Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-04
MAILS ON SNOWSHOES.
PERILS OF THE SERVICE IN THE
r MOUNTAINS.
Letters Carried From Civilization to the
Huts and Mining Camps Amid Snow
Capped Hills of the West.


are the mail carriers. Brave, hardy fellows
they are that climb the peaks on snow
shoes, delivering the mail and many pre-
cious packages that always FIJI the pouch.
Delivering the mails in The mountains III
Inidwinter is difficult and dangerous
work. Sometimes the carrier is swept
away by snowslide, aud months roll
away before the brave fellow and his pouch
are found. About fifty of these mountain
mail carriers lose their lives yearly on the
dangerous trails in Colorado carrying the
mails on snowshoes TO the frontier mining
camps. In Utah, Idaho and other parts OF
the west in the same manner they force
their way over the lofty ranges.
Some Inounraineers are showed in for the
winter, and it Is impossible to reach them;
but as far as possible the remotest settle
ments in the valleys and Oh the peaks of
the Rocky mountains have the mail sent
to them. The carrier in the frontier of the
Rocky mountains straps the mail sack,
usually a No. 4, on his back. puts on his
Norwegian snowshoes, and with a long
guiding pole starts on his weary climb
over the range. Usually there is a crowd
at the little frontier postoffice to wish him
good luck. Only men of known strength
and courage can do this work, for twenty
five pounds of letters, papers and packages
become very heavy and Cumbersome in
elm bling the mountains.
HARDY CARRIERS.
These carriers know the peaks, passes
and trails as well as the city carriers do
the streets and numbers of their districts.
But sometimes the storms are SO severe
that even the old mountaineer grows weak
with his heavy burden, and sinks almost
exhausted in the obscure trail. With a
compass in his hand, he carefully feels his
way along the precipices and dangerous
places, and often the storm IS so severe
and binding that he is compelled to find
shelter under some friendly cleft or dig
for himself a bed in the snow banks. II
no fuel be handy he must keep awake all
night, for sleep would mean rest from
which he would not awaken.
Although their great overcoats and cloth
ing may look rough, yet their underwear
would please the fancy of the aesthetic.
The most of them have silk underwear,
costing from twenty to forty dollars a suit.
Under the rough looking gloves are hand
some silk ones. The silk keeps the cold
out and retains the heat and if hard up,
mountain mail carrier will buy cheap outer
clothing to save money for a handsome
and warm suit of silk underwear and
gloves. On reaching the summit of the
mountains the carrier shoulders the pole,
and, placing the suowshoes close together,
begins his descent.
The old timers on the trails will go down
the mountains with the swiftness of the
wind, a mile a minute, but woe to the one
who is inexperienced, for out slips the
guiding pole, up come snowshoes, and the
unfortunate carrier, mail sack and all. goes
rolling down the mountain. Sometimes
the ice and snow are as hard and smooth as
glass. The carriers of the Rocky mount
aims are as expert and agile as the channels
hunters OF the Alps, and the man VINO can
not keep his equilibrium. rushing with
lightning speed down the mountain side,
is hardly worth a position under Uncle
Sam for this work in mid-continent
The perilous trip brings him to some lit
tie mining camp nestled in the mountains
What joyful greeting he receivesI There
are people there from the east, far away
New England and the sunny south. Some
times he is delayed by the storm on the
range, and already the men of the camp
have been searching for him, fearing that
he had been lost or swept away by the ter
rible snowslide. Where is the postofficee
In the corner of the little store or rude ho-
tel. The villagers collect, and all are eager
to learn the latest news and read their let
tiers.
BURIED IN SNOW TWO YEARS
Swan Nilsson, the Swede mail carrier of
the San Juan, was lost in a snow slide
Dec. %, 1868, and was not found for nearly
two years His route was from Silverton
TO Ophir. Only the bravest would attempt
the trip through a storm. Nilsson was
warned against making the attempt. A
terrible storm was raging between Silver
ton and Ophir, and those who had been
longest in the Rocky mountains told him
he could not reach Ophir in that mountain
tempest. But Nilsson would not listen to
their warnings, and even if it were peril
Gus he must 90.
1t was two days before Christmas, and
his mail pouch was larger and fuller than
usual He spoke of the old Christmas
time in far off Sweden, and how people of
every cline loved to celebrate it. He knew
his mail pouch contained Christmas pres
ents from the east, aud the people of Ophir
would eagerly look for his coming 1T
will not be Christmas at Ophir," said the
carrier "uuless l get there with this
pouch"
At Ophir the miners of the camp were
and longing for the appearance of
the faithful letter carrier. Christmas eve
came, but still Swan Nilsson had not been
espied on the mountain trails, where many |
an anxious eye had been turned.
And thus, while those at Silverton were |
anxious, the miners at Ophir were becom-
ing apprehepsiye at the delay. Christmas |
came and Went, and still nothing of the |
mail carrier. Searching parties went out |
IN the trails, but there was nothing to be |
seen or heard of the lost carrier During |
he summer the search was continued by |
one or Two friends, but still there was |
nothing learned of the fate of Swan.
Another year rolled round, and during |
he summer another search was made, and !
IN Aug. IS, 1885, at the bottom of SNOW
oank, the picks and shovels of the search |
ns party uncovered the body of Swan Nil |
'on, and still strapped to his back was the |
Did pouch with Ophir Christmas mail. The |
ock was rusty and the pouch had to be |
nut open. The wax on the currency pack
age had rotted a hole through tine green
packs. Some OF the mail was moldy, but
, part of it could be read quite easily