The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-02-27
PIlneyille Stage Line Drivers.

Il
TR7UT CREEK STATION, Feb. Is, 1892.
Editor TINES -MoUSTAISEER:
| L. Justice to ourselves aud Mr.. A. W.
| Branner we deem it not cnly our privilege,
but oar duty to reply to the letter frcm An
telope published in the TINES NJ MoUNTAINEER
OF the 18th inst.
We, the stage drivers, who ought to
| know, wish to say this: We consider it an
unnecessary imposition upon Mr.. Branner
and the travelling public to have to trayel
station via Antelope, unless theyDhave es-
peciaI business in Antelope. OF course, the
roads are not altogether impossible, but ac-
cording to our judgment, verified by all the
passengers who ride with US, (she majority
of whom have travelled over the Cow Can
yon road) we consider it far from a practi-
cable stage road. The road from Bakeoven
to Antelope is very bad when at its best; a
great portion of it is too rocky to trot a
team over at all, and ma aiority of the road
so bai to balance that it IS great detrI-
ment to passengers, horses and wagons to
drive out Of walk. This Is saying nothing
about the mud, which is IN existence now
and which has been far worse. We can say
about the same in regard to the road from
Antelope to this station, only that the mud
is far worse at times and gummy mud at
that, taking sometimes over an hour to
traYel one-fourth mile, and one of the sub.
scribers to the Antelope letter told one of
US drivers that he could not haul load of
hay over 1t Oh account of rocks and sideliug
places.
We know that Mr.. Branner has lost many
dollars on account Of having TO run mis- line
VIA Antelope in passenger fares and express,
many refusing to ride over the road or even
to send express matter which will not stand
to be carried over such rough roads. All
passengers complain terribly OF the rough
ness of the roads and the necessary slow
driving.
1t is necessary to have one more driver
and four more horses at least, besides other
expenses and what Is lost in traffic. It
takes from 81 to hours more time to make
the trip either way and we know We drive
faster now than when running via Cow Cam
yon, and then 1t has been impossible for us
10 make schedule time.
According to our Judgement Antelope has
not treated Mr.. BranDer, the passengers or
the drivers, etc., as they should. The mails
are not attended to as promptly as they
should be, and there Is more unnecessary
time lost at Antelope than any other station
on the route. When the line run via Cow
Canyon, Antelope was supplied six times
per week, the same day from both places
The Dalles and Prlneyille-even in better
time and better hours than now at seyen
times per week. Many are disconnected
now and we can't see where any one was
then.
We can't see where Antelope is benefited
but very little by line through there, as
the traffic between there and here Tor Cross
Keys) Is not sufficient to speak of. These
are all facts verified by the manager, pas.
sengers and many residents OF this neigh
borhood.
Trusting this will appear in your next |
weekly issue, In justice to all concerned,
we subscribe ourselves,
Very respectfully,
R. P. PATTERSON,
j. s. MILLER,
I. F. JONES,
THOMAS HARPER,
Drivers.