Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-03-06
! MOGUL MAGNET.

After the explosion OF the Giant
Powder Mills in Alabama, a party of
Northern capitalists purchased the di-
vidends and determined to erect an
other factory upon the il.-fated spot,
where, for every year for twelve
years, the mill had exploded, causing
terrific loss and many deaths.
The president Of the company re-
quested that l should visit Pittsburg
in search of q magnet endowed with
sufficient power to attract an object of
friction OF a distance OF so feet.
Fortunately, while prospecting through
the North and in Alaska, formed the
acquaintance Of Captain Laurence, late
Of the Pacific Steam Whaling COM
pany, who kindly informed me that
along the Yukon delta there existed
peculiar lodestone of wonderful maget-
ism. To me this information was in
valuable, aad / accordingly accepted
his invitation to join the wlalers, who
were soon to leave on an expedition
from Point Barrow.
was little dubious of this adven.
ture, in spite of the promising report
of the delta, for ten years previous my
brother jim, my only surviving rela-
tive, sailed from Point Barrow with
Bob Laurence, q brother CT cur cap
tain. Wild fellows they were, too, and
the result was the wreck of the reveu-
ue cutter and four whaling vessels.
Nine hundred men became castaways,
and eventually perished from hunger
and long exposure on the sterile coast
Of Greenland.
Our voyage was replete with events.
thrilling and dangerous. and in my en-
thusiasm for the whaling business ]
quite forgot my lodestone mission,
when it was brought to bear upon my
mind in a thoroughly disagTeeable
way.
The captain and I were together on
deck, discussing the possibility of max
ing our return down the Yukon river,
thus passing through the gold fields
and lodestone ore, when the engineer.
ing crew appeared before us and an
nounced that the machinery in tho
power room refused to work. None
of the engineers could explain the mys.
terry; it really seemed inexpiicable.
Soon the steam died away, but strange
the vessels speed increased, and be-
gan registering as high as 270 knots
an hour
1t was indeed a ship at sea. What
direction we were going it was impos-
sible to tell, for the compass didn't
show. But with a glass | saw at dis
tance mountain of dark color, and
the secret of our speed was revealed.
We were within the precincts Of the
great Lodestone Mountain, that both
the explorers, Ross and Franklin, be-
lieved to be near the Pole, surrounded
by waters presumably unnavigable.
| knew that when we arrived within
a certain distance, the attraction of
this Mogul Magnet would be SO power
full that the vessel would be crushed
to pieces against it. A hasty examina-
tion was made of the vessel; nothing
could be done to avoid a disastrous
landing, for the hull was of heavy iron,
of the ordinary build, with fa3telings
Of steel.
We therefore thought no more of the
vessels safety, but of how to avoid
the death shock which most assuredly
would come to us all. Necessity was
the mother of invention in this case.
An avenue of escape was suggested
by a British sailor, who, through fear
had already suspended himself three
feet from the floor by catching to Il
rubber strap that hung from the cell
ing Within half an hour we had a
strap each, and were dangling in mid
, air when the crash came. 1t was a
crash indeed, for one side of the YES
sci was firmly embedded in the ada
mant With the exception of Cool,
who sustained a slight shock, every
man aiightcd on the mountain bank
/ unhurt.
We succeeded in reaching the top
of the mountain, where millions OF
grouse few gaily enough around and
|. in advance Of the party, stopped and
rubbed my eyes. as well | might.
There, not twenty yards in front.
placed in q charming situation under
group of oyerhanging cliffs, was the
cozy habitation of a cliff-dweiler!
What the dickens." exclaimed l..
Can this be mountain of cliff dwell
ers?"
Even as | said it, from an aperture
in the rock there limped out Rip Van
, Wrinkle looking fellow. clothed in q
beautiful cloak of duck breasts, and
with a glorious crown of white locks.
| thought l must nave got touch OF the
sun. How did he ever get here? Be.
| sides, he was alone. for VIC could cas-
| lily see all over the mountain. I stared
| and stared. and so did the other men.
and just at that instant the captain
came up from the rear.