The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-13

For five performances, extending over
a period of four days. the people OF Salt
Lake have seen and enjoyed Tho Alas
kan" The dramatic editor lets the nature
faker in to say this much with him, that
the show is good.
Whether the show is good or bad
doesn't matter now. The show has been
here and had record houseB nearly every
night Tt is gone and all that goes with
IL is gone and that's the bad feature.
In the show are twelve dogs from
Alaska, They are the property OF M. L.
They are not performing dogs, as that
designation usually is applied. but they
are working dogs. and they work every
minute of the day II they are given the
chance.
The dogs came from the north on Au-
gust Z. They were transported across the
continent in cars loaded with Ice. and
although they suffered from the heat in
New York, being a hardy lot. let never
a one die Smith is now taking the dogs
through with no ice at all, but he is care
full TO give them all the cold air that is
at large.
Mr. Smith has been in the freighting
and mail service in Alaska for ten years
he and his dogs. He owns twenty-seven
OF the animals, whose value ranges from
$50 to $500. The most valuable dog Smith
owns is Coon, which. in spite OF his
name, is the real essence of dog. Coon
is not with Smith now, because Coon
Il
by bringing him away off to the States.
Once when Smith making the trip
from Nome to Unalakleet, a distance of
$50 miles, over the salt water ice of Ber-
ing Coon saved his life. ''The fact is,
says Smith, Coon has saved my life two
three times"
On the particular occasion to which
reference Is made Smith was driving his
dogs over the ice when they encountered
a breaking section; the salt water ice
is always treacherous and it is especial
ly dangerous when there is a tide. For
the protection of himself Smith had at
tached to his wrist the cord attached to
the spike" or lead dog-the wise guy
of the bunch" The ice broke under
Smith. the spike dog knew there was
something wrong and. employing his dog
intuition and his dog instincts and his
dog common sense. he turned his outfit
toward safe ground, or. rather safe ice,
pulled Smith out of the water and turned
a tragedy into a mere miShap.
X r
Yesterday there came near being a dis
aster of proportions that threatened to
put Smith, HIS Malamuts and his Huskies
out of business for good and all time. The
catastrophe occurred on Brigham street.
between Main and State. Smith was ex-
ercising his dogs, as 1t Is his custom
to do, with the sleigh to which the dogs
are harnessed. The sled. without load.
is thing of joy for the dogs. in spite
of the fact that people say that 1t is
a shame to make the poor brutes drag
that awful scratchY thing over the paw
ing, and constantly advise Smith to put
wheels on his sled. especially in summer
time. my gracious" eXclaims Smith,
eff I put wheels after those dogs I never
would stop going. A small load for eleven
of them is 1900 pounds in front of which
have seen them chase ground squirrels
right merrily."
Smith and his outfit of dogs were driv-
ing along Brigham street when the dogs
took II into their heads-at least. the
spike dog did-to go home, and for home
they made. There was a coal wagon in
the way, but that didn't make any diff
ference to the Malamuts and the Huskies.
The most direct line for them was be-
tween the horses and the front wheels of
the wagon, and this line they took
Nearly all of them except the ''whealers'
had made the passage in yelping joyful
ness when one of the horses began 20
kick The horse kicked at the dogs. but
II failed of it's aim. 1t planted its black
hoofs squarely in Smiths fine Alaskan
sled, however. and now there isn't any
more sled. Smith himself escaped UNI
hurt Smith hopes to have repairs made
in Ogden Monday sufficient to permit the
sieigh's appearance in the show-the COM
pany lays off in Ogden on that day And
] paid one hundred and eighty dollars
for that sleigh, too" said Smith rue
fully. They're a bad lot for fun wher
they get started"
Yesterdays mishap, says Smith. Ia the
first he has had since he brought his
dogs out of Alaska on July Z. In Den