Evening star., 1936-01-12

OcuNeTy IEOtu 0dIlBeIs no IcQucSL IOS
aid has ever gone unanswered.
Why the name, "Wamcats"2
WASHINGTON ALASKA MIL
w ITARY CABLE AND TELE.
GRAPH SERVICE-that is the Of
ficial designation of the communica-
ton chain which continuously links
our National Capital with that vast
territory Of the Yukon. Combine the
first letter Of each word in the title
Of that organization and you will
shake hands with the source Of the
curious yet euphonious name OF
''Wamcat."
Some might call the Wamcats sol-
diers of fortune, but it is evidently
the charm of romance which really
attracts them instead of the gold or
gemstones which they might win as
rewards of their courage and grit.
Throughout the Army and Navy
there is no group of men who equal
the Wamcats in so far as disinterest in
pay checks is concerned. They either
forget or neglect to cash their checks
to the confusion of Signal Corps pay
masters. Where they live mans
needs are few but outstanding; his
wants above sheer necessities are rel
atively negative. Yet these Wamcats
present strange anomaly; they have
little need for money yet they regu-
larly pan gold as a profitable amuse-
ment and diversion. Nearly every
radioman in Alaska pays for whatever
necessities he needs with grains and
dust from his leather gold poke:
simultaneously he allows his Army
pay to accumulate in the banks Our
northernmost soldiers not only re-
trieve gold from streams, they also
mine cinnabar, the chief ore of mer-
curry. as well as small amounts Of
| platinum.
FOLKS who double in brass" in
everyday like are not uncommon.
The Wamcats, however, are many
laps ahead of the "duals" in that
they play the roles of four or five or
even six under one and the same hat.
Take, for example, the case Of the
Government radio operator at Point
Barrow. Although he ranks only as
an enlisted man on the Army roster,
he is also justice of the peace, con.
stable, mayor Of the town, chief
greeter. and commanding officer and
trained garrison at that particular
post. Because Of the scarcity Of
trained and educated white men in
Alaska. Uncle Sam permits his sol.
dierS to add to their meager pay by
filling various civil positions which
otherwise might not be occupied at
their remote and little populated
posts. The average Wamcat is proud
Of this distinction and the prestige
attached to his different duties. Just
another reason why he IS loath to
vacate his military and civil connec-
tions in Alaska when given the
chance for promotion and higher
Army pay in other Of our insular pos
sessions.
Some $50. 900 900 worth of fish sales
are consummated annually between
Alaska fishermen and Gamers and
mainland dealers and consumers by
radio, with the Wamcats serving as
the official communicators. Then, one
should not forget the $400, 1000, 900 in
! gold and the many millions of dollars
worth Of valuable fur pelts and seal
skins which have been sold to Ameri.
can buyers by the Wamcats. Their
quotations on fish and fur often gov.
ern worldwide markets.
South of the Aleutian Islands zone
of the coast of Alaska in the Behring
Sea is the hatchery Of many Of the
! widest and most destructive storms,
which race and rage in deSpoiling fury
over the expansive map of these
United States. Seasoned meteorolo-
gists of the United States Weather
Bureau keep tab on daily weather
conditions in that rigorous Northland
and speed the news Of billiards or
windstorms which are incubating in
the latitude of the Arctic Circle to
Seattle and San Francisco. whence
the reports are relayed to all parts Of
the country. Justification for main.
tenance of the Wamcats in Alaska is
found in their weather warnings to
mainland centers which are likely to
be most seriously crippled by the on
rushing storms.
The United States Weather Bureau
representatives in Alaska are on the
job daily making observations of tenn
perature, wind direction and velocity
and dew point. These data, as soon
as compiled, are sped by radio to
the focal station at Seward. There all
the reports are consolidated and re-
layed to San Francisco. Eight o'clock
] in the morning is the deadline. All
the Alaskan weather data for any
given day must reach San Francisco
by that hour in order that the FORE
casters at that seaport may use the
vital information in making their
official weather predictions.
IRON the first Of December until
middle of January perpetual
darkness reigns at Point Barrow, our
farthest point North and one of the
most northerly radio stations extant,
located at It's degrees north latitude.
Then the lamp of daylight" the
CONTINUED on Eleventh Page.)