The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, August 17, 1917, Page 4

FOUR o BI SMANCK DAILY TRIBUNE " . THE TRIBUNE Entered at the v-stoffice, Bismat D., as Secoud Class Mi i8SUED EVERY DAY SUBSCRIPTION RATES PAYABLH IN ADVANCE Daily, by mail or carrier, per month o 4.60 Daily, by poet ote . 4.00 ly, by ~ three months .. tees we 1.26 Daily, by mail outside of North Dakota, one year ....... seeeree 6.00 Daily, by mat! outside of North “~ Dako’ three months 1.50 Weekly, by mail, per year...... 1.50 @. LOGAN PAYNE COMPANY Special Foreign Representative MEW YORK, Fifth Ave. Bidg.; CHICAGO, Marquette Bidg.; BOSTON, 8 Winter @t.; DETROIT, Kresge Bidg.; MINNE- APOLIS, 810 Lumber Exchange. __Member_Audit Bureau ton. THN STATE'S OLDEST NEWSPAPER (Established 1872) pe —== —— WEATHER REPORT for 24 hours ending at noon Aug. 17: Temperature at 7:00 a. m a Temperature at noon Highest yesterday . Lowest yesterday Lowest last night Precipitation Highest wind velocity Forecast. For North Dakota: Generally fair tonight and Saturday; cooler in north- east portion tonight and in east por- tion Saturday. Lowest ‘Temperatures Fargo ... - 56 Williston . 60 Grand Forks oA Pierre 64 St. Paul 56 Winnipeg 58 Helena ... 56 Chicago .... 64 50 68 waareod BERTS, Meteorologist. Swift Current Kansas City .. San Francisco ... 2 ORRIS W. eee eee ORES EES ¢ ‘We are all as God made us, “ and often times a great deal + * ° worse.—Cervantes. os She ee eee —— PERSHING’S VERDICT. The more you see and hear of that man John J. Pershing, chosen to head the ‘American arniies in France, the more you become convinced that he is the right man in the right place. To begin with, there is no question of his physical and moral courage. He displayed that abundantly in the ‘Spanish-American war and in the sub- sequent campaigns in the Philippines. As an organizer and disciplinarian, he showed his great ability in the expe- dition into Mex: during which he not only taught his little army the modern war game, but whipped them inté shape as the finest, fittest bunch of American soldiers this country ever had. - But he has other things besides courage and the ability to command He has that quality which is needed in all great leaders of men. He has vision. He has been in France only ashort time. He has already learned to the full the vast job thisy country 1s undertaking. As a result there -is unusual force to some words he spoke recently, words meant for considera- tion and thought by the folk back home, 3,000 miles and more from the scene of war. Here is Pershing’s verdict: “The righteousness of our cause can- not decide this titanic conflict. It is the fibre, the stuff, the grit, the nerve ef the civilian peoples which will de- cide it. Be sure of this. The side which lasts the longest, the side which endures is the side which will give its character to the future of civiliza- tion. The quality of national fibre will decide this war and decide the future of the world.” This is a direct call and challenge to the American people. It means we must steel ourselves to what is to come. In our security, our peace, our Prosperity we have not visualized what war is. By and by the real and grim thing is going to be brougit home to us. ‘Qur papers will be printing rolls ot honor just as do the English and French papers—long lists of officers and privates who have been killed ia action, or who have died from wounds. There will be long lists or missing men whose fate will be unknown— whether they are wounded in some No Man's Land, or captive in some German prison stockade. There will be reverses to be recorded. Our armies, just as those of other nations, will have their ups and downs. They will win brilliant victories. They will sustain bitter defeats. They will ad- vance. They will retreat. ‘When these things happen, there will also come the test of which Persh- dng speaks. France, Fugiand, yes, and Germany, have gallantly stoed all the Shocks of the past three years of bit- ter wer. They have sorrowed over their reverses and then nerved them- elves to carry on to the end. What Frenchmen ang knglishmen and the foe have done, we can do. What they have done we MUST do. The war will not be won alone by the men at the front. It will be won just as much by us back here at home. If we preserve our courage and our faith, if we Steadfastly supply the money and the food and the muni- tions, if we do not whine and complain and falter, the boys at the front will ‘know all is well back here. And all the world knows how men fight when their minds are at ease about the folk at home. EARNESTNESS THAT COUNTS. What is going on in the homes of .