Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-02-13
A CANINE MAIL CARRIER.
How q Brave Maine Dog Died While
Performing Its DUTY.


Performing Its Duty.
There are about 90 dwelling houses,
a blacksmith's shop and small store
on the east side of Long Pond, Me.
In 1898, when Shafter and Sampson
were pounding away at the south
side of Cuba, the citizens could stand
their isolation no longer, and sent
a petition to Senator Hale asking LOT
a postoffce, and requesting that 1t De
named Santiago. The demand was
granted so quickly that everybody
wished he had thought of such
Plan 25 years before. Santiago Is four
miles distant from Dedham, from
which place it is only two miles to
Georges Corner, on the line OF the
Bar Harbor railroad. On the south
side, however. it was only three miles
from East Bucksport, where a rail-
road connects with Bangor. John
Hubbard, Of Santiago, had been carry
ing the daily mail to East Bucksport,
crossing on the ice in the winter and
making wide detour around the
pond during warm weather. An aged
Newfoundland dog. who had earned
retirement in bear fight years be-
fore, was Hubbard's attendant on
every trip. The dog was in the habit
Of following the mail wagon down IN
the forenoon. and then If the day
proved warm ne would swim back
home, allowing Hubbard to go his
roundabout course clone. Hubbard
noted the actions Cl the dog, and
came to the conclusion that he could
make some profit by cultivating the
habit. He was making two trips day,
which was waste Of good time, when
he could make the dog perform one
trip alone, and thus have the whole
afternoon left for hunting bears. The
next morning he forgot to feed the
dog before starting out. On arriving
at East Bucksport he took the post
master aside and confded his plan
for carrying the mail by dog power.
Here's a water-tight bag" said
Hubbard. ''l'll chain up the dog before
l go home. want you to keep him
fest until the mail comes up from
Bucksport. Don't feed him or go near
him. AS soon as the mail gets in
tie the bag to his neck and let him
go. III warrant he'll get the mail
to Santiago ahead of time.
Hubbards idea worked splendidly
all summer. The dog was at home
and the mail was distributed inside
half an hour, while it had always
taken Hubbard more than an hour
to go round the pond. He was saw.
ing time and money and giving per-
feet satisfaction. Along in the mid
die of October there came day that
was cold, so that shell ice formed on
the pond. Later the wind grew to
a gale. When the stage came in
there was big bundle Of mail for
Santiago, consisting of political docu-
ments for the voters and score or
SO Of official reports from Washing
ton. The mail route fight at Santiago
|shad made the place famous. Post.
master Hewey tied the heavy mass
to the dogs neck with many misgiv-
ings. Then he fed three links of new
sausage to the animal and cut it
loose.
That night the neighbors waited un-
til o'clock for the arrival Of the
mail, which was due two hours earlier.
Then Hubbard harnessed his horse
and drove furiously to East Bucks.
port to look up his dog. He did not
return until nearly midnight. Patrons
of Santiago postoff1ce knew what had
happened AS soon as they looked at
Hubbard's face. The dog had attempt
ed to swim the pond, carrying
heavy load in the face Of rough water
and high wind and had been drowned
while in the performance Of his duty.
They dragged the pond two days be-
fore the body was found. The mail
was unharmed. They buried the dog
under big apple tree.-Boston
Transcript.