Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-05-08
MAILS ON SNOWSHOES.
PERILS OF THE SERVICE IN THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

ton to the Huts and Mining Camps
Amid the Snow Capped Hills of the
Far West-Tragic Death of Swan Nilsson.
The most welcome of all in the mining
camps far up the Rocky mountain peaks
are the mail carriers. Brave, harry fellows
they are that climb the peaks on snow
shoes, delivering the mail and many pre-
cious packages that always fill the pouch.
Delivering the mails in the mountains in
midwinIer is Il difficult and dangerous
work. Sometimes the carrier is swept
away by a snowslide, and months roll
away before the brave fellow and his pouch
are found. !Ahout. 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, Idahoa 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 remotest settle
ments 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 Il No. 4, on his back, puts on his
Norwegian snowshocs, and with a long
guiding pole starts on his weary climb
over the range. Usually there is Il crowd
at the little frontier postof1ice 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 bur,lensome in
climbing the mountains.
HARDY CARRIERS.
These carriers know the peaks, passes
and trails as well rs 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 inc 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. If
no fuel be handy he must keep awake all
night, for sleep would mean Il 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,
SoocA'iS iio'iI 1"SlpS W lolUJ uOllitES u sui,
Under the rough looking gloves are hand
some silk ones. The silk keeps the cold
out II retains the heat, and, if hard up, a
mountain mai carrier will buy cheap outer
clothing to save money for Il handsome
and warm suit of silk underwear and
gloves. IN reaching the summit of the
mountains the carrier shoulders the pole,
and, placing the snowshoes close together,
begins his descent.
The old timers on the trails will go down
the mountains with the swiftness of the
wind, 4 mile Il minute, but woe to the one
who Is inexperienced, for out slips the
guiding pole, up come snowshoes, and the
unfortunate carrier, mail sack aud all, goes
rolling down the mountain. Sometimes
the ice and snow are rs hard and smooth as
glass. The carriers of the Rocky mount
aims are as expert and agile as the chamois
hunters of the Alps, and the man who 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 a joyful greeting he receives! 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 postoftice?
In the corner Of the little store or rude no.
tel. The Villagers collect, and all are eager
to learn the latest news and read their let
ters.
BURIED IN SNOW " YEARS.
Swan Nilsson, the Swede mail carrier of
the San Juan, was lost in a snow slide
dec. %, 1863, and was not found for nearly
two years. His route was from Silverton
to Ophir. Only the bravest would attempt
the trip through Il 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 20.
1t was two days before Christmas, and
his mai 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
SAoo CAS Shoo, VII pCollC u opIllr
would eagerly look for his coming. st
will not he Christmas at Ophir," said the
carrier unless | get there with this
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, where many
an anxious eye had been turned.
And thus, while those at Silverton were
anxious, the miners at Ophir were becom-
ing apprelensive at the delay. Christmas
came and went, and still nothing of the
mail carrier. Searching parties went out
on the trails, but there was nothing to be
seen or heard of the lost carrier. During
the summer the search was continued by
one or W friends, but still there was
nothing learned of the fate of Swan.
Another year rolled round, and during
the summer another search was made, and
on Aug. 10, 1885, at the bottom of a snow.
bank, the picks md shovels of the search
ing party uncovered the body of Swan Nil.
son, and still strapped to his back was the
old pouch with Ophir Christmas mail. The
lock was rusty and the pouch had to be
c11t nnan Tba yvav on tho o,,rrannv rool--