Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-20
END OF LONG JOURNEY
rs
Eli Smith Makes Trip From
Nome to Washington
WITH SLEDGE AND DOG TEAM
Part of the Journey Necessarily Made
by Water.
HAS BEEN OVER YEAR ON WAY
Visits White House and Meets the
Observation-Disclosures Large
Crowd Of Persons.
WITH SLEDGE AND DOG TEAM
HAS BEEN OVER YEAR ON WAY

Eli Smith, the Alaskan mail carrier, and
Executive Mansion, followed by an aggrega-
Washington today. AS the team of dogs
trotted into the Enclosure surrounding the
executive mansion, followed by an aggrega-
ton Of men, women and street urchins that
had been attracted by the noble-lookfng
malamutes attached to the arctic sled, the
Roosevelt lads, Archie and Quentin, spied
the strange procession and made bee line
to meet Eli and his team.
A few minutes later Quentin, the baby OF
the Presidents family. was perched on the
sled, and with Mr. Smith seated behind was
making circuit of the White House front
grounds. followed by the curious crowd.
halt was made In front of the main por-
tico and soon a half dozen amateur and
professional photographers were busy snap
ping pictures of tie team and the distln-
guished American boy who was seated in 1t.
When the announcement was made that
Mr. Smith and his sled and dogs were en-
tering the White House grounds the eI-
feet produced in the Office building was
magical The prominent men who had
called and were waiting to get the Presl-
dents ear with the newspaper men. ush.
ers and policemen, piled out OF the IRON!
door to greet the man VINO nad come az
tn way from the frozen north to win
wager of $4,000. Before Ell Smith could
get into the mansion the Roosevelt boys
were before him plying him with ques-
lions and manifestfng the greatest inter-
est in the traveller from up north pole
way.
Leaving his team in front of the main
portico, Mr. Smith after giving Quentln d
ride, proceeded to the office building. ana
there awaited his turn to see the President
He was at once surrounded by visitors ana
newspaper men and piled with queries con-
corning his long ride from the land or the
midnight sun.
Rugged Specimen Of Manhood.
Eli Smith. the Alaskan mail carrier, Is
rugged specimen Of American MANHOOD.
He was coatless and behind him swung
pair of heavy arctic gloves in the place
where soldiers carry their blanket roll. He
wore vest over his heavy WOODEN shirts,
stout trousers and an odd-looking pair of
rubber shoes of the arctic design. His
head covering was a heavy cap with con-
yenient earf1apS.
81 lost twenty pounds In my trip across
the continent" he said with strong west
ern accent
Being asked with whom he made the
wager to come with his team of dogs from
the far-away land of the north to wash
ington he replied 1t was made with E. }.
Pierce. and that the money had been put
up before he had started on the long
journey. He added that he had made the
days ahead of the time allowed him in the
wager He left Nome November IA, 1905.
Sometimes when the trail was bad, he
added. Il did not ride in the sled, but TOOK
my place in the team, playing the part OK
the eighth dog.
Meets the President.
After Mr. Smith had been seated in the
office building about twenty minutes Major
Loeffier notified him that President Roose-
Welt was ready to receive him and he en-
tered the private Office. He presented to
the President letter from an official at
Nome and in return the President wrote a
brief. note certifying to Smiths arrival In
Washington. The President gave his visi-
tor a cordial greeting, speaking to him for
some minutes in his private office at the
White House. Later Smith drove his team
through the southern part of the White
House grounds where the President, Mrs.
Roosevelt and the children were given an
opportunity to see some team work by the
Eskimo dogs.
Before taking his departure from the
White House grounds to 80 to his boarding
place and rest up" as he expressed 1t. he
took considerable pains to tell Archie and
Quentin Roosevelt the names Of his dogs
and explain to them their value as carriers
over the snow and ice fields OF the arctic
region.
His Approach to Capital.
The Nome outfit passed through Clarks-
burg Md, about O'Clock yesterday morn
ing. He reached Tenleytown about noon
today and made his way to the White
House. attracting much attention along the
route. He stated that he started from
Nome with ten dogs, but three died en- route.
The sled Is a boat-like continuance. which
can be hauled on runners when there is
snow on the ground on small wheels
along the roads when there Is no snow.
Smith Is hardy looking and Of the rough
and-ready" order, and he has a sort Of
western frankness OF manner that has been
described as refreshing. Upon reaching
Washington he drove down Connecticut
avenue through the northwest section, and
thence to the White House. When the dogs
reached the end of their journey at the
Presidents house, and while their master
was inside that structure. they stretched
themselves out on the muddy roadway and
were soon mapping. A large crowd soon
surrounded them and several street CANNES
nosed about them. but seemed afraid to go
too close to the wolf-like dogs Of the icy
north.
Smith has been on the road one year,
three months and six days From Seattle,
Wash. he drove across the country to Mil
waukee, and left that city for Washington
September last He left Cumberland last
Thursday and passed through Frederick
yesterday and Gaithersburg last night.
rrcH AE NnVE FIFTY