Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

The ground was frozen SO that mining
could not be carried on. Since then,
might remark parenthetically, winter
mining methods have been developed; but
i'm those days of Nome's first winter all
hands turned their entire attention to de-
vising means for entertainment.
Set coo husky. active, lively, adven-
turous Americans to the task OF amusing
themselves and their neighbo and You
are certain to have bizarre results. We
had some. No one need pity US for our
isolated condition. There are many OF US
who look back tn that winter a. the hap
piest OF our lives.
Popular imagination OF n new mining
camp i of rough, lawless and ignorant
men assembled in 4 crude community,
knowing nothing of. caring nothing for,
tide gentler things Of life. IL Is Il wrong
conception our colony ut Nome was
drawn from every walk Of life. II con-
tanned some of the most cultivated and
best bred people to he met with IN any
society. Dress suits for evening affairs
we're by no means uncommon in Nome
society. nor are they today. But We Were
all thrown. by force Of our isolation and
mutual dependence. into splendid
than the worst. in US came TO the sur
iace.
1t was not community wholly oil men.
There were many women in the camp,
wives and daughters of the men who were
pioneering in modern fashion, intrepid
single women seeking, on an equal level
with the men, their fortunes and often
finding them. Then there were children.
scores OF them, healthy, bright-eyed
youngsters who throve on the keen arctic
air and overlooked with animal spirits.
Early In the days of our isolation we
got together and organized town gov
eminent. We had no charter to do nc
authority from any Legislative body what
soever. but by mutual consent we chos,
officers for q iull-fledged municipality. de
vised a code of municipal regulations 70,
the preservation of peace and health
taxed ourselves to pay the expenses
thereof. and got along most comfortably,
IL was natural. then. that community eff
fort should be resorted to often in the
great matter of amusing ourselves.
When Christmas approached a com
mttee of representative citizens was sol
EMMY appointed to take charge of ar
ranging an adequate celebration. Its
members threw themselves into the work
with enthusiasm, and some m stery. Ger
tain features of the program Were care
fully concealed from the multitude
First d delegation was sent inland
equipped with dog sleds and provisions. t,
find a Christmas tree No timber grows
about Nome. The expedition had tC
journey 300 miles over the frozen snow
before il found a tree that. in point OF
size and beauty, satisfied the members
II was magnificent pine, some thirty OF
forty feet high Carefully. to avoid in
juring any OF the limbs, il was hauled by
dog teams go miles back To camp.
"Out on the smooth ice of Boring sea
facing the town, a great pyramid OF
blocks of sawn ice was erected. This
pyramid. rising tier on tier Of blocks. was
some thirty-five feet high. on top of il
was erected an icy throne for Santa
Claus, the tree was put up and most Law
ishly decorated, and the whole was sur
mounted by a great silk American flag.
ION Christmas eve. by direction Of tn,
committee thu. whole town marched on
and massed itself in a great circle abou
the pyramid Ii was an impressive sight
All of us, OF course, were attired i'll furs
every sort Of fur known being repre-
scented in the various garments, for til,