| America? ‘What are the plain people thinking of this war into which we have entered to make safe our liber- ties and to make secure the future of our country? The president and the administration officials and the patri- otic members of congress would like to know. ‘Nowhere is there manifested any of the hurrah stuff. There is no wild waving of banners and beating of drums. The passionately enthusiastic days of ’61 and the boyish ardor of 1898, when we remembered the Maine! are not being repeated in 191/. The plain truth is that America is going at this thing very soberly, very earn: estly, even perhaps prayerfully. We have all learned that the days of up-boys-and-at-them stuff have passed. For three years we have been reading and thinking about the horror which is latter day war-making. The 5] glamor, the glitter, the gauds have been stripped from battle. We know now that it is cold, calm, scientitic killing, in. which every invention known to science has been utilized. And yet, knowing these things, fac- ing these things, the heart and the mind of America have not quailed. The same old American spirit is be- ing manifested—without noise, with- out shouting, without boasting. The fact that congress quickly passed the selective conscription act at the request of the president shows that the folk back home willed it so. The fact that all the other war meas- ures asked for by the president were passed, often.by a reluctant congress, shows that the folk ‘back home willea it so. The fact that, despite all the machinations of the proGermans, the peace cranks, and other marplots, hun- dreds of thousands of young Ameri- cans have presented themselves for the service under selective conscrip- tion without putting in exemption claims, shows that the real American is ready to support this war. But there are other tangible proofs, too. The regular army of the United States has been brought up to 300,000 men, 182,000 volunteers having enlist- ed since we went to war. The na- tional guard, 300,000 strong, has been drafted into the regular service. The navy has been raised to over 137,000 men, the marine corps to a war strength of 30,000 and there are 45,000 more in the naval reserve and the na- tional naval volunteers. This makes a total of about 800,000 men—without counting a single man who will be brought into service by selective con- scription and without counting the hundreds of thousands of young men who,, offered themselves to. yegular army, militia and navy and were re- jected for physical and other reasons. All of these facts should hearten the president, the administration, the congress and the people themselves. It tells all of us what all of us have wanted to know. If we needed assur- ance, here it is. If we needed re- newal of our faith in the sound heart of America, here it is. TAXATION PROBLEM, Many counties are asking additions and other deductions in assessments. The board is confronted with the in- evitable difficulties and problems aris- ing out of the pressing need for rev- enue to defray an ever increasing tax bill. In adjusting the load, surely the ability of the various counties to stand increases becomes a very vital issue. Crop conditions have varied in North Dakota. Some sections are more able to meet the need for additional rev- enue than others. The board of equal- ization surely will take this into con- sideration. Lands in the Red River Valley, in comparison to those in the newer counties, are under rather than over assessed. Grand Forks county, for in- stance, asks for reductions ot more than two million. But the board is in cfose touch with the value of agricultural lands. The present administration is reputed to ‘be nearer to the farmer than any in the history of the state. Surely the equalizers will fix an equable tax on farm lands, guided by its wisdom of values and crop conditions, DEDICATE YOURSELVES, ‘Women must bear the brunt of war at home. It is not any easy task. Just hard, crushing grief and added responstbili- ties in most cases. But there is a way to rise above the burdensome exigencies that war im- poses upon every home, especially dif- ficult to bear when loved ones have gone to die on foreign shores in ims battle for international freedom. The Red Cross society is the me- dium through which to ease the spirit and employ talents to succor those who have gone to fight the greatest battle in the world’s history. Bismarck has given generousiy, but the call comes now not for money, but for workers—women who can knii and sew—so that our boys may not suffer from the cold as the winter closes in on them. The need is urgent. Don’t wait to be asked. Communt- cate with any officer of the Red Cross chapter, and DO IT NOW. an ee ee > 2 = SYNOPSIS, CHAPTER I—Robert Iollis, one-time sea captain, who t the story, is a guest