The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-16
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nutmegs. for genuine and shoe pegs for
oats. The real reason, however, dated
back to time when an eastern peddler
Victimized him along with several other
unsGspecting plainsmcn and traded a lot
OF the shoddiest OF cloth and the most
worthless specimens Of iewelry and fe-
rnale gear for genuine mink. otter and
beaver skins. Old Gabe never forgave
this peddler and would have killed him
lad they ever met.
Down Casters Discomiiture.
One day in Westport a smaray dressed
Individual, with y decided down-east
twang, approached Bridger and without
further ceremony asked:
say, old man, howalong is it since you
frst went out WeSt?'
stranger said Bridger slowly biting
heard of Pixies oeal;?
OF course just come from there"
replied the stranger.
Shes tollably high. amt she?''
Fourteen thousand. one hundred and
fClty-Seven feet" answered the stranger
as if he were reading from his guide
"Wa-al, remarked Old Gabe, as he
paused to relieve his mouth of a geper-
Gus stream of tobacco Juice, when 1 first
went out thar Pixies Peak was a hole in
the ground. It's mighty long time. 1
tell you.
Perhaps the institution with which Bird
gers name is most intimately connected
is Fort Bridger This fort, block house
stockade, or whatever it may be called
was afterwards taken possession of by
the United States and Bridger had a
claim of $4,000 against the government
for the occupation and retention of his
property. Bridger was in possession of
this fort when the Mormon troubles broke
out in Utah and Wyoming after the
Saints had been driven from Jackson
courty, Mo-, ami Nauvoo, Ill.,, in 1851
MOrnnnS attacked
session Of it and would have killed Bird
ger if they could have caught him. He
escaped and found refuge in an eagles
nest, where for several days he was SUD-
piled with feed by Il man named John
Robinson.
Bridger's Claim Against the Govern
ment.
While hiding in the nest he had several
opportunities 10 shoot the favorite son
although he said afterward that he was
sorely tempted Such shot, however.
would have betrayed his position and
probably sacrificed his own life. Finally
the United States troops restored order
and took up their quarters in the fort
The commandment then made a bargain
with Bridger To buy the fort. Rrideer
was to receive $50 n month rent for ten
years. and at the end of that time the
government was to buy the fort outrignt
for $4,000. But news and reports Travelled
slowly in those days. The next year.
1883, the land upon which I}rdGer's fort
reservation. When President Buchanan
signed the bill he dill not know of the
agreement between the coulmandant and
Rr;dger. This complicated matters Then
the civil war broke out and nothing could
BE- done about minor claims.
Finally z. bill for the relief of Bridger
was worried through Congress after q
years of effort. but il was too late TO do
the old man any good in his lifetime.
A $4,000 Lump of Gold.
Like all hunters and prosnectors. Bird
ger had his stories Of buried treasure 10
tell. Before his neriod of dotace set in
he frequently talked ot going west TO get
rorcealed in a forest m the banks of the
Yellowstone river. Pridger found the
precious piece of metal whlo he was ont
with some officers of the HAYDEN expIo-
ration party. It was so heavy that he
pot another man to carrv his knaneaol5
the nugget being sufficient load for
ono man. He carried IT until the rartv
canned a. nicht on the banks IF Clear
the Yellowstone and while he was almost
worn ont he stole away from the car1p
and buried his trnasure. II has revor
been recovered There is no req son to
doubt the character of tho metal
Brid~er was good Judge Of ore ard tho
members of the party wero professional
geo1ogiste and r,7innralcoie+c end fully
ccnfrruad he opinion. II hos boon e~t.-
mated that tho nugget weiehod ern''~'7
to maka ire valrn something near SO 0on
In 1884 whar thArn be~nn to no Some
discussion of the advisahi1Itr and feae'-
hi1fiv of h1ildinp ? railroad acroce tho
continent. Pridger fell into cnnve~ea ton
the subject with Colonel r T. Van
Horn now ndito~ IF tf1n Kansas Ctitv
Journal and sail that there was hut ono
n''a otical route through the mountains
Then taking niece of yellow wranpire
naner and y nieca of ~ola rcoal +he old
Sc ant sketched Il route +''ropc, tho r-or1r-
toirq. ort'ined tho liHarent localities.
tuftes valleys rivers I'D rncurtairis and
said that If railroad VOC ever brut
ncroee the continent II would have - tai-a
+',n+ ,.o-,+o Wr,a,7 1-oor- to--r- Tho
Trion Pacific road wos britt II 7id aot,,-
DIV croes +he raouotains on the line laid
down by the old guide.