The Nome daily nugget., 1912-01-12
SEVERAL YEARS AGO ART GIBSON
 WAS AFTER !CE-bHEAkIkG S.S.

The attention uf Npmcfte- hair- talled to the introduction of an ice breaking steamer for keeping open navigation the year round to Nomr romethins quite modern. pr new departure from the ordinary But we herewith repubhsh an article gotten up by Arthur Gibson. the local civil and mechanical engineer several years ago that should prove interesting reading at the present time and give to the general public a better Insight to what an ice-breaking steamer real ly ,s. and can accomplIsh.-Editor.
 run between Dutch Hrabor and Nome. AlasKa, and to make two round trips per nicnth during the winter season.
 ice~l rocking or ice-crushing steam CTS have been successfully built and operated for the last 25 or 90 years in Sweden and Russia and for the last II or I2 years two ice-breakers have been keeping the Straits of Mackinaw open between Mackinaw City and St Ignace. Mich.. during the otherwise closed season of four (4) months each years :(winter). a distance of eight Cs) miles and never had a break down nor other accident but have been in continuous operation and they have at times forced their way through ice measuring as much as rom 9 10 90 feet below the water surface. This proposed lee breaker differs from these last abovs mem toned in that the same must as well he an ocean going vessel. The Russian ice-breaker Ermack, the largest and most powerful Of It's kind in the world. made a cruise during July and August, 1899. through 230 miles Of polar ice averaging BE knots forcing its way through plain ice II feet mick and mountainous ridges that stood az much as 1s feet above and 442 feet below the water surface oSee a-ricle in Strand Magazine. February, laOO). Her fpeed in open water IS l5E lots with 5000 horsepower The har- blrs of Gothcnburg and Stockholm. sweden. and St Petersburg, Russia, a-e, kept oper for navigation every entire winter through the aid Of ice breakers.
 The ice conditions in Ber.ne sea ie by. far less severe than encountered in. the Baltic sea principally on ac- count of the water in said Baltic sea although not fresh. but containing only a small percentage of salt com pared with the water in Bering sea. and Furthermore there are no cur rents in the Baltic and consequently the ice remains where il freezes. which condition Is revese n Boring sea The temperature over there Is about the same as here in this portion of Alaska. The shore ice along the coast of Boring sea is the heaviest, and during the last nine t9) years the plain ice at distance of from lk to miles outside of Nome. Alaska. has never exceeded feet in thickness. whereas 1t seldom exceeds ,feet. ex- cept where the ice has been windrow- ed into ridges of small or limited ex- tent and of from 10 10 20 feet in thickness. this ice is by no means solid and can easily be forced by re- peafed charges. if necessary. of the ice- breaker or by. going around them. The. stretch between Dutch Harbor and St. Lawrence island is free from anything but very light ice during the: entire winter with the exception of the months of April and May when flakes of drift ice will be encountered. but these will cause no obstruction