Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-12
pHoNoGRAPH IN ARcTIcS.
Traveller Played One For Eskimos, But
Found They Know Choruses.


Found They Know choruses.
According to time-honored custom.
when the uncivilized tribes in the far
off corners of the globe are sudden
~ introduced to a modern invention.
they fall down and worship the con-
traption as a deity. But such Is not
always the case, according to w. Nd.
Thompson, Of st. Michael, Alaska, who
claims to have undertaken the task OF
awning the natives Of Northern Siberia
with a photograph, and is not averse
to telling Of the schemes dismal fail
ure. -.
1T was along in the early spring Of
1904" says Mr.. Thompson, who was
occupying one of the lobby chairs at
the Seattle during the telling of his
tale, that my two partners and
were figuring on what we could do to
make some easy money. Things were
rather quiet around st. Michael, the
first boats from the states not yet hav-
ing come in as the ice had not broken
up sufficiently. and we thought our
wits might turn up a few thousand dol
lars of easy money. Finally we hit on
the scheme of separating Siberian ma
tives from their stores Of valuable
skins and walrus ivory in exchange for
the inexpensive but gaudy beads and
junk that we could get at the trading
companies stores. So we outfitted
small schooner with enough supplies
to last during the summer cruise, and
laid in a fine stock of trade to tempt
the village beaux and bellies.
But the piece de resistance we had
in mind was one Of those old one
cylinder Edison graphophones with
the horn. This was to be our magic,
and with the 'god-box' on our side, the
aboriginal David Harums could be In
duced to come down few notches IN
their demands. So we bought the ma
chine and a few records, which were
SO old that have forgotten the titles
of any of them. But they were the
kind that had preliminary introduce
ton by the company before the band
started to scratch out the tune in |
question. This outfit cost us $40, and
we figured we could make 1t return |
about $1,000 in dividends before the
summer was over.
80 we sailed with our hopes high. |
and soon made the north coast of ST. |
IBERIA, on the Bering sea, and skirted |
good sized village, and then anchored.
As usual the natives came out in their
kayaks or skin canoes, and climbed
aboard to see what our business was.
The old chief was the first to greet US.
delivering cultural address of well
come, and after the rest of the cere-
monies were over. we decided to spring
our big card. So we hauled out the
wound 1t up and put on
the record showing the least signs Of
wear. The first stanza Of TN the Shade
of the Old Apple Tree" came out ac-
cording to Hoyle. and the crowd was
still standing. There were smiles on
their faces. as If they were waiting for
and when the chorus began
we got the surprise Of our lives. Every
one of those unwashed denizens Of the
Arctic circle hipped len with the Choir
US and sang 1t to perfection.
when we recovered enough to ask
question, we iuunG OF. that |. mis-
Bionary in the interior had grapho-
phone and the natives had been listen
Ing to the records 70 rthe last year, and
knew them all by heart, But we traded
The machine off TO the chief for q
couple Of blue fox pelts that brought a
neat little profit on the machine any
way. But the next fellow that tells mo
Of the wild savage tribes burying
their faces in the dirt when new
il shown them will have
% tell good one."--Seattle Post In
.elligenoer. u. 55.s
4 - A. 49,