The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-01-16

it. There have been several falls of red snow near Point Barrow, the de- posits being of a reddish brown color, due entirely to minerals. Thus it can be seen that persan eating large quantities of the snow takes into his system 8 corresponding amount of minerals"
 While coming down the Copper River last spring MT. Barnum came upon a party of miners where one was dying from the effects of eating snow. He had been a hard drinker, but had run short of whiskey. His thirst became uncomfortable, and as water was scarce in midwinter he had taken to eating snow. Soon he claimed it relieved his appetite for the liquor, but his compan- ions noticed that his appetite for snow increased until he was consuming enor- nous 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 away, and his conn., panions tried to break him of the habit He would lie on his pallet and moan pitifully for a mouthful of snow, and when opportunity offered would steal unobserved to the doorway and gulp down huge handfuls. At last, seeing death was inevitable, his companions allowed him the snow hoping to pro- long his life. It proved unavailing, and one morning just previous to Mr. Bar num's departure the man was found dead
 There are some spots on the 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 a mystery but it may be brought from that sweep over this part of the country. It 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.
 MT Barnum had close call himself from falling victim to the snow habit Tt was in the winter of 1S96-97." he said, and I was new to the country An old miner near Dawson had warned me against eating snow, but l, with my partner, had gone back in the hills on a prospecting tour, and had got caught in a blizzard. We were shy of provisions and on our way up lost the containing our cooking utensils. This we remedied by broiling our cooked foods, but we had nothing in which to melt the snow. It is claimed that melt ed snow is harmless, as the metallic de- pcsits it contains sink to he bottom of the receptacle. 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 we had an ever-increasng thirst, until, when we were finally able to strike the trail we were consuming reached our companions we attempted snow at frghtful rate. When we to assuage our thirst with water, but it did no good. We had acquired taste for the frozen water, and it seemed to have invigorat'ng 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. I began by degrees and worked down. but up to the very moment, I left the country the sight of snow always raised in me an inordir ate craving. It cost me many sleepless nights and weary days to re- strain myself. Had l 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 Cleveland Plain Dealer.