The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-02
Wash. B. Williams,
9TH and D SITS. N. w.
INDIANS AS MAIL CARRIERS.
Doing Good Work In That Ca pacity In
Minnesota Wilds.
phiMd,.lDhiu Press.

Duluth, MIMI, Dee. $3.50 far as known
Minnesota is tie only State in the Union
In which the experiment of utilizing the
Indians rs mail carriers has been tried.
The red men so engaged i'll this State have
won the admiration of all by their pluck
and speed.
Grand Marais, on the ncrth shore of Lake
Superior, is practically a world by itself,
especially during tie winter months. The
people are then cut off from all oommunca-
ton with The rest or the country, unless
they feel disposed TO take a rough and dan-
gerous overland trip OF some 10 miles, or
else go up the lake on The ice 10 Duluth
or Superior. The problem of sending mail
To Grand Marais from Two Harbors, the
end of the railroad was for q long time a
problem which bothered the Post-office
Department not a little. During the winter
the trip is dangerous one. and no white
man could be found to undertake il for the
small compensation allowed by the govern
ment.
Some months ago two fuli-blooded Chip
pcwa Indians, kagiet and RoSsport Bear
grease, who are known far and wide among
the Indians of the Northwest as athletes of
no mean degree, intimated that they would
not be averse TO working for Uncle Sam.
They were told TO put in a bid for carrying
the mails, and TO their great delight the con-
tract was awarded them. In due time
their commisSions arrived from Washington.
and the brothers are now The official mail
carriers between Two Harbors and Grand
Narais.
Since having become part Of the United
States Government the Beargrease boys
have dropped many OF their Indian manner
isms-that is, they have dropped some of
the more Objectionable ones and retained
all those which enable them to live and
get Fat where a white maj fwould die. In
warm weather the trip from point to point
Is made in canoe along the lake, but
since winter has set In and the water high
way is closed the journey is made over
land, on foot generally, although sometimes
dog teams are used.
A more dcsoate, dreary country than that
lying between Two Harbors and Grand
Marais il would be hard TO Imagine, and
perhaps it is due to Its very consequences
that the two Indians make such good time.
The 1I5 miles OF almost trackless wilder
ness is covered in anywhere from fifty to
seven'y-five hours-the average time is
about sixty-five hours-aDd the men come
In looking as fresh as daisies. The Indians
make their way with ease where a white
man, unused to the country, could not find
his way, and camp in the forest or on the
barren bluff wherever night overtakes
them. They are always armed, not that
there is any danger of an attack by man
or beast, but because they have always
carried their rifles when ava V from civiliza-
ton and would be lost without them.
Large sums OF money and many pa pers OF
the most Importance are often carried by
these untutored children OF the forest. and
their prompt delivery at their destination
can be counted upon as certainty. The
BearGrease boys are regular as clock
work, and were there 10 be a delay Of
any kind in their arrival, a party OF men
would soon be looking for them, for it
would be known that some mishap had be-
fallen the mail carriers.