The Kusko times., 1929-04-27


 A belief in the other mans honesty, found perhaps more among Alaskans than any other people, was responsi- ble for a friendship which sprang up between Seppala and Emil St. God dard's father, who trains. bis sons dogs. The twn were in hotel about three n1iles from the kennels. Sep pala was tired after a hard days work and did not look forward with any pleasure to making the trip to the kennels to water his dogs, so when the elder St. Goddard an- nounced he was golng down to water his sons animals Scppala asked him if he would water his and save him the trouble of making the trip. St. Goddal6 was astenished that a ra':er oli the eve of an important derby would ask anyone connected with an opposing team to perform such ser vice fer him. He Watered the dogs, however, and incidentally became a firm friend of Seppala..
 It is not generally known fact that at Laconia, New Hampshire, and at Quebec the condition prizes for both races were won by Seppala. These prizes are based on speed, con dition of fur and feet and general condition at the end of a race. At Quebec and in Ne wEngland it was considered remarkable fact that the team winning first prize in the race should also win the condition prize, the experience of those connected with the sport having been that the prize winners were pretty well all in by the time the race was over.
 Seppala is able to keep his dogs in good shape throughout a race by re- moving from the team any that are stiff or lame. In one three-day New England race, fsr instance, he started out with seven dogs and removed one from the string the first day and one the second. The five dogs that fin ished, however, were in the best of shape.
 The Alaskan has the distinction if having won the last three all-Alaska sweepstakes without the use of the whip, and Outside he is known as the 'whipless driver" He often carries whip, but never uses it on his dogs.
 Seppala has no patience with those who scriticise dog racing by saying the animals are treated cruelty. Dog racing has done more to humanize the treatment fdogs, especially in Alaska, than any humane society could do," he added.
 In illustration the racer described conditions at Nome in the early days,
 when natives commonly and white
 men often paid little attention to
 their dogs and did nothin to add to
 their comfort, even in the most severe
 weather.
 The growth of racing changed all
 this, Seppsla continued. The natives
 soon relhzed they had no chance
 against white men if their dogs were
 not trai and well cared for, and as
 a result real effort was made to
 better the condtionsof the animals. :, Alaska has better all-around sled dogs than the Outside, in the opinion of Seppala. The mixed breeds com monly found there won't stand up against the Alaskan dog, he said. Past experience in Nome, he contin- ; ued, has shown that malamute is : not as fast as a mongrel, but his feet and fur are better, and after years of experiments with all kinds of dogs
 Seppala has become an absolute fe- liever in the thoroughbred, especially the Siberian. nthe Siberian he finds more speed, greater endurance, bet ter feet, and just as good and perhaps better fur than the husky. Besides , this +vpa ;s not inclined to fight to