El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-09-23

I
miles across country from the northern
terminus OF the railway Uncle sam Is
now binding. They lie about three miles
from the banks OF the Tanana river. and
upon landing ] was able to Get a hay
wagon To carry me across TO the town
near the springs
Hot Springs Near Town.
Nearing the town We drove over a
corduroy bridge. crossing a creek that
flows into the Tanana. and stopped at
the post office. which Is a wire cage
inside a galvanized iron store building
belonging TO the Northern Commercial
company We were now In a town
OF several hundred inhabitants The
houses are mostly log cabins and three
American flags floating from high poles
above them showed the patriotism OF the
inhabitants. Not far from the post Of
flee was the ruins Of a hotel which was
4 winter and summer resort until It was
burned a short time ago.
Warm Ground Around Spring.
Coming to the steaming brook that
flows from the spring we passed a chick
en- and hog shed about 400 feet in length.
1t Is vacant now from the burning OF the
hotel, but when business was booming
It's owner kept there $50 hens. 80 ducks
and 20 pigs. He had also % horses and
eight cows and a bull. The sheds were
cut out of the hill from which the spring
comes. The ground is SO hot that it
kept the poultry and other stock IN com
fort throughout the winter. and that
without the stoves necessary to other
parts of Alaska
The water changes the temperature of
the land OF almost the whole farm. The
adjacent hill slopes are a natural hot
bed. Snow falling on the warm ground
thaws so rapidly that the surface Is sell
dom white for more than a couple Of
DAYS at a time. and the frost goes down
only al inch or so. On the edge Of the
warm land young parsnIps have been dug
in March from under the snow. and all
other crops are much in advance OF those
planted farther away
4 little beyond the big chicken coop I
stopped at the foot of a hill where the
springs are. The warm water flows out
at the rate of $50 gallons To the min
ute. It Is a. clear as crystal. but it is
steaming and that at temperature Of
125 degrees Fahrenheit.
Have Hot and Cold Water
Walking down the stream 50 or 40
feet. [ found another brook flowing into
il. and supposed this would be of about
the same temperature, as the one We had
tested ] put IN my hand. The water
was lev cold. The junction OF the two
was such that I was able 10
stand on the fork and put one hand IN
the hot water and the other in the cold
While doing so. l had photograph made.
In stepping back to pose properly. ]
put my foot up TO the
ankle in the hot creek ! ierked 1t out {
quickly for 1 thought it was burned
During my STAY in Alaska I have met /
C. D. SchOfield of Seattle. the owner OF /
some OF the largest springs on the Sc I
ward peninsula. These are more wonder
ful than the springs here. They are sit /
mated about 20 miles north of Nome. at
the foot OF the Saw-Tooth mountains. 1
lust about 80 feet above sea level There
are a number oil them which boil ont oi {
The ground at a temperature OF 100 de- 7,
frees Fahrenheit maintaining the same 4
neat winter and summer. The springs
form a stream called Hot creek that runs I
through a farm Of 800 acres; and the I
neat so affects the temperature OF the I
and that a great part of 1t Is cultivated /
In nv talk with Mr.. Schofield 7 asked !
lim as TO his farm at the springs. He I
-eplied: /
Big Farm Warmed by Hot Springs.
We have 40 acres under cultivation. (
md so more that could be put into /
reps. The whole of this 100 acres = !
Kept warm by the springs and the hot 1
water under the ground II Won die (
Down anywhere inside this tract you viii z
ind hot earth. and the lower YOU 20 the /
hotter 1t gets At a depth OF six feet &
vou cannot hold the earth in your hands. I
There seems to be a strata of hot water 1
mder the whole 100 acres. On the other /
hand the land outside that area Is frozen /