The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-08-07
Links from q Chain of Events-In q
Rocky Mountain Engineers Camp.

Links from q Chain of Events-In a
Rocky Mountain Engineers Camp.
MARSHALL Pass, Colorado, July 10.
"We are spending the ::summer in the
mountains. To be sure, we call ourselve
a corps Of engineers and drsg chain over
miles of treacherous ihillside and rugged
untain gulch, but we live in tents; take
an occasional meal out of doors and fish,
hunt or prospect when opportunity pre-
sents, all of which viewed from the stand.
point Of tourist make up the enjoyment of
"roughing it." One thinks he discovers
shoddy in the life of q tourist, when he
takes to camp life month after month, with
little expectation of change. 1t takes a
good deal of the poetry out Of the picnic
idea TO get as complete soaking as We did
in the rain the other day.
We fsh;-who could help it with clear
tumbling trout stream at our very door?
The Colorado Chieftain Gays that this
Poncho Creek, is the best fishing stream
in the state. Yet somehow, even after
such recommend alton from such q source,
the trout dont bite as they do in the
guides of the picnic folk and messes of
fish on our table have been much scarcer
than you'd think.
We hunt-that is, those who care to do
so. In theory, "the woods are full" of
grouse, mountain sheep, deer and bear
One of our most enthusiastic hunters was
lately the editor of Mississippi Valley
daily paper-tryine this life for the sake
of his health. The other day he rose be-
fore sunrise, took his new Winchester and
went toiliHg up the mountain side in quest
of sport and game. Up, up, up he climbed,
reaching at last the mountain summit;
then down the other slope, and as mile af-
ter mile passed under his feet, he gazed
about as one monarch of all he surveyed. |
Here no human foot had ever trod before,
in all probability no other human eye had
beheld that same scene. Here for ages per.
haps, the denizens of the forest had wan
dered, unterrifed by the approach Of man.
The saucy chipping of prairie dogs only
added to the romantic solitude.
"Bark away, little fellows" said he,
"you have never seen a man, and havn't
the remotest appreciation af Winchester
rife. I'll spare you for your ve-y limo.
cence."
Almost obvious of what we had come
there for, the hunter wanders dreamingly
along, wholly given up to reverie, when
suddenly he stumbles into-a road-plain
as daylight and we'll beaten as the Nation
al pike. Gazing about, the dim outline of
Q fence meets his view. Not far away a
deserted saw mill takes all the moonshine
out Of that "undisturbed landscape" Not
Q line of the eloquent lettef he intended TO
write the B Gazette was ever penned.
For q minute our hunter engages in more
profans thought than any man of his in.
ches within hundred miles. Then he
turns, kills the fret prairie dog he can
hit. and comes to camp with enlightened
ideas of Rocky mountain folltudes and
feeling as tired as any man in this section
of country.
We prospect. You'd think from the
stseam of men which has poured into this
region during the last year that these
mountains were solid gold and silver
When camped below Cleora we had fair
opportunity to watch them by scores and
hundreds as they toiled up the hill at
Leadvills. The "old-timer" Rocky Noun
trim prospector looks like no other man;
talks like no other. You know his bust
ness as he approaches, with ovsralls tucked
in slouchy bools. no suspenders, a blue
flannel shirt below and . white slouch hal
above face which can belong to no 9th.
OK man but . miner. Dress amounts to
little here. So impressed you are in The
presence Of . man who has his hands uI
10 his elbows in the treasure vaults o.
earth that you prepare TO take off your
hat. He may not have dollar in his pool
ct, yes you can't imagine him trsmp-no
by million grades. He would scorn tht
thought and you would agree with him
He may come down "dasd broke" maj
work on the railroad grade 70 "make /,
stake" but he never looses his self respect
and never ceases to inspire in you the re
spsct due one who IL or is to bs a man o
wealth.
But the Leadville excitement isn't par
: icle. mote, an atom compared
with the breeze we had almost At our yer,
, door. Some prospectors thought they dis
} covered "oaIbouatesn on q mountain aid,