The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-03-27
SNOW-SHOE MAILS.
Perils of the Postal Service In the Rocky
sSsAs% Mountains.

ing camps far up the Rocky Mountain
peaks are the mail carriers. Brave,
hardy fellows they are that climb the
peaks on snow-shows, delivering the
mai and many precious packages that
always fill the pouch. Delivering the
mails in the mountains in midwinter is
a difficult and dangerous work. Some
times the carrier is swept away by a
| snowslide, and months roll round be-
fore the brave fellow and mail-pouch
are found. About fifty of these noun
tain mail carriers lose their lives yearly
on the dangerous trails in Colorado car
rying the mails on snow-shoes 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 mountaineerS are showed in for
the winter, and it is impossible to reach
them; but as far as possible the remot-
est settlements in the valleys and on
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 No. 4, on
his back, puts on his Norwegian snow
shoes, and with long guiding pole
starts on his weary climb over the
range. Usually there is a crowd at the
little frontier post Office 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
burdensome in climbing the mountains.
These carriers know the peaks, passes
and trails as well as the city carriers do
the streets and numbers of their dis
tricts. 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 compass in his hand, he
carefully feels his way along the preci-
pices 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
bed in the snow banks. If no fuel be
handy he must keep awake all night,
for sleep would mean a rest from which
he would not awaken. Although their
great overcoats and clothing may look
rough, yet their underwear would
please the fancy of the aesthetic. The
most of them have silk underwear, cost
ing from $50 to $40 a suit. Under the
rough-loolling gloves are handsome 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
handsome and warm suit of silk under
wear and gloves. On reaching the sum
NIT of the mountains the carrier should
ers the pole, and placing his snowshoes
close together begins his descent.
The old-timers on the trails will go
down the mountain with the swiftness
of the wind, mile minute. But woe
to the one who is inexperienced, for out
slips the guiding pole, up come snow
shoes, 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 Mountains are
as expert and agile as the channels
hunters of the Alps, and the man who
cannot keep his equilibrium, rushing
with lightning speed down the noun
tain side, is hardly worth a position
under Uncle Sam for this work in mid
continent.
The perilous trip brings him to some
little mining camp nestled in the noun
tains. What joyful greeting he re-
ceives. There are people there from
the east, far away New England and
the sunny south. Sometimes he is de-
layed by the storm on the range, and al
ready the men of the camp have been
searching for him, fearing that he had
been lost or swept away by the terrible
snow-slide. Where is the post office?
In the corner of the little store or rude
are eager to learn the latest news and
read their letters. Perchance the car
rier has other points to reach. The
pouch is opened and the mail poured out
on the floor. The frontier postmaster
picks out what belongs to his Office, and
the rest is put back into the pouch, to
be carried still further to its destination.
SWdH NllSOn, JHe oWeue Iudll-carTler
of the San Juan, was lost in snow
slide December 23, 1868, and was not
found for nearly two years. His route
was from Silverton to Ophir. Only the
bravest would attempt a trip through
a storm. Nilsson was warned against
making the attempt. A terrible storm
was raging between Silverton and
Ophir, and those who had been longest
in the Rocky Mountains told him he
could not reach Ophir in that mountain
But Nilsson would not listen
to their warnings, and even if it were
perilous he must go. 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
presents from the east, and the people
of Ophir would eagerly look for his
coming. at would not be Christmas at
Ophir,'' said the carrier, unless l get
there with this old mail-pouch."
At Ophir the miners of the camp were
waiting 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.
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