Show I ALASKA HOUSES OE LOGS AXD I MOSS The town of Forty Miles in latitude 64 degrees 25 minutes 5 seconds and longi tude 140 degrees 31 minutes 7 seconds is situated on an island at the mouth of Forty Mile Creek where the creek emp ties into the Yukon The town is on the west bank of the Yukon and is oneHalf miles from the Alaska line by way of Forty Mile creek and thirtynine miles to the line by going down the Yukon to Boundary creek It has now about 121 houses most of them being cabins built of logs but very comfortable The first round of logs is put on solidly on the ground and on top of each succeeding round of logs after they have been hewn or straightened there is laid a heavy coating of moss When the next round is notched it it put in place on top of the moss and so on until the top Is reached Then poles are put on for the roof moss is laid on top of them anu over the moss is thrown mud or dirt As the heavy weight settles the moss is pressed and makes the cracks between the logs airtight The windows are put in double thus forming a space for dead air which keeps the frost out Old prospectors pros-pectors say that these are the very best houses that can be built to keep their inmates warm At present there are at Forty Mile one store one hotel two res taurants one bakery thrae saloons a small brewery and one blacksmith and tin shop The supply of bachelors is large Alaska News |