Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09

exertion than a horse making the SAND
| distance over dry land. The new sleds pro-
vtded for the service are elevated on run-
| ners are a decided Improvement over the
old kind that were mere tOboggars. ara
are drawn by nine dogs. four pair following
one leader, which Is always an experienced
dog that knows the road. the country and
his business ard keeps the youngsters or
the trot.
One driver accompanies each team be-
tween relays and the time limit Within
which the trips must be accomplished il
agreed upon between the contractors and
the Post Office Department II a mail team
does not arrive on time. two men employed
by the Post Office Department usually start
out after it, and many experiences OF hard
ship and danger are recorded during there
trips. In the winter the cold 10 intense,
the thermometer averaging fifty degrees be-
low zero, Fahrenheit, and self-preservation
demands that man and dogs keep on the
move. Sometimes the cold Is so great that
the driver has to make frequent stops and
build fires to thaw himself out.
On one occasion, the report OF which WAS
sent to the Post Office Department. the
team did not reach Tanana on time. and
two men started out after It. After tray-
cling several days they were so exhausted
by their labors and the fearful cold that
they had to stop frequently TO build their
fires. and the last time found, to their dis
may. that they could not strike a match
to set fire to the driftwood, their HANDS
being at the point of freezing. One OF the
men finally managed to get match In his
teeth and drew 1t repeatedly across the
trousers leg of his companion until II ig-
nited then held it to the wood. and man
aged to start blaze that saved their lives
1t was a close call, even for Alaska.
One Of the routes. that extends from
Eagle to Tanana, and thence down the Yu-
kon to ST. Michael, costs the government
sS4 600 year to keep in operation The
distance from Eagle to Tanana 10 b61 mtles,
and the dogs are allowed twenty-six days
20 aalya
twenty days to cover the 423 miles to 81
Michael. During the summer the mails are
carried by this trip on the river by boat, I
and make the trip in fifteen days. Of
course. all the streams, and even the sea, !
are frozen over during the long winter
months. navigation closing generally about
September Is and opening again about the
middle of June.
A Marrow Escape.
During the coolest part of last winter a
dog team failed to put in its appearance at
Nome on time, and one Of the post office
men stationed at that place went out TO To-
cate it. Starting across the frozen bay
going south he had reached the middle,
when an ominous crunching roar, the mean
ing of which he knew too well, filled the
frosty air, and he ran for the shore, several
miles distant. He had gone but few steps
when he saw before him the irregular
crack where the ice had parted, and knew
that he was floating from the land. Fie
then turned in the other direction, and had
gone several hundred yards when he /.
reached another crack. He was on an
island of ice that was floating toward the
sea, the strong wind from the land carry !
ing 1t outward at a rate that would have
brought him several miles from land with 1
in an hour 1t meant nothing less than I
death. There was not stick OF wood on
the ice with which TO build a fire, and the /
cold was intense. He gave himself up for |
t>.,% NJ 4 hon her hQ a
was in the open sea and the waves were !
dasftnR over it's edges and threatening TO I
rend it asunder Ii was caught by another /
current of air and turned back on its path |
1t finally lodged against the ice that was |
still fast to the shore, and he made his way \
to the southern side. still intent on his /
quest. He finally located his team and |
driver nearly frozen to death and brought !
them all in safety to their destination.
Alaska in Summer.
But all is not ice and cold in Alaska. The
summers are pleasant. and many OF the I
vegetables and fruits of more southerly /;
latitudes are cultivated with success. There |
great plains carpeted with nourishing |
grasses. and valleys where the sunshine
softens the air and makes 1T an ideal spot |
for a northern mans homestead. There is |
probably country on the face OF the !
earth so favored by nature with wealth OF |
all sorts as this great territory of ours 1T |
conditions have been misrepresented and |
disparaged by the few who went there !
under unfavorable circumstances and at I'M !
favorable times. But there have been men, |
and women, too, who have had the hardi- |
hood to travel to that far-off land to ex- /
plore its vast regions and to there erect I,
their homes, and these pioneers are the !
ones for whom the United States govern
ment has built the telegraph lines and es-
tablished the dog mails Railroads are
being built there, and 1t will not be long
until the Eskimo dog and his burden will
be memories, their places filed by the i'm
proved postal car and It's attendant rail-
way mail clerks.
The Post Office Department is getting
ready for the exposition in ST. Louis n
complete exhibit of all the paraphernalia !
used in the mail service in Alaska and
among the most interesting of the large |
group is q team of nine dogs-stuffed of |
course-and their sled and driver. drawing |
the United States mall over the frozen I
route beside the great Yukon. Near ii will (
be modern railway mail car, but the peo- |
pie who visit the show will spend more of |
their time near the dogs than they will in /
speeding the car. for the dogs are the pio- |
neers of the most northerly mail service of :
the world.