Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-09-27

them speedily sucoumbed. Trout
Creek, BelSnap, and other stations
on the Il. Il. adjacent to the Interior
discoveries, We're mostly tent towns
in a wilderness of snow. One walk
ed along the primitive streets which
were bounded on either hand by
snow breast high. 1t did look
little unreasonable that people
should so prospecting at such a time,
but the fever Of a mining excite
ment was strong in all who over
looked the impediments aud reveled
only in the golden future aud the
fortune that lay ready tor them
beyond the snowy peaks. 1t was all
SO strange to me, aud in the new
life thus opened forgot the dangers
attendent on such an enterprise in
my then delicate state of hsAlth, aud
joined toboggoning party over the
mountains to the mines. There
were six of us, and two sleighs
which were to carry our baggage
and at which we took turns in pull
ing.
1t was 40 or so miles over the
mountain trail to Eagle City, the
first objective point of our Journey,
and though in places the footing
was fair, still it was hard travelling
with the snow SO deep, for n slight
divergence from the path meant in
some cases to be buried in snow,
and in others a plunge down steep
incline some hundreds Of feet.
There were two miners from Mexico,
two from the coal mines of Penn
sylvania, young man from Kansas,
and the writer. | sized up the first
two as good-hearted fellows, the
next rs somewhat for self, and the
other as very inexperienced aud en-
thusastic, like myself, and it seems
| was not far wrong. 1t ie with the
young man from Kansas that | have
mostly To deal, and it was with him
that | was most familiar, being
about my own age. | never learned
his name except "Jack", from Kan
sas, though afterwards ! blamed my
self very much for not onquiring
more closely, but could not forsee.
We trudged along together and
chatted during our rests OF our pros
poets, aud what we would do with
our money, like children on . Fourth
of July morning, and the scsolate,
snowy lonliness about " had no
effect on our spirits. We were TO
our minds the pioneerG II new
discovery. and likeued our situation
TO that Of those in the days Of 40.
What was a few feet of snow, -
chilling wind and a desolate land
scape to us2 All the past was but
a humdrum dream and the present
an exciting reality.
We were too much occupied in
discussing the rum0rs ah0at of the
mines beyond the mountains to 60
into detail concerning ourselves; it
was only known that be was from
Kansas and / from Wisconsin. Our
acquaintance had lasted but since
morning when we joined issues with
our baggage, including blankets aud
provisions, and toted them over the
trail together on the light running
toboggan, calculating TO reach Eagle
City in two days. Neither Of us
ever reached that Mecca Of our
hopes.
It was where a wooded point jnt-
ted sharp on the trail. There was a
sudden turn where the declevity Of
about 90 degrees was, maybe, 100 #.
to the bottom, and along lie descent,
half hidden IN the snow, the fallen
timber shot up its withered limbs.
The four miners were somewhat in
advance, and my companion was
following in the rear % our tobog-
gan, the trail being narrow. There
was faint cry, rush Of snow down
the embankment in tho midst Of
which was a dark object rapidly
descending, and that was all Only
sudden stiffness and momentary,
startled inaction on tho part Of all.
Then very methodically and coolly,
thought, the miners returned, and
looking down tue broad swath in
snow to where IS feet down was
discerned the fallen body half
buried in snow and lodged against
q fallen tree, they said, 90, hes all
right! That little slide couldn't hurt
him. it isn't steep enough" But
the body didn't move for all that.
SO very calmly they took ropes
which bound the baggage together,
tied it under the arms Of one of
them, and lowered him down; while
! stood helpless and trembling in
the chilling breeze which swept
through the moaning pinss. We
could see him struggling in the
deep snow striving to s1tris1te the
body; saw him tug and lit it hang
ing Imply, while he supported him
self on the dead branches Of the