The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1893-12-16
HOW COLGATE WAS LEFT.

The state papers have been tpemlng
with reports n late Of the rescue Of the
parlln party who were lost in th9 Bitter
Root mountains IN North Idaho, Fhis
party consisted Of six OF seven mpn who
were on y trapping and prospecting OK
petition In tho plugged mountains Of the
North, That we've caught In y sn0w STERN
and through iheIr avn folly, lnetfefl'
eHee w dense Ignorance, came neaP les
ing their lives Colgate, y helpless old
pIeneev, VIVA from nld agp and THO hard
ships experienced from an NY managed
expedition, became 10 helpless aa 10 be
unable 10 travel and WIS LEFT behind
with . handful VI salt ana onn blanket,
20 die, This WIS ~ act Of inhumanlty
which stands without parallel IN ihe
history Of tho country Only thifty
miles from civilization pypr practical
trail and yet they spend Two weeks in
constructing Rats N navigate river
they know WAS not nayigable, when in
two days time they could have made
snow-shoes and brought the entire party
out In perfect safety, TheEe is no OK
puse for the ooprse they pursued, but
inhumane cQwardlce, IN tho following
statement which appeared In tho Hpo-
Kane Review. they yainly endesynr to
justify tho course they pursue, The
world should hereafter regard them Us
tho greatest rewards Of The present age
But read their own evidence Of this fact
and Imagine seeing that poor man Try
ing 10 follow them with hts handful Of
salt and hlapketl
Aessrs CarlIp and Hlmmelwright send
tho THR REVIEW the following state
ment OF tho conditions under which they
were compelled " leave Colgate in the
wIIdornessi
'The various newspaper accounts as
published having created erroneous I'm.
pressIons concerning our notions AZ well
~ Lieutenant Elliot's In the case ofGeorge
Colgate. we heaewlth submit full OK.
PLANTATION;
George Colgate had accompanied us on
= former trip up the st. Mary's river
about five years ago At that time he
was strong. active man, and under
stood skinning animals and curing
hides and was very handy man about
camp. His work on that occasion was
SO satisfactory that when we contemplat-
ed taking second trip In the northwest
tho first move was to write and engage
Colgate To accompany us. He met us
by appointment In Spokane on Septem Der
Is, and when we found he was unwell
and feeble Mr.. Carlin underworld 20 per-
suade him not TO 60. and offered TO pay
him months wages II he would give up
the trip and return home. This he re-
fused TO do. Mr.. Carlin then insisted
that he consult his physician the verdict
being that he could go on the trip and
that II would probably benefit him.
Spencer. the guild, pronounced him too
feeble. and when the party arrived In
kendrlck another attempt was made to
dissuade him from going. Mr.. Carlin
Offering to pay him as before. Colgate
however insisted on going. and repeated
that his physician mad said no could 20
with impunity.
After riding eight days Colgate was so
exhausted that he had TO be assisted the
last half mile by Mr.. Carlin. and after
making camp was able TO do very little
OF the cooking for several days. After
that he improved a little and cooked
most Of the meals for week, but his
feet having become swollen, he had some
difficulty In walking After that he
grew gradually worse. His legs swellcd
to twice their natural size and he was
able to move about only with the great
est difficulty. Exercise seemed to have
abad effect and we persuaded him TO re-
main quiet, as We wished him to start
out AS strong as possible on the return
trip. Being unable to walk We placed
him on the most sure-footed animal we
had with Instructions not 10 attempt TO
walk but to stick TO the horse up and
down hill.
About o'clock of that day October 10,
after reaching the top Of ridge parallel
to the river, We encountered two and
half feet Of snow. We stopped aud held
consultation. Spencer said: THE
snow on the Lo Lo trail will be at least
four feet deep at the Postofiices. The
horses cannot last more than three DAYS
without food. and when they play out
We will have 10 abandon our stuff and
walk. carrying enough grub on our backs
10 see us out"
What would become OF Colgates He
could not walk. and We could not carry
him in the deep snow. We felt il would
not be right TO abandon him until every
possible means had been tried TO save
him Then We thought Of the river, but
no one knew any thing about il. We
two then held separate consultation.
Il would take several weeks to build the