow, have lost all ambition
and filled an unknown grave in that
frozen wilderness.