on Gerald Ca:ricton’s yacht, Es- meralda. It ia suppose to be a “stag” arty and Hollis is ised on Ing @ woman, who evidently wishes to re- main unknown, abouts, CHAPTER II—Hollis, the next night, succeeds in having an interview with the woman. She merely tells him her name is Vera. CHAPTER UI—Carrington tells his guests of the coming war, and that ae is engineering a copper pt. CHAPTER IV—The yacht is sunk in a collision and ‘Hollis saves Mc- Cann, millionaire, and one of the par- ty. CHAPTER V——Hollis and McCann rescue Vera and leave the ship in a small ‘boat. RY, Gis fist EMMpPSe WET éver'have of her,” I answered bitterly, forgetting myself in anger, “The d—— brutes think more of a few dollars than our lives, But we'll make a fight just the same, Come, wake up, McCann! Aft with you—oh, yes, you can; crawl along the rail; once beyond the cabin there’s good foothold. Tl not let you fall—good! the better sailor of the two.” I held the lantern in my teeth, and clambered after them. It was a thirty- foot climb, but the rail stanchions made a falr ladder, ;iving good hand and foot hold, although occasionally , the hulk beneath us rolled so heavily, in the sea as to bring us to a pause, clinging grimly to the tarred rope in order to retain our balance, Twice I thought the doomed yacht was actu- ally going down, as under the blow of some swell she leaned heavily to star- board, giving glimpse of the black water just below where we clung s0| desperately,’ Yet with sodden, sick-; ening motion, like the last painful ef- fort of a-dying creature, she managed! to right herself once more, every tim-| ber groaning in agony, the salt spume of the sca blown into our faces, Once beyond the overreach on the cabin wé found opportunity to stand erect, gripping the iron supports which had sustaincd the awning above the; after deck. In the dim rays of the lan- tern tlie scene was one of utter wreck and desolation. “There had been four | boats hung in davits above the rails; two of’ them were gone; one hung trail- ing overboard,,.half submerged, with the bow still swinging,.to-the tackle; the fourth had been smashed into kin- | dling. I staggered across to: where I, could look down at the dangling craft, | holding my lantern out over the rail. It was broken amidships and useless, but- jammed under a thwart lay aj man’s body; the gleam of light rested , on the upturned face, and I recognized with horror the features of Fosdick, Sickened, covering my eyes with one | arm, I clung to the shattered rail, com- ; pletely unnerved. The voice of the girl aroused me, brought me back to! manhood. “Mr. Hollis, the dory {s still here!” CONTRABAND’ ARomance of the North Atlantic | 6 RANDALL PARRISHA “AUTHOR of "NY LADY of the NORTH,” MAID j| hulk under us. Now, my lady, | | You are| us in the glow of light, brought back; COPYRIGHT A Meceuné m60}) ‘the FOREST," ETC, and unite To Yocate the sound, wc Cann was crouching against the cabin, but. the woman, aided by the flag. locker, had crept aft, and now leaned out over the stern raf] and was point- ing eagerly down into the black water. I worked my. way cautiously forward ; to where she clung, the lantern swung overside, its small ring of light giving me view of the whole uptilted. stern, The dory, which had evidently been left trailing astern, was actually afloat, although half» filled, and) her oars, | jammed securely under a thwart, were‘ still in place, The position of the vessel, the water- j logged condition of the smaller craft, told me at a glance the whole story. What was left of the crew of the Es- imeralda, together with those guests who had lived to attain the deck, had made their escape in the two missing boats—they would -hold twenty each, | and were strong and :seaworthy. No, doubt the smashed one there had been | lowered first, but the tackle jammed, ' and in the wreck Fosdick had been killed. The others had clambered aboard the two left, leaving him crushed behind. | The sight of the little craft, stanch | and buoyant, bobbing about just below} my courage. Ay, there was a chance’ here; we could get free of the doomed yacht; we were not to perish ‘like’ | drowning rats, helplessly. ‘To be sure,| jf the boat. was a small one, a mere; ? dinghy intended for use in smooth wa-! ters; wliy they had continued trailing’ it ustern so far at sea a mystery ;| yet it would bear the three of us unless a storm arose, There was no time to) seek elther blankets cr provisions, nor was there any fresh water to be had— but at least we need not go down with the ship. We had still a hope of res-} cue, a fighting chance—Go@ be thanked ; for that! My hand closed over hers as ‘she turned and looked at me. Neverin any eyes have I seen such glimpse of