The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-05-10
DOGS FOR THE ARCTIC DASH.
From first page

DOGS FOR THE ARCTIC DASH.
From first page
Aaege besides we gave, the lazy Liego1s
such shock of establishment as they had
never before experienced. We arrived there
on Monday morning. To avoid bulling
market in which we were the only buy
ers we caused the report to be spread that
we wanted dozen dogs, though to our
| friends we confessed that we wanted hall
hundred. Moreover, we wanted them
quickly. A few dog experts were called
into consultation. Yes, you can get so
dogs here" they said, ''but it will take
you three weeks to do it," This would
| not do for our expedition that is to make
its dash toward the pole In the space of q
single summer, and we gently suggested
that three days and not three weeks would
be more in our line. Impossible, mon
sieur!' But we thought we would try it.
That American confidence in the power of
gold and hustle combined has not yet been
beaten out of us. We organized our forces
for dog campaign that was to be short,
sharp and decisive. Consul Smith gave us
good advice and told Kentucky stories
which made even the dogs laugh and coax
their masters for the privilege of staying
with us. Young Horace Greeley developed
energy and shrewdness worthy the great
name which he bears Mr.. Dodge, with
Mr.. Winship, young English engineer
living in Liege and who is now a member
of our polar party, opened headquarters at
a stable. A nilkman was hired to go out
and run in dogs. Half dozen commission
naires, dog dealers and other agents were
hired for the same purpose. Advertise
ments were put in the daily papers which
over here are written one day, the type set
the second and the forms put to press on
Che third, SO that our advertisements ap-
peared about the time we were ready to
leave town.
There were plenty of dogs to sell.
Streams of dogs ran down all the thorough
fares leading to our mart. Men, women
and children were the conductors. They
came singly, in pairs, triplets and quar-
tets. 1t seemed that every mothers son
and fathers daughter in Liege had heard
we were Americans who wanted to buy
dogs, and being Americans were, of course,
full of shekels and softness. At any rate,
the price of dogs took sudden and ap-
palling upward bound. Dirty brindle
pups that ordinarily were worth 20 francs
were put to us for hundred. Really
good dogs were priced at hundreds of
francs, and crestfallen were the counte-
nances of the owners when a 200 franc
tender was met with a counter proposal of
80. Fond expectations of getting out of
the Americans as the price of one dog
enough money to maintain whole family
for twelvemonth were rudely and quick
~ shattered, though not without an al
N<N0%0y LII
and Walloons, the voices of the disconsolate
and suspicious dogs swelling the din. AS
soon as these notions about fancy prices
and flowing American gold had been dis
PEELED the negotiations reached common
sense level. Almost with tears in their
eyes owners dropped from a hundred
francs by easy stages to half hundred
and then on down to 40, or even lower, &C
companied by grimaces and contortions
resembling the great American process of
pulling teeth. The average price paid was
little under 40 francs.
One dog mart was picture. A court
yard surrounded by stables; plenty of loaf
ers; dogs in leash bowling; all hands, hui
man and canine, trying to talk together
and succeeding almost all the time; an
occasional show of paper money at the
VI
ing dense and unsavory crowd round the
central figures; now and then dog fight
or series Of wordy combats between own
ers, and in the midst of all the din Mr.
Dodge, calm and critical, watching every
body and everything and occasionally Civ
ing vent to his feelings by telling some
one or other to go to the hot place, per-
fectly safe bit of advice when given in the
English tongue. The dog sellers soon per-
ceived that Mr.. Dodge could not be fooled.
He carefully examined the feet of the ami
mails offered him, took up each individual
leg and searched it for fractures and hurts,
looked in every mouth and had every dog
hitched to cart and tested as to his
strength and tractability. More than one
man or woman who had been tempted by
needed money to dispose of the household
pet and cart companion babe goodby to
Leon or Blancpied or Bowpier or Melord
or whatever the beasts name was by
means of an affectionate though moist
farewell kiss upon the nose of the sacri-
feed canine.
At the end of the third day So dogs, sat-
isfactOry in size and other particulars
were tied up in our stables. How many of
them were stolen from their rightful own
ers we never will know. We had at least
the satisfaction Of showing the Belgians
what American hustle can do when it sets
to work in earnest. Next came the ques.
ton of transportation. We wanted to put
those dogs on board steamer which was
to sail from Rotterdam for Bergen Thurs
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