Arizona republican., 1920-04-18
DOG TEAM RACE
 POINTS A MORAL

1 UIWIu II WUliHl An interesting account of the Porcu- pine Dog Team race is written for the 1 Evening Sun of New York by Vincent | Woodbury, brother of Clarence Wood l bury of this city. MT. Woodbury who I visited in Phoenix about a year ago is | q resident of the interesting Porcu- 1 pine country south of Hudson Bay and 1 Out of the thrilling account of the race l he draws a lesson:
 Mir. H. l.. Fitzpatrick,
 | Sporting Department
 Evening Sun, New York. 1 My dear MT. Fitzpatrick:
 I thank you very much for your re- quest of the 26th referring to the Por- cupine Dog Team race for 1920. As far the Canadian newspaper l writeups so far-two hundred words were wired down to Toronto at the re- quest of the Mail Empire on Sunday evening the 21st, and published in that paper the morning of the 23rd. The
 Cobalt Nugget Of Cobalt, Ontario pub lished Q glowing account on the 23rd inst q am writing Editor Cushing to send you a copy), while finally I am sending you under separate cover The Porcupine Advance which is pretty well 1 filled over with the fascinating event. There are only a few features rela- tive to the race which will briefly give you, as am not certain but that they have been overlooked by others. The race is over the old Hudson Bay Trail: Starting in the heart Of Tim mins opposite the Imperial bank, strik-
 ing over the Porcupine Crown mines, thence to South Porcupine through q bush trail. and then returning direct to Timmins through Schumacher, a distance of 13IS miles.
 There were eight entries, each driver
 walked up and took pot luck by reach
 ing into the mayors hat and extracting
 a slip of paper which not only gave him
 his number, but that number the posi-
 ton in which he starts the race. As
 for instance the driver who drew num-
 Der one starts first, and the one who
 drew three starts third, etc. The pie
 ture man was busy wheeling this incl
 dent off.
 The teams are composed of four dogs
 or less. Each driver must finish with
 his dogs, if one gives out he must bring
 him in on the sled. Any driver who is
 found beating his dogs is disqualified.
 driver does not need to remain on
 the sled, he can run with his dogs
 far as he wants and as often, but must
 be OH the sled both at the start and the
 finish. Any driver who threatens the
 leader or other dogs of a passing team is disqualified, as he is always sup posed to give portion of the road to
 any dog team who might be able to
 pass him.
 These are the few cool circumstances
 which are not mentioned in the papers
 which will give you some outline of the
 conditions covering the great northern
 sporting event.
 I would like to mention two incl
 dents in this race and draw a little les
 son which it presented to my mind.
 Zimmerman's team of great Danes drew first place and had the advantage of being first away. This team was the best appearing team in the race although Wallingford's team of husl:ies were the most picturesque.
 The principles making up our little chapter are Zimmerman's team of Great Danes first and yet did not finish and Martins mixed breed third away and winner of the race.
 To a shout. waving of the divers hat, and the yell of the crowd. Zimmer- mans team pointed over the line, .oi- lowed the narrow course bstweel the crowds down the stree. and fell into a gallop as they reached the open course of the road below. It truly was a beau tfful team, with all kinds of power. and the stamina that goes with young dogs The driver hit the back trail which cuts through the bush to South Porcupine and not contented with the reasonable gait of his dogs. began to veil at them, and cut the leader ac -oss the neck with his lash, and then in his nervousness strike the wheeler across the Hanks with the stock of his whip. Soon the leader became apprehensivc. with each yell he would look back as he half ran, preparing to dodge the lash as it came for him, while the wheeler would crouch to the ground fearing the belt across the Hanks. Soon the team be- came disorganized, the leader lost his 1 head and did not pull with will nor | maintain any speed, he neither knew | what his driver wanted, and he lost | confidence in himself. became discou- ragged and undependable. The wheeler 1 went flat in the snow as the abuse grew | worst, got his legs crossed in the traces | which necessitated stopping. The driver became a maniac, not being able l to manage himself he could give no | confidence to his team, and his diff culties grew so did his temper and his utter lack of control. He got to kicking his dogs, and when the outfit passed | the first clearing and checking point The Dome Mines-it was in pitiable 1 condition and quit-yes Zimmerman's l team quit.
 I happened to talk with the winner of | the race, Martin. He said. s.My team won because it was the best disciplined | team. each one of my dogs could lead If | necessary each one understood me and | l understand them. I know what they can do and all they can do. They were not the best team in the race, others were better bred and faster dogs, but | each one of my dogs worked with the I otehrs, doing their best all the time.