steady courage, “The boat 1s strong, stanch;. she. will carry us, Mr. Hollis?” “Ay ! this ‘Is better than I dared hope. But there is no time to lose; the yacht is’ settling fast—see those’ bubbles of air! Why, I can, almost feel the! droop of the planks, beneath my. feet. | Here, McCann, bear|a hand! Pull your-! self up by that flag locker; now get a; grip here, Are youisailor enough to; slide down that ;ope?” He stared at ‘the’ boat, bobbing up and down on tue black water, with lackluster eyes, Rib “It—it. will sin,” he half sobbed, —It Is almost full’ of water.” * “Sink nothing!” my disgest rising | beyond control. “It, will hold twice! your weight. Uown with you, and bail. ' Then stand by to help the lady. Over you go, my 1d, if I have to pitch you headlong; this is no time to argue the matter. Will you try it quietly?” He stared up into my face, but his fear of me must have been greater than of the lapping water below, for the strands of the rope slipped through i} I swept the lantern about, confused, his fingers, and_an_instant later he ‘hand, as lightly as a satlor. clambered into the bow of the, boat, and sank onto his knees in the water. To my relief the dory did not sink greatly beneath his weight, the wuter shipped proving searcely ankle deep. It would support the three of us with- out builing. he yacht rolled to star- board, fairly burying her rail. I thought she would never rise again, and my arms clasped the girl to hold aer bteady. Then the hulk rose slowly, painfully, like a giant struggling: for one lust breath, No words can describe the dead, sodden feeling of the sinking CHAPTER VI. Adrift in the Boat. To cling there longer, to delay another momént, would be sticide. 1 leaned far over and looked down at the dinghy now rising and falling on the swell caused by :the plunge of the yacht. McCann was upon his kneés clinging to the gunwales, his face turned upward pleadingly toward the light, “Catch this lantern, McCann,” I called down to him sharply. “I will swing it to you on the end of a rope. Easy, man! Now throw off the lash- ing, and make the glim secure on the thwart behind you; better tie it to/ the lock. Good; you'll make a sailor yet. Now listen: work your boat over until you can get a grip on the rudder chains, and hold her steady—yes, to She Went Down the Rope Hand Over Hand. your right; use one of the oars. Now hang on—I’m going to send the lady down; stand by to give her a hand.” He did as I bade him in a fashion, but was so awkward about at, I won- dered the boat kept upright. Satisfied, I glinced aside at my silent companion. “Not a very easy gangway, ‘but the best we have. Are you afraid?” She'’smiled. ae: “Not in the least, Mr. Hollis; these skirts are a nuisance, but I can climb like a boy. Help me keep my balance on the rail.” She was over so quickly I can scarce- ly recall more than clasping her arm and she went down the rope hand over By the time she reached the boat, her body was half submerged in the water, but McCann gave her his hand, and assist- : ed in dragging her in over the side, “fT am all right, Mr. Hollis,” she ' called in her clear, steady voice. “Now you come—come, quick !” “Just_a_second more,” I answered, The Patience of Job “Here te the #1n6; haul {t fo.” Get out your arg, ‘Mc€snn, and pull. Don't wait, of you'll be sucked down when the yacht sinks, Never mind me; I'll jump from the rait, and swim out to you.” -..... I climbed onto the rail, gripping an tron stanchion for support, and poised myself for the plunge. The boat, sur- sounded by its little eircle of light, drifted’ away, McCann awkwardly struggling with the heavy oars, The lantern rays fell full on the girl’s up- turned face, and once she held out her hands in pleading» gesture. It could scireely have’ been a minute I hest- tated, yet suddenly beneath me came} a sound of rending wood, a muffled ‘ex- plosfon, and the deck reeled as though burst asunder, I leaped straight out- ward, and went splashing down into the sea, I must have sunk deeply, for I felt no swirl of the waters; no suction, but when I’ came again to the surface, nothing was visible but the bobbing lantern on the dinghy. The Esmeralda | had disappeared. A faint ery reached me, and I answered it, striking out strongly toward the guiding Nght. Five ininutes later, dripping and a bit ex- hausted—for I had been ashore a long while—I managed to clamber in over the stern. Even as I rested breathless on the thwart, I realized that the girl had crept aft, and her hands sought mine. “Oh, I am so glad,” she sobbed, al- most hysterically, “I was afraid; I— 1 thought you went down with the yacht.” “No such luck, ‘1 jumped just as her decks blew up. Is there anything in sight?” “I—I haven't looked ; but there is no sound, no light anywhere. Do you suppose the steamer has really left us?” “I have no doubt of it,” I answered, but stood up so as to see about more clearly. “They supposed all who lived had been picked up, and then continued on their course.” My eyes ranged the horizon, but I found nothing. We were afone on the great ocean in the grasp of the black night. I sat down again dazed for the instant by the immensity of the wa- ters, the utter loneliness, and the sud- den realization of the littleness of this cockleshell in which we floated. Her voice aroused me to a comprehension that I alone was a sailor, aud that on me depended every chance for life. “Do you know, Mr. Hollis, where we are?” “Not exactly, YI heard the captain state the position of the yacht yester- day noon, about one hundred and fifty miles east and south of Montauk; we have drifted some since.” “Are we in the steamer lanes?” “Not of the north Atlantic lMners; they would pass farther eastward. I cannot imagine what that fellow who rammed us was doing up in here so far out of his course. Yes, that was a Mner; I could see the lNghts of her ports, The only vessel passing along here will be coasters, or, by luck, pos- sibly some tramp bound Boston way. Now let’s see what fs on board; try the locker forward;' and Miss Vera; you’ might examine beneath the stern sheet. This boat has never been inboard since we sailed.” They went at the task as though glad of the opportunity, McCann creep- ing forward on hands and knees. “There's nothing here,” he reported discouragingly, “but a roll of tarpau- lin, some rope ends, and the splintered handle of a paddie.” “Well, what more do we want? That means a sail, if we can make a hole in one of the thwarts to step a mast. How much cloth is there?” Two or three yards.” “Pass it back here; good, solid stuff that. Now, Miss Vera, what are your discoveries?” s She looked up quickly, her eyes tern, “A bag of sea-biscult, a small beaker of water, insipid, but sweet, some strong cord, and a brad awl.” “Lord!” I exclaimed, “this is almost too good to be true. Why, we are out- fitted for a voyage. However, there is little use endeavoring to rig up.a jury mast before daylight, when we know in which direction to steer. McCann, you haven't been overhoard, and, no doubt, your watch runs; what time is it?” He fumbled about and found the timepiece, staring at it in amazement. “Must have stopped, Hollis,” he said. “No, by jove, the thing is running all right; the hands point to 1:30.” “That's about the hour. The colli- sion occurred before eight bells, or else Seeley would have been on the bridge, instead of aft by the cabin. Have you any idea who was saved?” “I heard the captain’s voice back there under the awning, ordering out the boats, and after I was caught under that wreckage Carrington came up from below and climbed along the rail. I called to him, but he paid no atten- tion; there was considerable noise then, and he might not have heard me.” Vera was leaning forward listening. “Did Mr. Seeley leave in the boats?” she asked. “Was he hurt?” T tried to stop him from answering by a gesture of my hand, but the man was gazing out over the port quarter, and saw nothing. “Seeley—the second mate? No, he didn’t get away. The same spar that got me, caught him, and he never spoke after that; seemed like a nice fellow, too,” Her face was like marble in the lamp- light. “He was killed! Then it was be cause he was killed he did not unlock my door; I—I am glad I know.” She buried her face in her hands, and sat there motionless. There was nothing I could do, or say, for I had no conception as to what the man was to her—lover, husband, father, friend? Truly only the last relationship ap- peared possible, for seemingly there could be no closer ties between the two. They were clearly not of the same class, yet the girl’s sorrow was evidently, real and genuine, sparkling in the dim gleam of the lan-| + FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1917 7 — To Weileve my Talad, T compelled Me Carin:to pick up a‘pahakin, which had lodged under a thwart, and bail out. the boat. He crept about, grumbling to himself, but did a fairly good job. ‘As no. water oozed in.through the seams, we were soon floating with much greater buoyancy, the planking under foot rapidly drying. ° The night was dark and thiek, but without rain. My wet clothes clung ‘to me in discomfort, yet I had no reason to fear evil results, as the alr was warm, end the salt water had its own virtue. ‘It was a gray, ghastly morning, the sky overcast, the great surges bearing down upon us, ever rac- ing toward our little cockleshell, ter- rifying in their aspect. The sharp bow of. the dinghy rose to them buoyantly