DOG TEAM MAIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 188, 23 May 1938, Page 3

DOG TEAM MAIL.

AN INNOVATION IN FRANCE. The French people are naively delighted over their new dog-team mail transport which has made its first run in the French Alps, says the “Chicago Tribune.” In these times of highpower winter sports around the world they are proud and content that there are regions in sunny and temperate France where there is so much snow that dog teams are the most practicable —and at certain times of winter the only possible—means of transportation. The dog sled line from Monetier to La Grave. The drivers are Michel Perez and Paul Emile Victor who have had experience in Greenland, and their dogs are Greenland huskies of a breed called French spelling zinguernak. The first trip of thirtv-.six miles over rough mountain country was made in less than eight hours. The so-called Lauteret highway, as it mounts, is reasonably clear of snow up to Monetier, but soon after that village it becomes buried under drifts of Canadian proportions, so deep that snow ploughs can do nothing with them. Hence the dog sled line. Perez and Victor started off at 8.30 a.m., a heavy bag of mail strapped to their sled, on their route which is ratfbly attempted at this time of year even by skiers. At 11 a.m. they arrived at their first mountain pass, Lauteret Pass, where they and their dogs took a well-earned half-hour rest. They * delivered some mail at Villarsd’lreno, barely stopping long enough to dump it off and then went on to the destination, La Grave, where they rested another half-hour, leaving again at 1 p.m. The circuit Avas made at altitudes varying from 4500 feet to 6000 feet, approximately.

The dogs carried an average of ninety-nine pounds apiece and made an average speed of seven kilometres per hour—approximately four miles.