Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1895-02-09
sIskep THEIR LIVES FOR OTHERS.
Idaho Pioneers Who Would Have Died
Rather Than Desert the Helpless.

Idaho Pioneers Who Would Have Died !
Rather Than Desert the Helpless.
Lewiston special In this city where
every other man is "a mountaineer the
Interview with w. II. Wright IN which
he justlfies the abandonment of George
Colgate by the carlin party. and which
was published m the Spokesman
view, excited great deal OF comment.
In the ethics of pioneer hunters. trap
pers and prospectors. there is no justi
fication for the abandonment OF fell
bowman TO die. IL matters not what
the surrounding conditions may be,
The noble attributes OF real mountain
GERS are not often aacribed TO mercenary
guides. but man who seeks employ
ment from sportsmen should not admit
that he would hold himself to be justl-
fed In abandoning his employers UNI
der any circumstances whatever.
The section OF country in which Col
gate was abandoned to die is well known
10 all the old prospectors who have
gone out from this place year after
year ever since the discovery OF gold In
that region II Is crossed and recrossed
by trails and byways, and the thought
of going to or coming from that So
called inaccessible canyon at any time
Of the year that duty should call has no
terrors for these grizzled pioneers. The
story II repeated here OF young
Scotchman by the name of Campbell
and an aged 49er from California who
were prospecting on the middle fork of
the Clearwater In "a when the latter fell
and broke his thigh, II was late In Mo-
vember and they had only a few days
provisions. The snow lay deep all over
| the ground. but Bart Campbell did not
desert his friend to die 1t would have
taken MIN 10 days 10 go to the nearest
settlement and return. The helpless
old man could not travel nor could he
remain alone for that length of time.
The young friend had no more strength
and not half as many conveniences as
had Colgates associates, but he had
pluck and his heart was in the right
place. He stayed by the rude bed. In
the poor shelter OF boughs and bark,
until the flour and beans were gone
and only "A small piece OF bacon re-
manned He boiled the slice Of fat and
placed IL by the bed. with chunks of ice
to take the place of water. and started
In search of game.
| After two days of terrible hardships
and exposure he returned with "a coed
supply of venison. From that day the
two men lived on meat alone until they
reached Mt Idaho, six weeks later. Al
soon as the wounded prospector could
be moved. MIR Campbell placed him on
litter and dragged him over the snow
and up and down those hills. little by
little. day by day. living on an exelusiv,
1 hn0 ha aeE
Scotchman reached the settlement h,
was "A mere skeleton and the flesh wal
worn from his bony arms on which h,
had borne his burden.
discoverer of Rhodes creek place
Seven years ago william Rhodes 9TH,
discoyerer of Rhodes creek placer min
miEesl, John Risse and J. d. Cram
were overtaken by the winter SHOWS OF
the Bitter Root mountains near the Lol
trail. These men We're developing
, prospect in that district and the earl
SHOWS surprised them Before the
, could get started homeward Rhode
. was stricken with paralyis and coul
not be moved. They had a limited sup
ply OF grub. but they never thought q
. running from the hideous fate that wa
In prospect. As the winter became 81
yerer they worked and watched In turn
until they had a cabin and "A supply q
: wood. Then they made long excursion
! daily In search of game. Finally. the
G found the haunts Of herd of elk. bu
. they were 10 miles from the cabin. The
c killed. dressed and cached a winter
: supply of meat. and thereafter trans
: ported II over the long snow blocke
: trail they had blazed through the foi
: ests, as occasion would permit. BIZ
: these true friends watched their charI
until he passed away. The snow fell I
a depth OF 80 feet. and they passed /
' and from their cabin by long windin
. stairway of snow 80 feet long Whe
they looked over the white expanse n
. only evidence OF "A human habitatio
y to be seen was a moke-blackened no
that was kept open above the top
the chimney by the fire below. Poe
"Bill" Rhodes was buried In snow
:, least 20 feet from the ground. Mcssr
: Risse and Crane were rescued In a
) early spring by friends from Iewistu
. who went TO their relief.
- our popular townsman, Warren
n Hunt. was a mailcaIrier In mining day
= 80 years ago. on one Of his Journeys
a alleviate human misery he came 10 Il
A raging treacherous Salmon riverwhen
e was hewing and grinding great gerg,
\, of ice. The bridge was gone. Aero,
n the chasm was a single. sagging. swa.
q ing cable. He grasped this and WEI
J. hand over hand the whole distance
4 400 feet.
y Men who are familiar with such dee,
n as these and know the heroes WI
u enacted them cannot conceive a comb
. nation OF circumstances that would ju
r tify the desertion of a companion
- die alone and unattended. In fact the
4 was an unwritten law in pioneer da,
n that made II n crime as heinous as mu
n der To desert fellow man who wi
- helpless and In need.
1 CONSPIRACY CAS- S TO Esd soc
~