Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-02-26
Hardships of Carriers Who Climb the
White Peaks of the Rocky
Mountains.
Thrilling Experience Of Those Who
Risk Life OH Every Trip in
Carrying Mail.
Touching Accounts of Swain Nelson,
Lost in d Snowslide During
Fierce Storm.

camps far up among the Rocky Mountain
peaks are the mail carriers. Brave, hardy
fellows they are, that climb the peaks on
! snowshoes, delivering the mail and the
many precious packages that always fill
/ the pouch. Delivering the mails in the
mountains in midwinter is difficult and
dangerous work Sometimes the carrier Is
swept away by snowslide and months
roll around before the brave fellow and
mail pouch are found. About fifty cf
these mountain mail carriers risk their
lives daily on the dangerous trails in
Colorado, carrying the mails on snowshoes
to the frontier mining camps. In Utah.
| Idaho, ard other parts Of the west, In the
same manner they force their way over
the lofty ranges. Some mountalneers are
showed IN for the winter, and it is lmpos-
sib to reach them, but so far as possible
the remotest settlement in the valley and
in the peaks Of the Rocky Mountains have
the mail sent to them. How different the
mail carriers on the mountain trails of
mid continent, with his mail pouch
weighing 20 to Is pounds, snow shoeing
his way over the dangerous passe., COM
pared with your neatly dressed and stylish
carrier who leaves your mail on the door
step in the large cities. The carriers on
the frontier Of the Rocky Mountains strap
the mail sack, usually No. 4, on their
backs, put on their Norwegian snowshoes,
and with long guiding pole start on their
weary climb over the range. Usually there
is crowd at the little frontier
postoffice to wish him good luck
0nIv men of known strength and cour-
age can do this work, for that twenty
FIVE pounds Of letters, papers and pack
ages becomes very heavy and burdensome
in climbing the mountains. These car
rieTs know the peaks. passes and trails as
well as in the city districts. But some
time the storms are so severe chat even
the old mountaiaeer grows weak with his
heavy burden and sinks almost exhausted
In the obscure trail. With a compass In
his hand he feels his way along the pre-
ciplces and dangerous places, aid often
the storm is so severe and binding that
he is compelled to find shelter under some
friendly crag, or dig for himself bed III
a snow bank.
If no fuel be handy he must keep awake
all night. for sleep would mean a rest
from which he would not awaken. AL
though their great overcoat and clothing
may look rough. yet their underweare
would please the fancy OF the aesthetic,
The most of them have silk underwear
cos ing from 500 to $40 suit. Under the
rough looking gloves are handsome silk
ones. The silk keeps out the cold and re-
tains the heat, and, if hard up, q noun
tain mail carrier will buy cheap outer
clothing to save money for a handsome
suit of silk underwear and gloves. On
reaching the summit Of the mountains,
the carrier shoulders the pole, and placing
his snowshoes close together, begins his
descent. The old-timers on the trail will
go down the mountains with the swiftness
Of the wind, mile a minute. But woe
to the one who is inexperienced, for out
slips the guiding pole, up comes snow
shoes, and the unfortunate carrier, mail
sack and all, go rolling down the noun
tain. Sometimes the ice and show are as
smooth and hard as glass. Those expert
in the use Of snowahoes in Canada and
northern New York whoud have to look
well to their laures competing with mail
carriers on the Rockies in climbing and
descending the ranges where the peaks
are nearly two miles high. The carriers
of the Rocky Mountains are as expert and
angle. almost as the channels hunters Of
the Alps, and the man who cannot keep
bis equilibrium, rushing with lightning
speed down the mountain side, is hardly
worth 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 receives.
There are people there from the east, far
away New England, and the sunny SOUTH
How eagerly Trey have watche! the trail
for the coming Of the carrier 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
terrible snowsiide. If you learn to watch
for the coming Of the carrier who leaves
tie mail at your doors in the great cities,
what would he your feeling toward the
brave fellow who crosses the lofty ranges
of the Rocky Mountains, imperilling his
life in the dangerous passes to bring your
letters and papers from home? Where is
the postoffice? In the corner Of the little
store or rude hotel. The villagers collect
and all are eager to learn the latest news
and read their letters. Perchance the car
rier has another point still 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.
Brave hardy mountaineers! | love to
| think of their courage and heroism. 1t
recalls the story of Swan Nelson, the
| Swede mail-carrier of the San Juan, who
was lost in a snowslide Dec. "a, 1898. and
was not found for nearly two years. His
route was from Silverton to Ophir. Only
the hardest and bravest would attempt
the trip through a storm. Nelson was
warned against making the attempt A
terrible storm was raging between Silver
ton and Orpnir, and those who had been
| longest In the Rocky Mountains told
| him he could not reach Ophir in that noun
tain tempest. But Nelson would not
listen to their warning, 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 hi,
mail pouch contained Christmas packages
from the east and the people Of
THREE GALLENT REGIMENTS.
Inoeed there were three famous regi-
n1ents in the Heavy Brigade The
Royals" all Englishmen; the lnnisk kill
ings, all Irish, aud the Scots Grays, all
Draw lad" from north of the CLYDE.
1t was the famous Union Brigade"
that fought under Ponsonby at Waterloo.
but strengthened nov by the ad-
dition of the Fourth and Fifth Dragon
Guards. There were only ten small squad
rons in all, for many gall ant fellows had
succumbed to cholera ana dysentery and
the regiments were greatly reduced IN
| strength, but there was not a nan In the