The Alaska daily empire., 1921-12-03

even those llNlnS dt the lloot lciilVAN points. according to Col J. C. Cat walls who as Engineer Officer oi the Alaska Road Commission, in the past two years has covered most ol the Territory. Much of his journey ing has been in Interior Alaska which he has seen from the hurri cane deck of mustangs and polling boats. between the handles of a Nome trail sled. from the observa- tion platform of gravel trains. occa- sionally. and more often scuttling across the landscape on snowshoes propelled by his own leg power.
 Is Never RuffIed
 "The Interiorite is from Missouri and is also never ruffled under any circumstance" said Colonel Gotwals. Among the men whom l have met best exemplifying these TWO points, I should rate Earl Hirst, at Chisto- cinema roadhouse, as the most so- phisticated man in the Interior and mine host Keller, at Lakeview road house on the Rainy Pass trail, as being decidedly from Missouri
 Man Without Curiosity
 "When coming over the trail last summer from Eagle to Gulkana, we were out of oats when we reached Mantasta Pass and the horses got into and ate most of our grub at the same place The next day we travelled continuously for A hours. taking short rests to ease the horses backs and made trail of 52 mics finally reaching Chistochena road house at five in the morning. Horses and men were entirely exhausted and when I looked through the road house it appeared that no one was there. We then took care Of our horses. and, while doing so, the proprietor. whom I knew to be Earl Hirsh, dashed out of the door, mak- ing straight for the woodpile. and began vigorously cutting wood for breakfast. We went in, had break fast. went to bed. Never a word O. greeting or inquiry from Hrst. The condition of my party and the ar 1lVdI ITOHl lHb ull tCAiOn II VIII W iliNh we came, I felt, was the occasion for surprise. I am sure that, II a squadron of airplanes would land al Chistochena roadhouse, Hirst would dash out the same way to resume operations on the woodpile and call them to breakfast. Smugglers and bootleggers will never be embar- rassed by him by inquiries as to their journey and business.
 Encounter With Bear
 "Hirst. himself, is the hero of one of the most extraordinary encoun ters with brown bear in the In terior This happened about two years ago in the Chistochena coun try. Hirst was attacked and se- yerely mauled, his scalp being torn off by the bear. His partner se- cured a rifle with cartridge from pack animal, discharged it, and attracted the bear to himself In mediately Hirst, in spite of his maui ing, secured another rifle with a magazine of cartridges, and killed the bear Hrst then was taken to Gulkena, where the signal corps op- orator attempted to place his scalp but, fortunately, put it on backwards, and it had to later be removed and replaced at Cordova.
 The Skeptical Keller
 "As to Keller, the roadhouse man From Missouri he is the genial proprietor of Lakeview roadhouse or the Rainy Pass trail. While coming over this trail from Rainy Pass, ny party had joined Dr. Beeson's, max ing total of 50 dogs. four slei' and six men On the day we ar rived at Lakeview, l was breaking trail and had started very early il the morning. reaching Lakeview fully half an hour ahead of the dogs When I arrived Keller was sawini wood and saw no reason to stop fo an individual musher. l shouted ant asked him if he could take care o my party. On his inquiry, l stated that my party was six men and 5' dogs This brought the wood sawin; to nasty conclusion and Kelle came over to listen further to tni new trail curiosity. l explained far ther by telling him that, of the fou teams composing my outfit, l ha' dogs ranging from 20 miles an hou to three miles an hour and. further that my being here was on accoun of my concern for the dogs as l ol 0inarily started half an hour or s after their departure so as to easil get in ahead of the 20 mile an hon