enough, but the broad expanse of trou- bled. waters stretching all about, the black, cloud shadows overhead, and the little boat in which we were tossed, combined to bring to mea feeling akin to despair. The only, hope was the possible overhauling of some passing ship; but the lowering sky. scarcely en: abled me to see clearly a hundred yards, even in the Hght of the gray dawn. A rescuing vessel might easily pass:us by within-a quarter of a mile .unseen, nor ha@ we any tieans of at- tracting attention: I confess that, sit- ting there in loneliness, staring about into the grim expanse of fog and sea, } fell into a blue funk. Nor was 1 greatly heartened when the sun finally ose above the horizon, for it was no more than a sullen red glow, barely visible through the. clouds of vapor, and only rendering more ghastly thao ever the heaving leagues of ocean. My glance turned downward to. 1p: companions in the boat. MéCann still slept, with head pillowed on his. arm, but the woman lay with her eyes. widé| open, looking upward at the drifting| spume. Her eyes met mine, and she sat up, grasping the gunwale with one hand, and stared: about her over] the drear expanse of sea. “There is nothing in sight?” she spoke wearily. “‘Are-you sure Mr. Car- rington made his escape?” . - “As certain as-I can be. I did not see him after I left the’ party in the! after cabin last evening. But McCann! insists that he came on deck, and) Joined the others in lowering the boats, Beyond doubt he got away safely, and] was picked up by the liner.” She was silent for some time, her gaze on the man sleeping in the bows. He rolled over, revealing his face, gray and haggard in the dawn. “Who—who is that man?” she ques- tioned. “You call him McCann; is he} a sailor?” 7 “No; he was one of the guests. He is a rich man’s son, who occasionally takes a flyer on Wall street.” “Not—not Fergus: McCann?” “T believe that is his name, now that you recall it. Why?. Did you ever know the fellow?” “Only by reputation, which ts not the best. He was involved rather un- Pleasantly in the Bascom shooting case.” * “Aye, I remembety, I, read. about the affair in a Chicago paper at the time, but failed to comprehend it was this McCann who was involved.. Did Bas- com die?” e “He will be crippled for life; of course his assailant may not have been entirely to blame—it was a drunken quarrel over a wowam” “Well,” I said quietly, “the man is in for a job of sailor work here, wheth- er it pleases him, or not. . He acted a bit sullen last night, but Iam in no} mood just now to baby him, Have.you ever steered a boat with an oar, Miss Vera?” “IT Have done lots of canoeing, and last summer at Palm’ Beach,” she stopped, laughing at the slip— “Yes, actually at Palm Beach, I steered some larger boats. I—I believe I could.” “You will find this somewhat dif- ferent. Still, there is not much of a trick to it, and I am going to let you try your hand. Do you think you can hold her all right?” e “Of course I can,” almost indignant- ly, “Really, Mr. Hollis, I have steered boats in worse seas than this. If the oar wasn't quite so heavy—” “There is no steering paddle aboard: Well, if anything goes wrong, sing out. I'm going to rout out that fellow for- ward, and get at our work.” I cannot say that McCann was par ticularly pleasant about it; he had a way of showing that he rather resent- ed my assumption of authority, and performed what I ordered with a de- liberation which was almost insolent. However, he made no open revolt, and I thought it best not to anger the man’ unnecessarily, We worked steadily for an hour, the fellow proving practically useless, except to hand me. the article sequired, or to throw his weight on a rope’s end. Vera succeeded in holding, the boat steady, although I thought the weight of the waves increased as though we were on the outer edge of some storm. I lashed an oar upright to a thwart, bracing it securely by ropes to oar- locks on either side; then secured the broken paddle handle as a spar, notch- ing the oar to give purchase, and rigged up the tarpaulin, being compelled to use rope-ends to secure it in position. It was a rough job, yet the stiff canvas bellied out in the wind, and I was con- scious of a thrill of hope, as I crept back to the, stern sheets, grasped the steering oar, and headed the ‘boat into the southwest. (To be continued.) RELIC OF LONG AGO Calcined Specimen of Deep Sea Fauna Found at Garrison Garrison, N. D., Aug. 17.—An excel- lent calcined specimen of deep sea fauna in a perfect state of preserva- tion was unearthed by Col. George L. Kobinson in excavations being made here for a new business structure. Shellfish and other crustaceans have been preserved t! the centuries by iicoating z