Iron County register., 1888-04-19
CORSON'S WIFE.
Her Desperate Flight Over "The
Twelve-Mile Horror"

1t would be hard to find in the Rocky
mountains rougher stage-road than
that which runs between the mining
hamlets of Thunder Gulch and Squaw
Forks. Indeed. if a worse road could
be found. there are few persons who
would care for seat in the coach of
the most careful driver.
This road is twelve or thirteen miles
long. A few years ago lady who
ventured to ride over it called it THE
Twelve-Mile Horror" and by this name
the road is known to miners and trav-
elers of the region. That the name is
deserved The writer can testify. for he
knows it to be truly a rambling thread
over dizzy precipices and among
black, gaping canyons. There are
places along tn, verge of cliffs and
around the jatting points of yawning
gulches where the coach seems liter
ally suspended in mid-air, and the
rider. glancing out over the wheels into
the sheer. gaping spac. below. hastily
pulls down the FLAPS" closes his
eyes. and leans dizzily back in his
seat not daring to look a second time.
For five years Gideon Fletcher. or
"Gid." as he is commonly called, has
driven the stage once each day, Sun
days excepted. from Squaw Forks TO
Thunder Guich and back. Of course.
he has occasionally missed trip.
when slides or heavy falls of snow
along the line have prevented him
from running. Yet during all his
r. ho,
never met with an accident serious
enough to cause the loss of life or limb
to his passengers. So trusty and sure
handed driver is he that the .'con-
tractors of the line" will have no
other, and they pay him double wages
to keep him upon this particular
stretch of their route. Only once has
a coach been demolished or a horse
killed under his management; but on
that occasion he met with double ac-
cident, under circumstances so stir
ring and heroic as to be we'll worthy
of narration.
1t was some two years after Gideon
had begun driving the coach upon
this road that one day. as he came
out from eating his dinner at "The
Rough and Tumble House. of Thun-
der Gulch, a pale faced young WON an
appeared at the rude gate, and beck
oned to him.
care you the stage-driver that
drives the stage to Squaw Forks this
afternoon?' she asked, as he came
up.
Il reckon I'm the chap yer lookin'
fer, num-" said Gideon. want ter
90 downP Start in half hour"
The woman glanced about nervo vous-
ly, as though fearful of being over
heard. and then she said, hurriedly.
and in a low voice:
.Tm from Corson's Camp. Tn
Corson's wife; but he-they all
abuse me dreadfully. and the baby.
too. Look here" and she threw an
old bonnet she wore back from her
forehead. and showed a great fresh
scar across one temple.
II got that last night. They do it
when they're drunk, and they're drunk
most of the time. Night before last
one of 'em threatened to throw my
baby into a hot spring. He said he d
kill the little imp, he would. and oh.
/ can't. don't dare to stay there any
longerI Pm the only woman up at the
camp, and to-day the men arc all up
at BIG Horn Spring prospectin' for a
new place, and so I've come to you to
sec if YOU won't take mo away from
this dreadful place.
I've no money with me, an no
friends nearer than Denver My folks
live there, and ] would have wrote to
'em to come and take me away II l
dared; but Iknew if Corson got wind OF
It before thev got here, he d kill me and
the baby, too; for. though he my nus
band, he's the most horrid and wicked
man / ever saw. except the gang he
keeps around him. Oh. WH you let
me go with you?"
..Wal. now, sh' d smile!' answered
Fletcher. in his hearty way. You
lest go N git yer baby m yer fxin' S.
'n Wen git out o. these diggin's in a
jiffy." >,
.Oh, Idaresn't come here to start
she replied; ..but in an hour I'll be
down at the mouth of the Gap below.
If should come here. Corson would
find out soon as he comes back that
I'd started off with you. and they d
like enough catch us before we'd got
down to the Forks.
..Some of 'em may be back any
minute; like enough they're there
now; put I'm going to sneak away
with baby somehow if they are. There
don't seem to be any body hangin'
rouud here now. ALI off but the
women folks, s'pose. and it looks
like I'd have . good chance to get Oh