Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-02-10

q MoKE felt the sled heel up on
0 one runner as IL rounded an In
~ visible curve. and from ahead
came the snarls OF beasts and
the oaths Of men This was known
afterward as the Barnes Slocum jam
1t was the teams of these two men
which first collided. and Into ii nj full
career piled Smokes seven big fighters
Scarcely more than semi domesticated
wolves, the excitement OF that night on
Mono creek had sent every dog fight
Ing mad From behind sled after sled
hurled into the turmoil Men who had
their teams nearly eXtricated were
overwhelmed by fresh avalanches Of
dogs-each animal well fed. well rest
ed and ripe for battle
What happened in the next half hour
Smoke never distinctly remembered
At the end he emerged exhausted. sob
bling for breath his jaw sore from a fist
blow. his shoulder aching from the
bruise OF a club. the blood running
warmly down one leg from the rip Of
a dogs fangs. and both sleeves OF his
parka torn 10 shreds As in a dream
while the battle still ragged behind. be
helped Shorty reharness the dogs One.
dying. they cut from the traces. and
In the darkness they felt their way 10
the repair Of the disrupted harnesses.
Now YOU lie down an get your wind
back" Shorty commanded.
And through the darkness the dogs
sped with unabated strength down
Mono creek. across the long cutoff and
TO the Yukon. Here. at the juno
ton with the main river trail, some
body had lighted FIRE, and here
shorty said goodhy by the light of
the Gre. rs the sled leaped behind the
flying dogs. Smoke caught another Of
the unforgettable pictures OF the
northland 1t was Of shorty, swayine
and sinking down Imply in the snow.
yelling his parting encouragement. one
eye blackened and closed. knuckles
bruised and broken. and one arm. rip
ped and fang torn. gushing forth
steady stream OF blood.
How many ahead?" Smoke asked
as he dropped his tired Hudson bays
and sprang on To the waiting sled at
the first relay station
II counted eleven" the man called
after him. for he was already away
behind the leaping dogs.
Fifteen miles they were TO carry him
on the next stage. which would fetch
him to the mouth OF White river
There were nine OF them. but they
his weakest team The
twenty-five miles between White river
and Sixty Mile he had broken into two
stages because OF ice jams. and here
two Of his heaviest. toughest teams
were stationed
He lay on the sled at full length
face down. holding on with both hands
Whenever the dogs Stacked from top
most speed be rose to his knees and
yelling and urging. clinging precarious
y with one hand. threw his whip into
hem. Poor team that it was. he pass
,d two slcds before White river was
reached Here az the freezeup a jam
had piled a barrier. allowing the open
""A'i AhdN iot hitu loI udil II ullit U' /
ow to freeze smoothly. This smooth |
stretch enabled the racers TO make ny /
ne exchanges OF sleds. and down all 4
he course they had placed their relays /
below the jams
over the jam ana ont on TO the
smooth Smoke tore along. calling loud |
v: Billy Billy"
Billy heard and answered. and bl
he light of the many fires on the ice
smoke saw a sled swing IN from the
idc and come abreast lis dogs were
resh and overhaulCd his As the sicd-
wcrvcd toward each other be- lcapc.
cross. and BIDS Promptly rolled oG
Where's Bis Olaf smoke cried
Leading Hlly's voice answered
md Smoke was again dying through
he wall of blacLness
In the jams of that relay. where the
way led across a chaos of upeuded icc
axes ana where Smoke slipped Oh the
onward end Of the sled and with
'aul rope t0ilcd behind the wheel doc
ie passed ihrec -lcds
Among The iaris of the next shori re-
~ into Sixty aiiie hc ia--od two NOR.
cams. And thai hc m.-ll know ado
uatcly whit bad hapwnci go thcm
nc of his own dogs wren he'd shout
or. was unable 90 keep gp and Wu
ragged IN the harness.. rs be cut thp
ljured animal ont De heard the whin
be- cries OF dogs behind him and thc
DICE of man that WAS familiar II
fas Won Schroeder Smoke called
10 prevent n rear end COLI !
Ion. and the baron. having his ami
lals and swinging on the gee pole
tent by dozen feet 10 the side.