Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-10
SNOw.sBOE NAILS.
POSTAL SERVICE N ruE ROCKY NOUN.
TArSs HAS iTs rERIis.

Seattle Ioa hioiiingcnccr: The
most welcome Of all IN the mining
camps fat up Ia ia, Rocky Mountain
peaks are the mail carriers. Brave,
hardy fellows they are, that climb the
peaks ON snow.rhoes, delivering thc
mail aud many precious packages that
always nll the pouch. Delivering the
mail In the mountains In mid-wintcr
Ia n difficult and dangerous work.
Sometimes the carrier ia swept away
by u snowslldc, aud months roll round
before the brave fellow and mail-pouch
arc found. About nifty Of these noun
tain mail carriers loss their lives year
ly on the dangerous trails Ia Colorado
carrying the mails on snow-sboe- 10
the frontier mining camps. In Utah,
Idaho and other parts or the West Ia
the same manner they force their way
over the lofty ranges.
Some mountaincers are showed In
for the winter, and II Nv impossible 10
reach them; but ~ far ~ possible the
rcmotcst settlements In the valley anu
on the peaks u thc Rocky Mountains
have the mail sent them, The carrier
In the frontier OF the Rocky Mountains
straps the mail sacks, usually a No. 4,
on hia back, puts on his Norwegian
snow.shoes, and with long guiding.
pole starts on his weary climb over the
range. Usually there Is crowd at
the little frontier po-toiilco 10 wish
him good luck. Only men OF known
strength aud courage eau do this work,
for Is pounds Of letters, papers aud
packages become very heavy and bur
densomc In climbing the mountains.
These carriers know the peaks, pass.
es and trails M well ~ tho city car.
riers do the streets and numbers Of
their districts. but sometimes III.
storms arr No severe that even the old
mountaineer groes weak with his
heavy burden and sinks almost ex.
haustcd In his obscure trail. with n
compass In his hand he carefully feels
his way along the preciplccs and dan
gcrous places, aud often the storm Ia
40 severe aud binding that he IN com.
PEELED 10 Had shelter under some friend.
iy cleft or dig for himself n bed In the
snow banks. II no fuel be
handy he must keep awake all night,
for sleep would mean u rest from
which he would not awaken. Al
though their great overcoats and cloth
Ing may look rough, yet their under
wear would please the fancy OF the
aesthetic. Tho most Of them have silk
underwear, costing from $50 10 $40 a
suit. Under the rough.looking gloves
are handsome silk ones. The silk
keeps the cold out and retains thu. heat,
anu, II hard up, mountain mail.
carrier will buy cheap outer clothing TO
save money for n handsome and warm
suit Of silk underwear and gloves. On
reaching tho summit OF the mountains
the carrier shoulders the polls, and
placing his snowshoes close together
begins his descent.
The old.timers ON the trails will 20
down the mountain with the swiftness
OF the wind, mile minute. hut woe
10 the one who Is inexperienced, Tor
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 rs hard aud smooth as glass.
The carriers OF the Rocky Mountains
are NJ expert aud agile Us tho channels
hunters Of the Alps, aud the man who
can not keep his equilibrium, rushing
with lightning speed down the noun.
tain Ia hardly worth position under
Uncle Sam, for this work In mld.conti.
nent.
This perilous trip brings him to some
little mining camp nestled In tho
mountains. What Joyful greeting he
receives. 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, anu
already the men OF tho camp have
been searching for him, fearing that he
had been lost or swept away by "A terri.
bic snowslide, Where Is the post Officer
In tho corner Of the little store or rude
hotel. The villagers collect, aud all
are eager 10 learn the latest news aud
read their letters. PerchaDce the car
rler has other points to reach. The
pouch II opened and the mail poured
out on the floor. The frontier post.
master picks out what belongs to his
Office, and the rest is put back iDto III,
pouch, to DO CARRIED still further " II.
destination.