The Washington times., 1915-03-04
COIN CAME "HEADS,"
DIDN'T GO TO WAR
0hioan, Who Went to Alaska In
stead Of Fighting, Returns
After Sixteen Years.

CLEVELAND. March 7-Sixteen years
ago a young Clevelander who had love
Of adventure In his heart dipped a coin.
Heads. to Alaska; tails. to war"
Heads" won. and that's how Uncle
Sam lost q volunteer In the Spanish
American unplcasantness.
But sixteen years Of life in the North.
west has brought Ben G. Goodman q
wealth of experience which would hard
ly have been equaied in the brief Pc
Rod American troops were In Cuba.
He has just presented to the Western
Reserve Historical Society . remarkable
collection Of Alaskan relics. principally
Eysr %sds mad: BY Ess%Ss Eek cos.ct,o, ha,
history and In many instances repre-
sents great money value because Of its
rarity. This 10 particularly true OF the
ivory carvings and the ingenious pieces
wrought out Of walrus tusks.
Makes Own Tools.
"All the tools necessary to carve these
figures are madc by the natives and are
Just a. curious in their way a. the re-
suits they produce" said Mr.. Goodman.
The collection includes an assortment
Of knives. hints. and q crude ads that.
despite its primitive appearance. 10 en-
ployed to execute the exquisite carv'
ings.
Russian trading pipe. which Illustrates
one OF their customs OF barter.
The pipe has q slender brass stem,
probably eight inches In length. This
mos pack skins down closely until the
pile reaches the height OF the pipe. The
fur skins are then traded for the pipe.
This particular specimen has a stone
bowl which Mr. Goodman believes ID
prehistoric.
Smokes Reindeer Hair.
The Eskimo's smoking tobacco. he
says. consists Of reindeer hair and the
fungus Of birch bark. thereby insurins
q fragrant odor. The native 10 fond OF
snuff. too. as shown by birch bark snun
boxes.
=. ,E:k'mo r.! women won nj" have extremely .m.,
needle case and thimbic." said Mr.
Goodman. as he held up an ivory case
containing a series Of leather strips. A
tiny thimble. less than . half an Inch
in diameter was attached to one strip.
adornment is found in the use Of labret.
small objects made Of sivory piaced
through a slit IN the lower LID, for the
same reason that civilissd women wear
earrings.
4 necklace Of crab teeth is snothe,
decoration tho Eskimo belle dons when
she wishes to appear real smart in the
eyes OF some OF the northaand cavaliers
Equal rights among the sexes prevail
says Mr.. Goodman. and tho bestowal oi
a ''parkie" qr fur garment by either a
man or woman upon another IL equiva-
lent to a marriage ceremony. Either has
the right Of veto. however.
Birds Eyes For Bait.
The implements Of the hunting and
fishing crafts by wAich these people live
are shown In the hsrpoons and the fish.
ing outfits.
Here is q line Of whalebone. made OF
that strong material. SO 1t will not break
when dropped through a hole In the ice
The lures on the bait are the eyes OF
birds, and the remainder consists OF
ivory and a lead point" said Mr.
Goodman.
A copper knife made by a blond Es.
kimo. one of the tribe discovered by
Explorer Stefanssun. Is shown in tho
collection.
Mr.. Goodman does not believe tina,
Explorer Stefansson has been lost.
II think that he has been rnaroone6
on the big ice and that We shall hear
from him In the spring"
Mr.. Goodman travelled for a time with
tho Stefansson party last spring. Hi
Alaskan home 10 at Nome.