The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-08-07

and not less courageous than the old
timers along the broad gauge Pacific
roads.
In the South Part I met men walking
on foot to Lsadvills. confident Of the
future, happy. 10 high spirits. aud all
ca.rying food and blankets in great
buuulss on their backs; also gangs of
weary, discouraged men vslkiny TO the
east These s.ii LesdvilIs was .
flaud. Wsgons loaded with house
hold goods aud families going east
we're passed in the Park also. One Of
the man drivisg . wagon advised me to
Ear. lack q 'Leadsilis il the boss
soids sf America
Frsiehters are properly the men Who
own the tssms and wagons. called the
'eut6t.' employed to haul goods from
tovu 10 tom in the mo0nt.ius. C"m-
msnly the term 10 ussd to designate the
men Who are employed 10 dive the
tesma and wagons The wagons are
manufactured especially for the rough
usage unaveidedly encountered on the
rocky EOads OF the m0untai Z. s'.d are
the heaviest made. The load is from
1000 to 5000 rounds per wagon. A
team generally consists OF eight mules
and two wagons. one, tho hindsrmsss.
called the trail wagon, having . short
tongue. II 10 attached to the lead
wagon by bolt much - . piece OF A.
tillesy is fastened to its Timber. with the
addition OF heavy ,ro0 chains running
from the tongue to the front axle Of the
lead wagon. The driver ridss on the
near wheel male. He guides the team
With single line. He is armed with
cruel whip called . blacksnaks. The
drivers are we'll paid. and spsnd their
money freely. Six wagons generally
travel together in column under the
charge Of Q wagon loss Who rides on =
horse. Along the road at stated dis.
tances are Cbrrals aud log housss called
camp houses Tkese are for the use #
the drivers aud h RES. Hay, grain .nd
food for the m.i are stored ~ these
stations The teams travel about 10
miles psr day.
On the rough road. of the Rocky
Mocptains much b to b. learned Of ths
true nstars ofthe mule. have always
believed that snimals should be
trestsd kindly, but after seeing thr
treatment the nulss that haul the
heavy wagons from Buena Vista. on
thu ArksnsAs River trail to Leadviile. 10
. steep. rocky point. High mountains
rise on both sides Of the road. In can
yon 70 the right Of the road the tarbid
Arksusas dsshes ever the rocks. in q
yellow foam. Evergreen trees, stunted
and gnarlsd by the many winter
storms they have endured, partially
vsiled the rocky flsnks Of the snow
clad mountains. Leading my wagon
were six aieht-mule teams. The road
was thickly strewn With boulders Of sil
siz . and shapes. The train hsl,ei. 1
lett NY wagon aud walked forward to
the head OF the train. The drivers
had dismounted and we're filing their
pockets With small stones The wagon
boss, having tied bis horse to . little
pine, st,,ioned himself On command
ing point. He Vas veil supplied with
stones. and appeared 70 be anxious.
Walking up the hill / clam bsred on to
great boulder. and. feating myself.
Watched the trsin below me. From
my sest the view wss wild. The road
wound far up the stsep mountain side.
The oountains TO the wet we're COW
cred with snow far bslow the timber
line. The roar ee the Arkansas river
uas load and ever iscreased ID volume.
The strong wind vhistlsd mourufully,
loudly through the pines. soandiog. in
cemhinasioa With the roar Of the river.
- though railway train were passing
throaeh deep canyos. Far mp the
road mostly hidden By great point Of
rocks that juttsd oat 70 the river
nearly, I ~ 3 column OF dust rising
high in ths cir. b b blown away in
great clOods - the wind struck it.
The down trail vagons,' / ssid 10 my
self. Dsiov me ths cracking Of whips,
90 the driver. prepared TO mount, At
tslcted my atcution. ! locked and
cav that th- first team was shout to
nake The attswps 70 surmount the hill.
0eftiy, kindly the driver spoke to bis
team, Hi, mules! all toseiherr The
oulss lsaned forward and settled into
thsir collars. Then louder spoke the
tsamster: Nov, then. bill mulesr The
vhip was cracked, the mules scrsm,
blei. slippea - thsis knees. got up
aesis. end With renewed energy pulled
s6sadily. The Wagons started. the dust
grew lhieA nstiallys reversing steex-
Sitod 1amsters Who we're standing By
Che rsad, Whips = hsnd The eprshni>
q grew more -iseossA With , mighty
Effort Ne males plllsA IL Wagons up
The stssp inslins asd pessed on 70 the
level rood. Fivs teams psssed With but
little troable. The sixth wagon stsFted.
From ths. vese = ~plppp oe mail
eoachss rolled up q ian tfot 70 the
head al tbs incline. They halted for
the sixfh vagoa sad ny taaa 10 pass
by. Tia hssvy wagoas soascely m0ved
a they ruolsd up she hill. I sav the
IA team Aisch: the ewing tssps
vssss~d. To driver psifed der With
stoaes. The Uagsa boss eakabIished .
reputasjsa - mssksnas that will
never b sarpssssd The oashs Of the
tsaastsrs vsrs startling In their frssh.
pess asd vehemsnce. lt was Of NO use.
With . Sudden sWiag the lsad team
spssnx est6s, cod, - ne the expression
oi IT, rod. threw up theis isils.' The
suisg seans Soalsged ~ Bod sx1nple
- thsu. The vsgoa settisd. Ne hind
vhsele snninsl . s1sp Il - Foek, md
the seaA vas blocked A roaf q rags
and prolAni:y nads ths cir ssives.
Rrou ~ ssst wages albeS wagon
slowly rollDd iuto tAe HsA Ibe pas-