Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-01-31
INDIANS AS MAIL CARRIERS.
They Are Doing Good Work In That Ca
pacity In the Minnesota Wilds.

They Are Doing Good Work In That Ca
pacity In the Minnesota Wilds.
So far as known, Minnesota is the only
state in the Union in which the expert
ment Of utilizing the Indians as mail
carriers has been tried. The red men so
engaged in this state have won the ad-
miration of all by their pluck and
speed.
Grand Marais, on the north shore Of
Lake Superior, is practically world BY
itself, especially during the winter
months. The people are then cut of
from all communication with the rest OF
the country unless they feel disposed to
take a rough and dangerous overland
trip Of some 175 miles or else go up the
lake on the ice to Duluth or Superior.
The problem Of sending mail to Grand
Marais from Two Harbors, the end OF
the railroad, was for long time prob
lem which bothered the postofhce de-
partment not little During the win.
ter the trip is a dangerous one, and no
white man could be found to undertake
1t for the small compensation allowed
by the government.
Some months ago two full blooded
Chippewa Indians, Kagiet and Rossport
Beargrease, who are known far and
wide among the Indians Of the north
west as athletes of no mean degree, in
timated that they would not be averse
to working for Uncle Sam. They were
told to put in bid for carrying the
mails, and to their great delight the
contract was awarded to them. In due
time their commissions arrived from
Washington, and the brothers are now
the official mail carriers between Two
Harbors and Grand Marais.
Since having become.a part Of the
United States government the Bear
grease boys have dropped many Of their
Indian mannerisms-that is, they have
dropped some Of the more Objectionable
ones and retained all those which en-
able them to live and get fat where
white man would 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 highway is
closed the journey is made overland, on
foot generally, although sometimes dog
teams are used.
A more desolate, dreary country than
that lying between Two Harbors and
Grand Marais it would be hard to i'm
agine, and perhaps it is due to its very
lonesomeness that the two Indians make
such good time. The 175 miles Of al
most trackless wilderness are covered in
anywhere from 80 to 10 hours-the av-
e1age time is about So hours-and 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 bluffs /
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 away from civilization |
and would be lost without them.
Large sums Of money and many pa
pers Of the utmost importance are often
carried by these untutored children OF
the forest, and their prompt delivery Of
their destination can DO counted upon as
= certainty. The Beargrease boys are aa
regular ns clockwork, and were there TO
be delay of any time in their arrival
party Of men would soon be looking for
them. for II would be known that some
mishap had befallen the mail carriers.
Wild game Of all kinds is plenty in
The country between Two Harbors and
Grand Marais, and never Is trip made
By the two Indians without seeing many
moose and deer. Now and then a huge
black bear or pack Of skulking wolves
watch the men 60 BY and look after
hem with longing eyes, but little
.hings like these do not trouble the
faithful servants Of the government, who
ire as proud Of their position as Is a
mall boy Of his first pair Of boots. --Du-
nth (Minn.) Letter in Philadelphia
Press,