Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-27
\ TELEGRApHER,s ADVENTURES.
How "Jim" Doody Spent Ten Days
Showed Under and Six Days with Indians

orders As usual when telegraphers come
together the men divided up into friendly
groups and told stories of each other. James
Bradt, one OF the experts, entertained some OF
his friends by telling how "Jim" Doody became
showed under for ten days on the Northern
Pacific road.
1T was in 1877" said Mr.. Bradt "that Jim,
who wab then in Omaha, received an offer of
| SZoo month to superintend the building Of
the telegraph line over a section of the North
| ern Pacific in Dakota. The offer was a good
one. especially as the man filling the place
would have no opportunity to spend his
money and when the job should be completed
would have snug sum coming to him. The
only drawback was that he would have to go
into wild country and rough it. for a
few months. After some consideration
Jim accepted the offer and went North. He
| found that he was to accompany a gang OF
linemen, who were to string the wires rs fast
| as the track was laid, moving his instrument, a
box relay. every day to the end OF the line,
| where he could cut in and report to head
quarters The men had tents to sleep in and
| the company provided them with provisions
| from construction train moving westward to
| the end of the line as it was advanced each
| day.
when the cold weather set in in the fall the
| mon were anxious to get back to headquarters.
as they feared the approach of billiards.. The
| weather was fine and clear, however, and the
! orders were to continue operations SO as to
meet. ii possible, the gang at work building
another section toward the east. One night
| severe storm set in, the snow blowing fercely
into the tents 1t was of short duration. how
ever, bnt it thoroughly frightened the men, and
| they insisted upon being taken back at once to
| civilization. Their fears were increased, too,
/ by signs which indicated that Indians had
| been in the neighborhood of the survey trail at
| n recent date. The men were almost mutinous.
/ and report OF the situation was telegrapned
| to headquarters. Orders then came to build
store house and leave the supplies in it, bring
| the men. track layers and all. back to Bismarck.
| ''At that time the end Of the line had reached
| the hilly. well-timbered country between Little
| Missouri river in Dakota and Powder river in
Montana, and no one could tell which territory
| the men were in. The work OF making cxcava-
| tions for n cut through an elevation had al
| ready begun when the order for the retreat was
| given. 1t was decided to build the
store house in the cut, where it
| would BIO protected from tho fierce
winds from the northwest country
The stores were all slowed away and made snug
for the winter when Doody received orders
| to stay and watch the stores until arrangements
| could be made to have them guarded. They
consisted OF canned and sailed meats, canned
vegetables, oil and whisky, there being three
barrels Of 'frewater' Jim objected to staying,
but after he found that he would have stove
plenty OF fuel two rifles, shotgun and two
revoiyers to amuse or to comfort himself WITH
he decided to remain, being assured that he
would be relieved in a few days. The thought
OF the fine sport he might have shooting deer
was a strong factor in influencing him. He was
the only one in the party able to telegraph and
the company was anxious to have him remain
for a short time, at least. He wished many
times afterward that he had peremtorily de-
clined.
For two days Jim, with a rifle on his
shoulder, strolled about looking for something
to shoot; and on the second day was lucky
nv, h l. Al.
storehouse. He succeeded in dragging his
prey to the hut, and Jared sumptuously that
night. Toward morning it began to snow and
blow as it does only in that wild region. Jim
dragged the carcass Of the deer. which was
already frozen. into the storehouse and settled
down to enjoy himself as best he
could 1t showed all day and all night,
when to Jim's dismay the cut was full of
snow and his lint was completely covered. The
snow had drifted into the cut and packed itself
into mass as solid as a glacier. When he
tried to open the door and look out he found
it immovable against the walls Of heavy snow
all around and above it. That it was still
showing was shown by the fact that the chin
ney began to stop up and his fire to get low.
To be without fire meant freezing to death,
and Jim piled on the wood so to keep the
| snow in tho chimney melted. He succeeded
only partially, for the fire burned low at times
and almost went out
THE days and nights now passed with Jim a
close prisoner. The wire had been broken by
the storm and he could not report the serious
condition Of affairs to headquarters His only
means Of obtaining ventilation was by the
chimney, and after three days he suffered
much from need OF fresh mir. He had plenty
to eat and was kept warm by the fire. while
the snow itself served as a protection
from the wind. The hours dragged
along tediously. The only reading
matter In the hut was sensational weekly
story containing wierd tale called The
Lovers Leap; or, the Tragedy of Scully's
Gulch.' Jim told me afterward that he read the
paper through three Or four time from begin
ming to end, and then backward. He read it
until he wished he had chance 20 lean from
something himself. At night he could hear
the wind whistling about his chimney and oc-
easionally he would lie and listen to the bowling
Of the wolves or the cries of the fierce noun
tain lions as they passed by on the snow over
head.
Ten days had passed when Jim about made
up his mind to smash his only window and by
crawling out into the snow try to get on to the
level plain and mako his way to the nearest
settlement, some 80 miles distant, called
Scully's Springs. While he was calculating his
chances IN this DIRECTION one morning he heard
strange noises overheard rs of voices in ami
mated conversation. Then came sounds of
digging and heavy form giided down past the
window. Tho next moment the ugly face of u
Sioux Indian peered il at the now frightened
jim, who seized one of his revoivers.
Ugh Injun friend; no shoot said a gruff
voice, and Jim thought that perhaps the saw
ages were friendly, so he put out his hand and
said, How! am friend. too In n little
while nine other sayages appeared and an ex-
cayation was made in the snow wide enough to
permit the door to open. Then the Indians
all came in and sOlemnly took seats around the
fire. while the one who had first appeared who
only could speak English and he but little ex-
planned that they were out hunting game aud
Ind seen little smoke coming through tho
snow. Being hungry they had investigated
hoping to get some thing 10 eat. -. -
Jim saw an opportunity to concillate the
Indians and prepared them a hearty meal:
which they ate with much enjoyment Rather
uhwisely, after they had eaten. he gave them
that frewater. They all knew how TO say
more and they kept saying it until they were
| all drunk. They danced about the place until
WEAKNESS, stupidity and drunkenness were fol-
lowed by sleep. The next day Jim asked if the
Indians would help him reach the settlement
and they scowled atsthe proposal Heap big
snow; no walk; white man freeze said the
leader, who turned lovingly toward the whisky
barrel. The Indians got drunk again that
day and ate big hole into the provisions. Jim
pleaded with them again the next day to be
taken to Scullys Springs. but the big Injun
told him patronizingly that there was no fire.
water to be had by going to the settlement;
| that they were nicely situated where they were
and were disposed to stay as long as the whisky
| lasted. Jim saw that it was no use to plead or
| to argue and decided to make the best OF the
| situation. Every day was an orgy and at times
the poor follow thought he would be slain and