Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-25
A CANINE MATLCARRIER.
Postal Ssryice Performed bS an IutelliHen
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San Francisco Chronicle

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"If all the mail service was as
promptly and faithfully performed as is
the dog route between Calico and Bis
marck there would De nothing lett to
complain Of" remarked Post-0 lice In
spector T. T. Tracy to a Chronicle re-
Lor'er yesterday.
Dog route? Do you mean that
dog carries the mails there?" asked
the reporter.
Certainly. Did you never hear of
the dog Dorsey? No? Well. Dor
sey is the regular mail-carrier between
the post-ofIice at Calico, San Ber-
nardino county, and the Bismarck
mining-camp, three or four miles over
the mountains. Calico is stage sta
ton and has a post-oiiice, but Bis
marck is neither, and, as the three
OF four miles between them are
the kind Of miles peculiar to
mining districts, it was a great in
convenience for the Bismarck miners
to get their letters. The coun-
try between the two places is rough
and steep and the weather most
of the year pretty hot, which
rsde it considerable Of task for a
Bismarck minor to get his mail from
Calico. This was the condition OF at
fairs when the genius OF the dog Dorsey
was developed. Dorsey belongs to the
postmaster at Calico, and was not re-
garded in the highest favor in his youth,
as it was not early discovered for what
purpose he was put into the world.
Dorsey is black-and-white colley, with
intelligent eyes, shaggy coat, and
pointed nose, yet he was thought to be
q good deal Of loafer. One day the
postmaster wanted to get word to his
brother up at Bismarck. He did
not want to make the trip himself,
and no one else offered to make il
for him. 1t suddenly occurred to him
to try Dorsey. A letter was conspic-
uously tied around the dogs neck, his
nose was pointed toward Bismai ok, and
he was told to git He trotted off a
little way and then turned around in-
quiringly, but was met with vollcy Of
stones thrown by some small boys
anxious to teach Dorsey's young ideas
how to shoot. The colley took the ad-
vice and trotted Off in busmess-likc
manner. The next day he came back
with an answering letter tied around
his neck and showed signs Of having
been well treated at the other end OF
the route. The experiment was re-
peated, each time successfully, aud each
time Dorsey assumed an air of greater
dignity. The news Of his success was
OF course the talk Of both camps, and
the postmaster received many request:
rom miners at Bismarck to send theiI
letters over the next time Dorsey made
a trip. The result was that pretty
soon Dorsey had more letters to carry
than could be conveniently fastened t
him. The miners then orr red ahand.
some little mailbag made and fitted t
the dogs shoulders. The bag is fast
ened by two straps, one around hi
chest and one under his body just bach
Of his fore legs. When the mail-ba:
was finished and supplied with tn
regulation brass lock Dorsey was for
; mally installed as msil-clrrier be
tween the two points. Every day, jus
about the time the stage is due, Dor
sey wakes up from his nap, stretches
himself and walks into the post-ofiice
When the stage has arrived and tn,
Bismarck letters have been nut int,
Dorsey's mailbag, the postmaster says
The mail is ready and Dorsey so
berly walks up to have the bag fast
ened on. Then he starts off on lit
tie trail which he has WON for him
self over the hills. If he meets
stranger he makes long detour, 70
he knows that he is engaged on impor
tant business and don't want to ruI
any risk of having trouble. lie stay
in Bismarck over night and return
with the mail the next day in time 70
the outgoing stage. He has neve
missed Q connection, lost . letter, o
been behind tire. He is immensel,
popular with the miners, whose mai
he carries so faithfully, and every eve
ming at Bismarck the miners order al
extra beefsteak for the canine carrier
think they would lynch any one VIII,
harmed Dorsey. They have had hi,
photograph taken; here it is.''
MIR. Tracy showed the reporter tn,
photograph Of the intelligent-lookinl
colley wearing bis mailbag, and stand
ing with his fore feet on block, hi
eountensnce radiating = large compre
hensise smile, possibly begotten OF tn.
fact tina; no one could deprive him o
his daily beefsteak on the ground thA
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