The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-08-06
California Drivers.
From the San francisco Argus

From the San francisco Argus.l
The California ranchman have wonder
ful aptitude for driving. nul one sees
some pretty good examples among the
hills. The road down the mountain
sides is entirely unguar,led upon the
outer edge, and the descent in most
places is prccipitous. A balky horse,
or II fractured wheel, or a slight careless
ness in handling the rcins. might easily
send carriage load of people to destruc-
tjonr-sand I'M awful destruction, too.
The path is wide enough for one pair of
wheels only, but Mt intervals, in favor
able places, it brOadcns 80 that teams
may pass each other. To drive in such
manner rs not to meet another trav-
eler midway between these places il q
special branch Of the art. The huge
lumber teams which carry wood from
the mills in the mountains to the yards
in the valleys, being unwieldy and very
heavy, are especially hard to manage;
yet the driver always seems easy and
nonchalant. First, there is large four
wheeled oaken truck with Il sedt IN front
ten feet above the ground; behind it il
another truck, somewhat shorter, but
still enormously stout. They are fas-
tened together and loaded with ten or
fifteen tons of freshly-sawn lumber
boards and ioists. This mass il drawn
by six or eight mules or horses, guided
by rcins and prodigiously long whip.
The first wagon has powerful brake,
worked by n long iron lever by the driy-
er upon his seat. The driver is man
of nerve and courage. His skill must
be Of the highest order. 1t will not do
for him to take fright even if in imminent
danger, and he must know to q hairs
breadth where he can 60 and where he
cannot. Towering up far above the
road, overlooking the most stupendous
depths, and guiding with few slender
lines tremendous force, he must needs
be IN adept and tireless one. But Il
acknowledgements of the danger that
surrounds him-would say that his work
was simple, and that he managed matters
with ease. True, he seems to. With
his broad brimmed hat shading his sun
burnt face, his sinewy hands holding the
rcins with carelessness, his legs out
stretched, with one foot feeling the all
important break, he joys onward with
his monster charge without trouble or
COictIi, tiic peiis vi pun tiic uoisc . oiS"sls
jingle little tune; the great wheels
crush the stones in the path; the loud
creaks like ships hull in sudden
gust; wild birds sink down into hazy
sunny depths below; yet the driver
seems to take no heed. But let n
"scare " take place; let herd of run
away cattle appear ut Lend and set
the horses wild, and then zee what will
happen. The day dreamer will become
giant of strength; he liz up in a flash;
he shortens his hold on the reins, and
feeling his wagon start up beneath him,
places foot of iron on the brake. The
horses snort and rear and surge, the har-
ness rattles, the dust arises, the load
shrieks again, and the huge wheels turn
fatally faster and faster. An instant
may hurl the wagon down into the valley
with its struggling train--a mad rush to
the other side of the way may end all in
one horrible plunge. Muscle, eye, brain
and skill are then brought to work Sc
splendidly together that the peril is
averted, and the looker-on, who knows
not the way of the land, regards the
tenmster with profound respect thereaf
| ter