‘Snow Screw’ May
Revolutionize
Arctic Tactics
BOISE, Idaho, UR— A vehicle
that “screws” its way over deep
snow is scheduled to show its
stuff Saturday at Wallowa, Ore.
The machine—called a “spiral
track snow tractor”— is likely to
revolutionize military tactics in
the arctic, the Idaho Military Dis
trict says. It was invented by
Leonard Ferguson of Wallowa and
financed by M/Sgt Junior Carper
of the IMD in Boise.
Most snow - traveling vehicles
utilize tank-type tractor treads,
which distribute the weight of the
vehicle and tend to keep it on top
of the snow.
But, Carper says, tread vehicles
will stall in snow more than five
feet deep—something the “snow
screw” won’t do.
Instead of tracks, the vehicle is
mounted on two revolving drums.
Each of these is 11 feet long and
30 inches in diameter. Welded to
the drums are spiraling cleats
which make e„ch cylinder look
like a giant screw.
The drums are mounted parallel
to the direction of travel. Then,
as they revolve toward each other,
they “screw” the vehicle forward.
The IMD says an experimental
model weighing 2,600 pounds has
operated at maximum efficiency
in snow more than five feet deep.
It travels 12 miles an hour and
can climb a 20 percent grade, says
Ferguson.
Because the drums are hollow,
the vehicle will float on water. On
snow, the drums sink about six
inches below the snow’s surface.
Home to the U.S.A.
After 32 Years Outside
VANCOUVER OP)—An immigra
tion official returns to his native
United States at the end of the
year, having spent virtually all
his 32 years of service outside the
continental USA.
E. L. St. Martin, officer in
charge of U.S. immigration here
for the last five years, says he be
lieves his record of “outside ser
vice is the longest ever compiled
by a member of the immigration
department.
He becomes officer in charge at
Tacoma on Jan. 1.
St. Martin joined the depart
ment at Rainier, Minn. He worked
there only 1^ months—his only
service within the U.S. He was
posted to Winnipeg, Man., for
nearly four years and at Skagway, ■
Alaska, for six years. For 15 years
he was officer in charge at Vic
toria.
Nome Directory
NOME ROTARY CLUB
George Bayer, Pres.
Joe Kroninger, Sec.
Thursday Luncheon
Northwestern Alaska
Chamber of Commerce
Meets Every Tuesday Noon
DR. FRED M. LANGSAM, Pres.
ALASKA CHAPTER NO. 1
Order of Eastern Star
Meets 1st & 3d Monday of each month.
□Beverly Morgan
Worthy Matron
Helen Dunbar
Secretary
ANVIL LODGE
No. 140
Harry A. Lewis,NV.M.
Norvin W. Lewis, Secy.
I Met Is 1st and 3d Thursday each month.
SCORCHY SMITH
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