The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-14
Colorado Stage Stories.

in the Elk Mountains.
''Climb up on the box seat" said Mr.,
Buck, of the Spirit of the Times, IF YOU
want to enjoy the ride and see some
clever driving"
We rode over level, sandy trail for
a few miles before striking the foot hills
Only few monosyllables passeds be-
tween the driver and the writer. On
reaching the first rise of ground we met
a teamster stuck in rut with load of
Goals from a neighboring hillside, where
it crops out in solid wall of black rich
ness. The teamster had worked his
mules for some time in useless efforts to
extricate his wagon. The wheels on one
side were sunk to the hubs in the Weld
ing sandy ground, while the coal was
badly canted. The road was so narrow
where the mishap occurred that it was
necessary for the coal wagon to pass us
before we could proceed on our journey.
Our driver, Frank, took in the situa-
ton, and handing the reins of his four
grays to the writer, said: ''I'll try to
get him out of that hole"
Swinging his six feet of bone, muscle
and well-hardened flesh to the ground
with but one touch on the wheel, in an
instant he was at the head of the leading
pair of mules, speaking kindly while ar
ranging the harness. He did the same
to the wheelers, and then, gathering the
lines carefully in his hands, took the
teamster' seat and Strengthened out the
double team to the apparent limit of its
strength. 1t was of no avail; the mules
barely twisted the front wheels an inch
or so, and that was all. Leaning over
the team, the stage driver then curled
his whip over the leaders head, chirped
cheerfully into the ears of the wheelers,
started them in unison, and then fairly
whooped them out of the rut.
When Frank had regained his seat l
asked him if he had often been delayed
by teams stuck with their loads.
20, yes" he replied; ''that little
affair was nothing. Sometimes we have
to cut out new road to get around OBJ
structions. Tremendous loads have been
drawn over these mountains. Your
Commodore Webb, of New York, for in
stance, built smelter up here, which we
will pass this afternoon. The machinery
was all drawn, nearly or quite $50 miles,
by oxen, to its present height of II 200
feet. One piece weighed 5000 pounds.
1t took twelve yoke of oxen about three
months to drag it from the car to Ruby
Camp. The freight on the machinery in
its last stage was more than five cents a
pound"
care you fond of driving?"
Eyes; [ love to be around horses"
"You must have had some adven-
tures?'
"a few" replied Frank, quietly.
"Where did you first begin to driver"
''In the East. I came from Lockport,
N. Y. used to drive trotters You ask
Dan Mace if he remembers Frank En-
sign
Just then we passed an encampment
by the side of living stream from the
mountains.
''That is Mormon outfit" said Frank
"You can always tell them by the water
barrels strapped to their wagons. The
Mormons help construct the railroads
They are frugal and save their money
They adopted the water-barrel precau-
ton after once crossing the Forty Mile
Desert, between the Colorado river and
the cascades. There is no water to drink
the entire distance. Before the over
land railroad was built, all the trails
crossing it were lined with bleached
bones of cattle and horses, and dotted
with graves eff immigrants. In winter
it was inviting death to cross this terrible
waste"
''You must have had some cold rides. :"
Eyes, I've been chilled to the marrow
on several occasions; once on the road
over the ground we are now travelling,
| 1t was two winters ago, when the dis
coveries of these diggings began to make
a noise in the world. Men would under
| go any hardship to reach the mountains
One morning had a stage load for Ruby
| Camp. From signs in the air / made
up my mind that before night blizzard
would roll down with frost sharp enough
to freeze whisky in your breast pocket.
put ON six layers of clothing. First silk
underwear, then wooden, next buckskin,
a suit of wooden clothes, thick ulster,
and finally big bearskin coat that COW
cred all up to my ears. wore three pair
of socks, pair of arctics, and high fan
Inclined rubber boots over them. 1
wound flannel bandage around my
head and forehead, and pulled my fur
cap down to my eyebrows. A pair of
goggles protected my eyes, and a muller,
which managed to breathe through,
covered my mouth, cheeks and nose.
Heavy fur gloves, encased in rubber nit
tens, protected my hands. One of the
members of the stage company had to go
up on business, and he started off with
me in the seat you occupy. He was
pretty well bundled up, and said he
didn't want any of the men to ride where
he wouldn't 60.
Before we passed Castle Mountain the
blizzard was on us. 1t came shrieking
over the bare rocks and through the
stunted trees louder than if a million
Utes were swooping down after our
scalps. 1t whistled around the coach and
over the horses, fairly raising the harness
from their backs. Icicles formed fringes
from their mouths, and their sides were
white with glistening frost. They low
cred their heads to the storm and plunged
bravely on with their load. Are you
cold, FrankP' inquired the boss, with
chattering teeth, Warm as toast says
1. The point of my nose was the only
sensitive thing about me; that tingled as
if coal of fire had come in contact with
n