The Tripod, January 2023

Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance, PO Box 2323, Seward AK 99664 http://www.Iditarod100.org IditarodHTA@gmail.com The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes awareness of the Iditarod Trail, and its gold rush and Alaska Native heritage by encouraging education programs and historical research, assisting in the protection, improvement, maintenance and marking of the Trail and developing partnerships that foster stewardship, commitment and support. FROM THE PAST… Iditarod Pioneer, December 5, 1914 SEASON’S LAST GOLD SHIPMENT LEFT LAST MONDAY FOR OUTSIDE On Monday morning the last three sleds loaded with express matter left the city for Fort Gibbon*, where it will be turned over to the express officials for transportation outside.

In this shipment was nearly a quarter of $1,000,000 in bullion, constituting the last cleanups of the 1914 season of the two dredges operated in this district by the Yukon Gold Company and Riley and Marston. The shipment was in charge of Bob Griffith, the veteran mail carrier, and his partner Jim Haley and they will be accompanied as far as Kaltag by Siegfried Wick. The course taken by the shipment on its way outside is via the Yukon to Fort Gibbon, hence to Fairbanks and hence to Chitina and Cordova. The object in sending it by this roundabout route instead of by the shorter one over the Seward Trail, and hence by steamship to Seattle, is that the party may keep in touch along the route with the officials by means of the telegraph and wireless systems along the trail, which convenience is not available along the shorter route to Seward.

This not only affords protection from the remote possibility of holdups, but also makes assistance possible in case of accident. Mr. Griffith and Mr. Haley will continue their journey to the outside and both will visit their old homes. Mr. Haley will go to New York City and after visiting there will return in the spring by way of the Panama Canal and San Francisco, taking advantage of the opportunity to visit the exposition, ** which will then be in full swing. He will come back by way of the Seward Trail to Iditarod. Mr. Griffith will visit his old home at Gloversville New York which he has not seen for many years. He will also return in the spring. Bob Griffith, widely known in Alaska, is one of the real old timers of the Northland, having come to Alaska in the spring of 1889. *Fort Gibbon was a U.S. Army base near Tanana, Alaska.

It was active from 1899 to 1923. **The Panama–Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, from February 20 to December 4, 1915 to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. MONEY FOR ALASKA TRAILS The $1.7 trillion omnibus bill recently passed by Congress and signed by President Biden has several items in it that will be of interest to Alaska trail users.

Here are some of them from a list distributed by Senator Lisa Murkowski: • Statewide: $1 million to complete a National Scenic Trail feasibility study to connect Seward and Fairbanks (aka the Alaska Long Trail). • Chugach National Forest: $2.3 million to 1 The Tripod January 2023 construct and improve recreational trails and access on the Iditarod National Historic Trail. • Denali: $2.2 million for the design and construction of pedestrian pathways along the Parks Highway corridor in the Denali Borough. • Kodiak: $1 million to the Island Trails Network for removal, recycling and recovery of debris from the Alaska marine environment. • North Slope: $2.5 million for the Northern Route of the North Slope Borough Community Winter Access Trails pilot program. (see full list at https://tinyurl.com/2vzcbxwv).

THE ANCHORAGE MUSHING DISTRICT The municipality of Anchorage working with Anchorage Mushing District, Inc. have declared 4th Avenue from A to G Streets officially as the Anchorage Mushing District. The purpose of this district is to celebrate the rich history of dog mushing in the state of Alaska and particularly of dog racing on 4th Avenue in Anchorage. There will be interpretive signage along the sidewalk on both sides of the street, describing the history of dog mushing in Alaska with emphasis on dog racing on 4th Avenue. Banners will be hung from the light standards picturing famous mushers of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on the north side and on the south side famous Fur Rondy World Champion mushers.

A permanent steel arch will be constructed over 4th Avenue just to the west of the intersection of 4th and D Street, which is the starting and finishing line of the World Championship Race and the starting line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The arch will be constructed arching across the roadway with the silhouette of a dog musher, his sled and a team of dogs on top of the arch. RACE ACROSS ALASKA WINTER CHALLENGE The Race Across Alaska Winter Challenge began on December 21, but it is not too late to join in. RAAWC is a fundraiser for the Alaska Long Trail project. It has raised over $60,000 for the Long Trail in just two years. See the website for more details: www.raawc.com/Race/AK/Anchorage/AlaskaChallenge