The Arizona sentinel., 1885-06-06
Star Route Dorsey.
He Carries the Mail Between
 Calico and Bismarck.

|
 The Calico mining district
 boasts the possession of the most
 remarkable dog heard from up tc
 date. He is a Scotch collie dog
 known as Dorsey" and he is
 employed as special mail carrier
 over the star route between the
 town of Calico and the mines al
 Bismarck, some three miles dis
 tant. "Star Route Dorsey," as
 the boys call the dog, is tbe prop
 erty of the Brothers Stacy, who
 own a store at the mines and
 another at Calico. There is no
 Postoffice at the mine and no
 mail service, and were it not for
 the intelligence of Dorsey the fifty old miners at Bismarck
 would have to wal. for week for
 news of the outside world. But every day, as the stage from Dag gett drives up 10 Stacy's store at Calico, Dorsey is on hand, waiting for his mail pouch to be filled, and as soon as it is strapped on his back off he goes along the rocky trail to Bismarck at a gait which
 brings the mail there twenty minutes after the stage stops at Calico. Dorsey, as soon as he are rives at Bismarck, goes straight
 to Stacy's store and until the pouch is taken off will allow no 1 one but his master to come near him. When the mail is removed he goes off 10 have a time with the Bismarck dogs and enjoy himself, only returning to the store at meal time. He sleeps at Bismarck and. after breakfast, every day he gets the mail for Calico from Stacy and takes it to Calico. There is nothing very re- marksble about carrying a mail pouch three miles and back every day; but Dorsey is a wonderful dog, and the more he is watched more wonderful the things are found out about him. There are three trails between the mine and Calico, and Dorsey makes it rule never to take the same one twice running, though one is much better than the others. The miners say that Dorsey fears an ambuscade, but whatever his reason it is well>defined one, for once, when he used trail he had taken the before, he was observed to hesitate in doubt whether to retrace his steps or not, and finally to make a break across fearfully rough country to the other trail. When Dorsey has the mail he will allow no one to touch him, ,and will run from any dog in the camp; but woe be to the dog that annoys Dorsey on duty, for Dor sey, when relieved from his load. will surely get even, and he is not afraid of any dog in the dis trIct. The miners all say that Dorsey can tell the time, for he never has to be called, and just before mail time will go up to Stacy and bother him till he gets his letters. If no letters are given to him at the usual hour, he does not wait around, but goes off to Calico, where he spends the day. A couple of weeks ago Dorsey was paying some little attention to a female canine friend at Calico. He had rival, who took advan. tage of Dorsey's absence to in gratiate himself with Dorsey's | flame. But it appears that Dor sey had made calculations for something of the kind, and when the mail was removed at Bismarck he dashed back to Calico for the first time since he had been on the, route. His hated rival, secure in Dorsey's supposed absence, was the most of his time, when Dorsey appeared on the scene and literally tore his ears off. The miners at Bismarck have had Dorsey photographed, and have presented him with a soft leather pouch, which goes over his back like a saddle, and