The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-03-24
TEN DOLLARS A LETTER
High Ra. On Private Postal Rsst'
from COOKE Inlet 10 Naas.

1
High Rk o. Private Postal Rests
from Cooks Inist 20 NsBs.
Through snow and Ice. 1,6O0 miiea
II the frjp OF an Alaskan mall ear
rier."
w. V. Sullivan. son Of Former Sen
afor Sullivan, OF Mississippi, made this
statement. according 10 the st. Louis
turned from a two years cruise 10
Alaska waterr on board the United
States revenue cutter Rush.
This trip" he continued. lis from
Cooks Inlet TO Nome, and by the route
Travelled is I.S00 miles.
The Last boat leaves Nome about
Nov. and IL carries down q mighty
precious cargo-gold dust. discouraged
miners. escaping wives. the soubrettss
who cornz up IN the spring. marry fbs
successful prospecfors and then de-
serf when the winter sbut5 up the
town from the rest Of the world and
the last mail sack Uncle Sam brings
through the AIetan Islands for ak
months.
Then. while yo1 people down here
70 the big cities are squabbiing for l.
cent local postage the men up In Nome
are getting ready TO pay the heaviest
postal rate In the world By Dec. Is
they've got the Christmas hunger for
home news and New Years day they'd
give a side OF bacon for sight OF IA
mliiar handwriting on an envelope
Bacon is still about % cents q slice In
the eating houses.
'But just about Jan. j the midwiD.
Ter Alaskan mail starts north from
Seattle. Ii is carried up by the owner
and operator OF the enterprise. who
runs q private mall service not reeog-
nized or promoted by the United States
government He collects letters from
Seattle 20 Cooks Inlet, making the
trip on any vessel that Is scheduled 10
stop al Sitka. Douglas Island. Juneau
and all the points Of any importance
along the coast
only letters are carried and these
must be written on onion skin paper.
for bulk Ia the chief considers tion.
and. besides the rate Is SO much q
pennyweight
when Cooks Inlet is reached the
letters are packed In tin boxes made
10 conform 10 the carriers body and
CT into the lining OF his coat The
carriers costume. from tie FUR cap TO
the Mozinski boots. is exactly Ike that
OF the Eskimos. and the principal items
IN this outfit are matches. gun and am
munit.on.
From Cooks Inlet 10 Nome the
trail runs 1900 miles aud touches no
ulsn's hut or dugout The carrier can
make forty miles a day on snowshoes-
He has studied the country so thor
oughiy that he knows when be shoots
q bird and cooks Il for dinner Tuesday.
over q FIRE OF scrubby brush. where.
fifty miles ahead. be can hnd more
game and fuel for the cooking OF We'd
supper. After supper be
crawis into a fur sleeping bag. drop
ping OF into a coy sDowbsnk for q
saooze through the darkest hours OF
the long night
The greatest obstacle are the tor
rents that Tow too rapidly 10 freeze
The crossings are made at the narrow
est places and the carrier strips. makes
a bundle OF his clothes. throws II
across or carries II on his head ana.
wading and swimming. be reaches the
opposite shore and scr2mbles into his
rurs
In his thin pockets he carries for
tune. for the thlnnest letter taken on
he route costs the sender $40. Usazl-
y but one trip is made each winter.
put las; season he broke the record by
making two rounds. doing this by
using dogs and sled part way. His
winters work net;ed him over $1,000.
o be blown In on the gayeties OF Nome
md Seattle