The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
BILLIARDS CAN'T STOP HIN.
PERILS OF AN INDIAN MAIL CAR.
RIER IN NpsgR7SSS

f1ve Times John Bchrsrcase. = fuIi-HIooaeA
Chippewa, Was Relieved 10 Have rerished
In storms on HIS Lonely Route. hut ne ALp
ways got tho Mnii Through sntciS In tae Ene.
Two HARnoRs. Mimi, July 81. There u
probably no man in tho Governments esi5ioy
who takes the chances that John Beargrense,
the indian mail carrier. does in his efforts
TO get tho United States mall through e.
scheduled time. For years Bcargrcase, who fs =
full.bioodedC Chippewa, has carried the mail be-
tw cen Two Harbors and Grand Marais, Mimi.
sometimes going MS far as Rainy Lake City and
Koochichins on Tho Canadian border, n distance
OF 200 miles by water and through a wild and
unbroken country. John docs not assume his
duties as mail carrier until after the close OF
navigation each year. In the summer the mail
is carried by the lake steamers.
No matter what the state OF the weather is or
the condition OF the lake or roads, John Is always
ready to start when the sacks are given to him.
In tho face of Il raging blizzard or when the
waves are rolling ten or twenty feet high on
Lake Superior he will start on his voyage along
the north shore FROM Two Harbors to Grand
Marais. Time and again he has been reported
to have been lost IN n blizzard OF a heavy wind
storm, but Just when every one had given up
hope of ever seeing him again he has always
turned up with the mail.
Late in the fall and during the winter Of 1895
Beargrease made a number of perilous trips.
He was reported lost no fewer than five times.
Just before last Thanksgiving Day he left Grand
Marais for Two Harbors. The trip before ice
has formed IL made in u rowhoat on Lake Supe-
rior. At the time Bearsrease started a heavy
wind was blowing, snow was falling, and Lake
Superior was in n fury. lie would not wait for
milder weather, however. Stepping into his
boat he grasped the oars and pulled out to sea.
people atnnd m Tho h,,cb ~ h-,.s ....t.--
the little boat bufrcted here and thore. Soon
the snow began to fall. and it was not long
before a blizzard was on. All trace Of the
little boat and its occupant was lost. and Bear
grease was given up as lost. Day after day
went by and no tidings Of the mail from the
north shore were received Mt Two Harbors.
Knowing Johns habits we'll, the Post Office
authorities were sure that he had started. After
waiting until they thou ght there was no chance
OF hearing from him word was sent to Washing.
ton that Beargreaso and the mail had gone to
te!egraphed from here to all parts of the United
states; The next day John turned un at tho
After the blizzard had started John lost
track of the shore; in fact, he could not see q
broke and he lost control of the boat. Then he
threw tie mail sack under a scat in the stern
s %R 7 shf hims wns out " f fittls iene eISG ~ tho bSls So,t snS
CT the boat and waited for what might come.
Soaked to the skin in icy cold water, he OK.
freezing waters OF Lake Superior. Suddenly he
f fell the boat lifted in the air and found tha.i
out. snatching the mail bag as he went, and q
moment later the boat was again swept away
Beergrease took in his surroundings and
struck on into the woods for a settlers cabin,
Mas six miles from where the boat had been
thrown on the beach and thirty miles from his
s ssfrttnE R0'fHi; e r Mhed fr " twsnsy, thsre he So wss
got his clothing dried out. and obtained food
enough to last him a week. He then started oub
ana tramped through the woods to Two Har-
bors. His trail through the woods was a narrow
one. and for almost the entire distance he had 70
nights in shecks built along the trail by sports-
men: One night he spent, perched in a tree to
base. Seven days after leaving the cabin no
arrived in Two Hnrh9rs and delivered the mail.
the lake, was frozen over. About The first OF
January he started with his tobosgan and dog
ways treaehorous, but when he left il looked ia.
Eorable: Before he was ont more than q day,
in. 1t continued for three days. and in many
places the snow was piled up to the second-story
agined. Then, again. it was extremely cold.
T~hermome;ers registered thirty below zero. a
cold. biting. northeast wind was blowing. and
ike fire. 30 one thought, John could survive
mail at Grand Marais. He did not come out SO
well this time as before. One hand. his nose.
an bIc iopl u lIuLtu.
He says he had not been out of Two Harbors
long before the storm was upon him. He saw No
once That II was going to be a bad one. Tn.
hitching the dogs. he set the tob0ggan on it's
side to the wind. Then he scrared up the snow
and banked il around the tohoggan 10 hold it as
some provisions and spread them on the ice ON
the lee side OF the toboggan. Calling his dogs,
four in number. he made them lie down and
covered them over with q blanket, The dogs
knew what was coming. They had been ont in
a blizzard before. Then John wrapped himself
them. u A'A Il '"' himself GOWN 0eSia'
Here Beargrease and the dogs lay for two
mantle of snow thai had fallen upon them. All
were on short rations. Very sparingly Bear
grease dealt out the raw salt pork he had TO all
hands; The dogs, although they were probably
to understand. when The storm was assS over they
were up and off again. but their troubles were
many places; and II was piled up from ten to
Ihirty feet high. In other places the snow had
drlfted so that Ii was impossible for the dogs to
get through It. This made it necessary for them
10 go a great deal ont OF their way. After being
dry corn meal TO eat, the last Of his supplies.
John began 10 lose his strength, His feet had
nose soon, would he. Drawing his blanket around
him; he shouted once or twice TO the dogs and
lay himself down-ie thought 10 die.
shouts seemed to mt new courage and energy
into them. They started out faster than ever,
in front Of tho little grocery store at Grand
Marals, where the Post Office Is.
John was !lftci from the tobogRan and rcstor-
ntives were administered, for the poor fellow
was nearly gone. Three or four hours more in
the cold biting wind would have finished HIM.
later started. for Two HArbors, and enjoyed a
comparatively comfortable trip. Although get
ting along, in years. John still evinces a desire 10
for duty the LIST OF next November and take up
his duties Tor the winter.