The Elk Mountain pilot., 1882-02-23

Elk Mountains!
One of our Merchants
n1akes a perilous zU17a.
terercursion to see his
bonanza I
At this time of the year when the snow
lies so deep in these high mountain
ranges 1t is not an uncommon occur
renee for men who venture in out-of-
the-way places and on untrodden trails
to either get caught in a snow-slide
or loose their bearings, wander off
until they become exhausted and be-
numb, lay down and die from ex-
haustion. In this vicinity, however,
snow slides have never proved so de-
sfructive as they have in the San Juan
country, where winter very seldom
passes without leaving its mortality
behind, caused by snow-slides. 1t is
not an unfrequent occurrence in these
mountains to learn of some poor un-
fortunate fellow, who has strayed sew
eral miles from camp and off from the
beaten trails, perishing, for when
man goes out this way he always goes
we'll prepared, carrying usually plenty
of matches, a hatchet and sack of
grub. There are very few who will
venture out on these perilous trips,
and when they do it is ON matters of
great importance, pertaining usually
to some rich find. What hardship is
it that mortal man will not endure for
the sake of worldly gain! Whenever
miner starts out on one of these ips
his friends generally compute the time
required to go and come and when the
time is up they begin to express anx-
iety about their conrad, just the same
as ship owner would about and over
due ship, and the men often make up
parties to go out and hunt the victim,
not being surprised to find him at any
time enveloped in the white frozen
element, lifeless. a'-H.a
Among the merchants Of Irwin
there is none more courageous, enter
prising and Jealous as Smith Cullom.
Smith is not only merchandising, but is
also more or less interested in mining
property trying hard to retrieve that
which he had the pleasure of enjoying
in his youthful days in a beautiful
southern home-riches. In connec-
tion with his partner, Mr.. Louis Coffin,
and others, Smith has got some very
promising prospects over near Castle
peak, near the head of Taylor river,
distanced about twenty-five miles from
here, and as there is no beaten trail
or marked route to reach that point,
no one but brave man would venture
on such trip, because the chances
are even that if one gets caught in one
of those storms on the summit of some
of these mountains above timber line
that he will loose his reckoning and
wander around until he becomes ex-
hausted, when he will finally perish.
1t become noised around the night
before that Smith was going to under
take the trip, the old miners sitting
around in the different gathering
places would discuss the perils of the
trip and relate thrilling accounts Of
their experiences, dating as far back
as "fall '4o spring of So"
"Well," said Pete McGinly, 81
lived in the mines for the last thirty
years and have roamed from the Brit
ish provinces into Old Mexico, and
have had many a skirmish with the
hostile Indians, but l had rather take
my chances among the red skins in
them days than to take trip like
Smith is taking In these Elk noun
tains."
"They say he is engaged to be mar
ried to young girl in Tennessee,
poor thing, it will almost break her
heart if Smith should happen to turn
up his toes on top of the range" sug-
gessed one fellow with his feet on top
OF the stove.
| EInal1u>fho novf ~, ,or~, ~ - .ora> ,rJ