Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-06-09
AN EXCITING BXPERi4EOB.

low price OF SILVER. luis DClub 0uS Va
the largest producing mines Of the
state the natural inference was that
many Of the men employed therein
would leave the country. In behalf
Of my company ('Fhe Rock Islandl ]
started for Telluride, on the Rio
Gande Southern Railway, and arrived
at my destination Wednesday even
ing. Mr.. n. T. Mansfield manager Of
the Smuggler, in the cosey little office
that night, told me the company had
decided upon a reduction Of wages in-
stead of closing down, and that word
had been sent 70 the mine that day,
but the mems answer had net yet
been received. He further told me
at this season OF the year there was but
one way 10 get to the mine, and that
was by taking the bucket tramway, as
the trail was covered with snow and
ice and practically impossible. The
bucket tram he added, was itself far
from a desirable nethcd Of transpor-
tation and liable to try mans. nerve
pretty well, but il l would undertake
the trip he would accompany me.
What could a man say to PROPOSE
tlon of that kind but "Yes?" Accord
ingly bright and early the next morn
ing, which was ene Of the fairest and
beautiful I have ever seen ia the
mountains, horses were in readiness,
end, accompanied by Mr.. VIC. Green,
who is connected with the San Miguel
Mining Company Of Telluride, we
started out. The ride Of two miles to
Pandora was most enjoyable, by rea-
son OF the fording Of innumerable
streams which crossed the road. Our
horses displayed wonderful sagacity in
picking their way through many u
treacheroue spot.
Arriving ct the foot OF the tram and
getting a faint idea Of what what was
ahead ofme, seeing the buckets eomiEg
down hundreds of feet above uS,and dis
charging theircontents courage almost
failed me, but it required more nerve
than could muster to kack out.
tried to appear as little dlscontented
as possible, while Mr. Mansfield, who
was to start first, curled up in his lit
tie bucket, which was only large
enough,to hold an ordinary sized man in
a most uncomfortable and cramped
position. The endless cable was then
put IN motion and out swung the man
ager on his perilous journey I can
not help thinking how much more
nerve he displayed than Ar. Green or
l, but he had been over it before, and
knew what was ahead Of him. Three
hundred feet behind MI Nausfeld's
bucket came another, and into this
climbed Mr.. Green. As his bucket
started up that incline 7 felt that
had lost my last friend, as there was
absolutely nothing left then between
me and comfort but disgrace.
The men in attendance l saw were
watching me, as was the first "ten-
derfoot" who had ever undertaken the
trip. Once more assuming the cour-
age l felt not, awaited my bucket
smilingly. When it came was obliged
to remove my oyercoat to get in.
Crouching down in sitting posture.
tailor fashion, there was just room to
stay in and that was al, with a part
ing injunction to keep my tail up"
the man in charge switched me on to
the main line and swung out Of the
doorway fifty feet above the ground
The rate Of speed was about q miles
per hour, and the total length OF the
tram 5,400 feet-a little over mile.
In that mile, however, we had to rise
,820 feet little more than one foot
in three. The endless cable TO which
the buckets are attached passes over
numerous tall wooden trestles, vary
ing in height from so feet to l6O, and
placed at irregular intervals wherever
the formations OF the mOuntaid will
permit The height Of the cable
above the ground increased with every
turn Of the wheel, and as l sat there
with my eyes glued upon the two pre-
ceding buckets and not particularly
anxious I'm the first few minutes to
look down or around or anywhere else
except above me, began to realize
that the twenty minutes necessary for
the journey we're going to be mighty
long ones.
On and on We went and up and up
until there came In sight yawning un-
der me terrific gorge, crossed by
single span Of the cable over 1 400 feet
length and 100 feet above the ground.
Even this would not be so bad were it
not that the next tower In frontof me
was $50 feet higher than the spot from
which l was getting my first view.
There ahead Of me we're the two
buckets containing Mansfield and
Green, and as l pulled myself to-
gether, determined to take every ad-
vantage Of the glorious view which
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