From
the past.....
TRIPOD MARKER
LOCATED
IN SEWARD, ALASKA |
Tripods
Tripods are closely associated with the Iditarod Trail. The use of
tripods goes back to 1910-11 when Walter Goodwin and party laid down
the historic trail from Nome to Seward. Here is an excerpt from an
article on the establishment of the trail from July 1911 issue of
the Alaskan Yukon Magazine:
"Kaltag was reached December 7th, and from there the party crossed
the Yukon and started across country to Dishakaket, on the Innoko
River. Little work was required on this trail. All the tripods that
had been erected by Foreman Giddings were in position, and Mr. Goodwin
says is the best marked trail he ever traversed in Alaska. The tripods
used by Mr. Giddings consisted of three sticks of timber, each, two
of were eight feet long and the third ten or eleven feet long. These
areso fastened together that the longest of the three sticks projects
two or three feet over the others at the top and is directly over
the trail. Mr Goodwin adopted this method of trail marking for the
remainder of the trip to Seward."
"Betsy" WINS NEW HOME
LEAVES FOR FLAT CREEK
Iditarod Pioneer 8 November
1913
" Betsy,"Jack Baird's bear cub,
which has been the pet of almost everyone in the camp for the past
several months, by her cunning ways and general sociability has won
a new home and incidently saved her life. Her glossy black hide was
destined to serve as an automobile rug for a young lady Outside, but
such general protest went up from Betsy's many friends that Mr. Baird
issued a stay of execution. Tom Aitken and Al Welsh, to whom she has
taken a special liking, will this week take Miss Besty to the creeks
with them and install her in a sumptuous new home. Incidently,
it is thought that Charlie Miller's sugar bill will be lessened
considerably by Betsy's removal.
Route to Nome Cut 294 Miles
Seward Weekly Gateway February 1,
1908
The government is planning a new and shorter route across the territory
of Alaska to Nome. The present route via Valdez and Fairbanks to
Kaltag is 960 miles, and to Nome 1136 miles. The proposed new route
statring from Seward will be over a trail only 450 miles to Innoko,
and the entire distance to Nome of 294 miles.
Early yesterday morning W.L. Goodwin,
George Pulham, Ross J. Kinney and Mr. Jackson started overland from
Seward to Nome to carry out the plan for the government as indicated
above. It is their intention to make preliminary surveys along the
proposed new route. The outfit consists of two 14-foot sleds well
packed with supplies, and eighteen dogs, nine dogs to each sled.
Another team will be made up either at Susitna Station or Knik.
W.L. Goodwin has full charge of the
work whereby the government hopes to shorten the Nome trail. Mr.
Goodwin is unhampered by any orders other than to find as short
a trail as possible from seabored to Seward peninsula.
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