The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-16
TEE sNow-sHovEL RIDE.

system. This rawhide trail in question
Is peculiar institution only TO be
found in the mountainous mining re-
gicns where ten or twelve feet Of snow
prevails from December to June. If
therc is no trail you can get over the
country very well with snow shoes,
but to keep mine supplied with food
and working materials and TO market
the ore throughout this long winter
period, Is quite different proposition.
Hero ia where the mule and the raw
hide system of transportation come in.
Imagine q gutter ia the deep snow,
with walls of snow three or four feet
high on either side, and you have the
trail that winds along the mountain
side and scrves as tho water trans
portation route. The trail is worn
perfectly smooth by tho rawhide and
its contents drawn by mule.
For the reception of freight a
green oxhide IL cut ut its four cor
ners very much as you would cut a
sheet of wrapping paper if you
wanted neat, square parcel and
no surplus folds Of paper. The
hide is pierced near it's edges with
holes largo enough to admit of its be-
ing laced with q three-quarter inch
rope. Twenty mules are at the mine
waiting to haul down the ten tons OF
ore mined, sorted and ready for
market. Tho orc, having been cr,lmb-
led into pieces no larger than a hens
egg, is put into small black sacks hold
ing about 100 pounds each, and the
sacks are slowed on the rawhide as it
lies spread out, hair side down, on the
snow. The hido is then laced up, o
stout rope and whifie-tree at the for
ward end receive tho mules trace
hooks, and the train of twenty mules
starts down the mountain, each ami
NAL hauling about LOCO pounds of ore.
The hairy surface prevents the hide
from slipping too fast on the steep
gra cs, and in an hour and a half the
mulc train has delivered its ten tons
of orc to the transportation camp,
whence it is hauled on four horse
sleighs to kaslo, twenty-five miles
away. Such is the rawhide system OF
ore freighting in winter.
The downward descent from the
Washington mine was a novel expert
ence well worth the heavy toll of the
upward climb. My guide and I bor-
rowed each miners shovel-one Of
the long-handlcd, pointed sort-and
started down the rawhide trail. To-
bogganing and coasting are mild de-
lights compared with riding on a
shovel down steep grade along that
smooth gutter. You put the handle of
the shovel between your legs and,
holding il at an angle of forty-tive de-
grees. plant yourself on the shovel
blade and there you are! Not for any
appreciable space of time, however.
You shoot down that trail at gait OF
twenty miles an hour, taking care to
lift your feet So that the heels shall
lightly touch the snow. II you are
raw ct the sport you win come to grief
as you whirl about the abrupt curves,
but the worst thai can happen is to
spill yourself against the soft snow
wall as you bump against the tangent,
and after picking yourself up and
shaking Off the snow you atIuare your
self on the shovel blade and go sailing
along until another cnrve derails you;
and SO on down the four Thousand feet
descent. until, what with these harm
less accidents, and with light grade S
where you must gct OFF and walk, you
have made the rcturn trip OF four miles
in half an hour.
Hospitality. the most liberal and m
limited. is the iarariable rule at all
these mining camps. II you are q
miner in search OF work and there is no
work for you, supper, breakfast and q
bunk plertifully supplied with warm
woolen blankets. are freely yours, but
It is against camp etiquette to stay
Longer than for breakfast or dinner on
the following day. At the next camp
you can do the Same thing over again,
and so on If. however, you are 4
visitor. with proper credentials and 4
legitimate errand. there is no limit 70
your welcome and hospi;able treat
rlent Stay as long as you can-thc
longer the better is the hearty invita-
ton OF the mine superintendent, and
while You stay there IS nothing toe
good for you. and nothing 20 pay.
T. L. CogT.Es