BREAKING THE ICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 11 September 1937, Page 13

BREAKING THE ICE

There are many strange competitions in various parts of the world, but few so odd as the one at Nenana, on the Tanana River in Alaska. The most important thing that happens in this part of the world is the break-up of the river ice in May. From November the river is completely frozen, so you can imagine how eagerly the people look forward to the day when it begins to crack. Indeed they look forward to the actual hour and the minute when the northern Spring begins to free the river. The exact minute of the break-up is discovered in an ingenious manner. A pole, frozen in the ice, lias attached to it wires which are connected with a bell and a clock—making a kind of alarm clock. As soon as the ice starts to break, the pole naturally falls, the bell rings, and the clock stops, showing the precise minute of the break-up. The idea is to find out the winner of the guessing competition, some 75.00 people guessing the precise time of the cracking of the ice. This year a man named Anderson won £15,000 by his exact guess, so you can be sure i.h-n. of all tiie people who cheered when the masses of ice started to move

towards the sea. he cheered the loudest. People who live in more temperate zones cannot appreciate the importance of the Spring break-up of the ice. It is an event that brings happiness to everyone in the district, for the simple reason that practically no business can be done until the ice breaks. Once the f.. oe highway again, business thrives and everyone is merry and