The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-06
EXCITING EXPERIENCE.
Swaying in a Bucket Four Hun
dred Feet Above the Earth.

dred Feet Above the Earth.
In Denver it was recently reported
that the Smuggler mine, of Telluride.
Col, would close down, owing to the low
price of silver. This being one of 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 (thc Rock Island) ] started
| for Telluride, on the Rio Grande South
ern railway, and arrived at my destina-
ton Wednesday evening. Mr.. n. T..
Mansfield, manager of the Smuggler,
| in his coy little Office that night, told
me the company had decided upon re-
| duction of wages instead of closing
| down, and that word had been sent to
| the mine that day, but the men answer
| had not yet been received. He further
| told me that at this season of the year
| there was but one way to get to the
mine, and that was by taking the buck
ct tramway, as the trail was covered
| with snow and ice and practically i'm
| passible. The bucket tram, he added,
was itself far from desirable method
of transportation and liable to try
mans nerve pretty WELL but if l would
undertake the trip he would accompany
me.
What could a man say to proposition
of that kind but "Yes?" Accordingly,
bright and early the next morning,
which was one of the fairest and beauti-
FL l.
horses were in readiness and, accompa-
MED by Mr.. w. C. Green, who is con-
nected with the San Miguel Mining
company of Telluride, we started out
The ride of two miles to Pandora was
most enjoyable, by reason of the ford
ing of innunerable streams which
crossed the road. Our horses displayed
wonderful sagacity in picking their way
through many a treacherous spot.
Arriving at the foot of the tram and
getting faint idea of what was ahead
of me. seeing the buckets coming down
hundreds of feet above us and discharg-
ing their cargoes of ore into the i'm
mense shute, my courage almost failed
HE, but it required more nerve than I
could muster to back out. l tried to
appear as little disconnected as possible,
while Mr.. Mansfield, who was to start
first, curled up in his little bucket,
which was only large enough to hold
an ordinary-sized man in u most uncom-
Portable and cramped position. The
endless cable was then put in motion
and out swung the manager on his per-
ilous journey. / cannot help thinking
how much more nerve ne displayed
than either Mr.. Green or l, but he had
been over it before, and knew what was
ahead of him. Three hundred feet be-
hind Mr. Mansfield's bucket came an
other, and into this climbed MIR. Green.
As his bucket started up that incline
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 tender
foot who had ever undertaken the
trip. Once more assuming a courage /
felt not, | awaited my bucket smiling
ly. When it came along was obliged
TO remove my overcoat IN order to get
in. Crouching down in sitting pos
ture, tailor fashion, there was just
room to stay in and that WAS all, and
with a parting 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 two and
half miles per hour, and the total
length of the tram five thousand four
hundred feet-a little over a mile. In
that mile, however, we had TO rise one
thousand eight hundred and twenty
feet-a little more than one foot in
three. The endless cable to which the
buckets are attached passes over rumer-
Gus tail wooden trestles. varying in
height from fifty feet to one hundred
and sixty, and placed at irregular in
tervals wherever the formations of the
mountain will permit. The height of
the able above the ground increased
with every turn OF the wheel, and as
sat there with eyes glued upon the two
preceding buckets and not particularly
anxious in the first few minutes TO look
down or around or anywhere else ex-
cept above me, began to realize that
the twenty minutes necessary for the
Journey were going TO be mighty long
ones.
On and on we went and up and up until
there came in sight yawning under me
a terrible gorge, crossed by single
span OF the cable over ], 400 feet in
length and 400 feet above the ground.
Even this would not be 50 bad were il
not that the nsxt tower in front Of me
was $50 feet higher than the spot from
which was getting my first view.
There ahead of me were the two
buekets containing Mansfield and
Green, and as pulled myself together.
determined 10 take every advantage of
the glorious view which now opened
UP, the thought came TO me that ncve1
had been in a position OF such utter
helplessneSs and dependence. LesS
the figures given above should fail to
convey the exact idea, Let me suggest
comparison which occurred 10 me
while crossing this span.
The Pulitzer bus ding in New York is