The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-03
"Snow.Shoe Thompson"
The EXPERIENCE OF CALIFORNIA NOUN
TAISEER.
from the San Francisco Bulletin.]

Every body in this State has heard of
"Snow. Shoe Thompson" the man who has
carried the United States mails over the
Sierra through the storms and snow-drifts
of twenty winters when the mountain passes
were only to be traversed by strong man
on snow.shoes, but very few probably know
his history or the difficulties and dangers he
has met in the Government service.
John 4. Thompson-for such is his real
name-was born at Upper Tins, Prestijeld,
Norway, in 1927, and is consequently forty
nine years of age. His height is nearly six
feet, bis weight one hundred and eighty
pounds, while he has the blende hair and
beard peculiar to natives of northern cllmes'
and peculiarly piercing eye. He came to
this country when ten years of age, and SET
tied in Illinois with his father, and In 1851
he crossed the plains to California, living first
at PIaceryille as miner, and then engaging
in ranching at Putah Creek, Sacramento
Valley, during 1854 and 1856. During the
early winter of 1856 be heard of the Difficult.
ties experienced in carrying the mails over
the mountains, and the early remembrance
of the snow-shoes used In bis own country
suggested to him that they could perhaps be
utilized here. He accordingly constructed a
pair ten feet long and four inches wide, upon
which he crossed the mountains to Placer
| VILE, then the principal town on the road
| over which the mail was carried. t.
His first trip over the mountains was made
In January, 1856, when he went from Pa-
cerville to Carson Valley, a distance Of ninety
miles, carrying the mail-bags strapped upon
his back and gliding on bis long Norwegian
snow.shoes over fields Of snow from ten to
fifty feet deep. Having successfully made
(, bot tv;y, op2 ha
the mails between the two points all that
winter. the weight Of the bags being gene
rally from sixty TO eighty pounds, but some
times more than one hundred pounds. The
distance between the two places-ninely
mikes-he traversed in two days on his re-
turn, bat required three days ip going, owing
to the great amount of uphill travel. On
his trip he seldom saw q human
being, as there was not house on the route,
and the entire country was perfect Siberia
of Snow. He never carried blankets or wore
an oYercoat, while sill his food was prepared
40 that he could eat it as he ran For his
drink he would scoop up handful of snow
or take draught from some mountaia
stream. He camped at night wherever dark.
ness overlook him, keeping warm through
the drearg hours by blazing fire at his feet,
and sleeping peacefully upon couch Of
.hemlock beughs, and with his head pillowed
.upon the mail.bags. When able, ne camped
pnder shelsipg rocks, and at q place six miles
fnom Strawberry Valley he had cavern In
the shape of an oven in which be slept as
often as possible, with FIRE blazing at its
snoQth. ~
About Christmas of 1855 be saved the life
of danes Sissen, who bad lain 10 an OLD DE-
serted cabin liz Lake Valley twelve days, with
his feet frozen, subsjsting on flour during ail
that time, and drew him to Genoa on hand-
sled, where both his feet were amputated
Before the operation Thompson walked 90
Sacramento for chlorofern. Thompson
seemed to be sroof against eold and ex-
posure. he never had his feet or eEen bis
fingers frozen, and though camping eat seve-
raj nights without 6se, he never suffered any
inconvenience, but slept as well 90 usual.
He is now thinking of retiring from the
business, aad petition is being
circulated by his friends asking the Govern
nent to-pay him 81, 600 for bis past services.