Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-03-10
STAGING IN THE HILLS.
Taking Trip by Stage to the City of
DeadwoOd.

The name Of Deadwood, a city that
is still In the twill West" IN spite of
the rapid improvements thirty years
have seen vest of the Mississippi, is
familiar to many people who know
nothing whatever of it except that it
lies somewhere out IN the mining
regions.
Travelling from the East, it can be
reached within one hundred miles by
rail the remainder Of the distance
must be taken by stage. The railroad
ends at Buffalo Gap SIX horses. carry
Ing stage coach with three seats in it,
await the Deadwood traveller. If there
are more than six pas ssngers and any
of them are inclined to obesity, there Is
apt to be lack of comfort.
If 1t Is during the spring or autum
rains, there is much Iolting and careful
driving, and perhaps some seasickness
among the passengers.
In the bitter winter weather, warm
wraps, furs and heated soapstOnes ars
necessary. Perhaps the ride Is most
delightful in the autumn, when there is
golden morn, and lazy winds and d
cloud OF purple haze in the west.
The one hundred miles are Travelled
in thlrty-six hours or thereabout. Every
ten miles the horses are changed. and
every twenty the drivers change.
The stations are simply large barns
where the horses are kept. These are
as well trained, and enter into their
task with as much spirit and seeming
delight as the horses of fire departments
in cities. They grow to be familiar
with every step Of the journey and
know their driver as children know a
parent. The coach stops for meals at
regular stations. three times 4 day.
Quite an excited interest is visible at
all the towns passed through. The COM
ing of the stage, with its galloping
horses, its air of mystery and restless
ness and the charm of knowing it has
come from the outside world, which,
like RaSselas in his valley, every one
enyleS to be in occasionally, is quite an
event in the lives of the village people.
Cesar in his commentaries, speaks of
the inhabitants of inner Gaul gather
ing around the merchants when they
came TO trade. and asking questions in
Vulnerable. The merchants were often
tempted to exaggeratc and sometimes
to invent stories of the outside world,
which temptation they often yielded to,
and were eagerly believed by the Gauls.
So the stage coach driver after answer
ing many questions to sult himself amid
the admlring gaze of the populace, with
a flourish of his whip, word to his
horses, is gone. Gone for wild rlde
over dangerous roads, now wind
ing along mountain path, cow be-
tween rocks, now along a river bank,
and again out into the level meSa-like
stretch, that seems to reach IN infinite
distances on every hand. The drivers
find their work to possess strange fas.
citation. No stage driver ever feels
content to go back TO the tame life of
town dweller. Each one of them las
his reputation and is known by his
peculiar characteristics all along the
route. In the lower part OF the stage,
under the seats, Is place for baggage,
much like the hold in ship. The trip
Is worth taking, especially in spring or
autumn, when the driver Is glad to
give share of his seat for at least
few hours each day or night.
Deadwood Is very pretty town hem
med III by mountains. 1t IS in the ex-
treme western part of Dakota, not far
from its boundary line. 1t is only go
miles from the Yellowstone Park, and
Is surrounded by mountains upon every
hand. Some valuable gold and silver
mines are located near the town.