The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-11-20
DEFIES THE WEATHER.
PERILs OF AN INDIAN MAIL CAR.
RlER I'm THE NORTHWEST.

chances that John Beargrease, the In
dian mail carrier does, in his efforts to
get the United States mail through on
scheduled time. For years Bear
grease, who is a full blooded Chippewa,
has carried the mail between Two Har-
bors and Grand Marais, Mimi, some
times going as far as Rainy Lake City
and Koochiching on the Canadian bor-
der. a distance of 200 miles by water
and through wild and unbroken
country. John does 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
the face of 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 biz
card or 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 win
ter of 1896 Beargrease made num-
Der 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 is made in
q rowboat on Lake Superior. At the
time Beargrease started heavy wind
was blowing, snow was falling, and
Lake Superior was in fury. He
would not wait for milder weather,
however. Stepping into his boat he
grasped the oars and pulled out to sea.
People stood on the beach for hours
watching the little boat bufeted here
and there. Soon the snow began to
| fall, and it was not long before biz
gard was on. All trace of the little
boat and its occupant was lost, and
Beargrease was given up as lost. Day
after day went by and no tidings of
the mail from the north shore were
| received at Two Harbors. Knowing
Johns habits well, the postoffice au-
| thorities were sure that he had started.
After waiting until they thought there
was no chance of hearing from him
word was sent to Washington that
Beargrease and the mail had gone to
the bottom of Lake Superior. The
news was telegraphed from here to all
parts of the United States. The next
day John turned up at the postotfice
and deposited his sack of mail.
After the blizzard had started John
lost track of the shore ; in fact, he
could not see rod in any direction.
Soon one of his oars broke and he lost
control of the boat Then he threw
the mail sack under seat in the stern
where there was little cubby hole,
and stretched himself out full length
in the bottom of the boat and waited
for what might come. Soaked to the
skin in icy cold water, he expected
every moment to be plunged into the
freezing waters of Lake Superior.
Suddenly he felt the boat lifted in the
air and found that it had been thrown
on the beach. He scrambled out
snatching the mail bag as he went, ant
a moment later the boat was agar
swept away to sea.
Beargrease took in his surrounding
land struck off into the woods for |
settlers cabin, where food and shelte
! could be obtained. Tt was six mile
. from where the boat had been thrown
, on the beach and thirty miles from hi
starting point When he arrived Their
he was exhausted. He rested TO
| twenty-four hours, got his. clothinI
dried out, and obtained food enough
!, to last him week. He then starte,
out and tramped through the wood
to Two Harbors. His trail throug
the woods was narrow one, and TO
almost the entire distance he had t
/ make his way through deep snow. H
9 spent the nights in shacks built alon
d the trail by sportsmen. One night h
i, spent perched in tree to escape th
; wolves, which howled around its base
Seven days after leaving the cabin b
a arrived in Two Harbors and delivere
7 the mall
:. John did not leave Two Harbor
+ again until the lake was frozen ovel
; About the first of January he starte
with his toboggan and dog team on b
20O-mile ride. The weather is alway
= treacherous, but when he left it locke
q favorable. Before he was out nor
than day, however, one of Minnest
II ta's worst billiards. set in. It contil
ued for three days, and in many place
= the snow wss piled up to the secont
= story windows of houses in Dulutl
', What the storm must have been OF
on the lake can only be imagine,
- Then, again, it was extremely cole
= Thermometers registered thirty belo
zero. A cold, biting, northeast wiz
ot was blowing, and the snow, striking
"a person in the face, burned like fir
d. No one thought John could survi'
II the storm, but in twenty days he d
ID livered the mail at Grand Marais. T
did not come out so we'll this time
ly before One hand, his nose, and Oh
Id foot were frozen.
10 He says he had not been out of Ty
e. Harbors long before the storm W
Ut | nnon him He saw at once that IL W