Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-09-10
GRIZZLY BILLS UNDOING.
by A. j. MEISLER.


[CoPYRIGHT. 1861
"Thrilling?" said the major; "well, l
should say SO. 1t was the mosteXciting
thing that ever occurred to me. Why,
] cant even think of it now without
shuddering little. l was considerably
younger in those days than L am now
At the time was telegraph operator
and dispatcher for the Mountain Valley
Railroad company in a western mining
country. 1t was a wild and lawless
country and was not much in love with
my place, but being poor I was obliged
to accept the conditions with the best
possible grace.
"Goldton, where l waa located, was
really nothing more titan railroad sta
ton. L: was not on the main line of
the fioun,am Valley railroad, but on
spur which ran to the lngot mines.
Travel was not very extensive; in fact,
but one train day passed my lonely
station
"On the 18th day OF every month l
received by express for the superin-
tcndent Of the Ingot Mining company
the money With which the miners were
Idln OH. l ne ullOull average DtlNGIil
$4,000 and $4,000. On the 14th of
June in that year the superintendent OF
the mines came to me and said:
"'Perkins, the pay money will be here
tomorrow as usual; but | want you to
exercise more than ordinary vigilance
in guarding it, as | understand Grizzly
Bill is operating in the mountains
again."
"Grizzly Bill was a name to inspire
terror. The individual who bore that
unmusical sobriquct was an outlaw OF
great daring and resolution; he stopped
at nothing. 1t was, therefore, quite
natural for me to feel some little trepi.
dation. | assured the superintendent,
however, that | would do all in my pow
er TO guard the money; and | think"
continued the major, with some self
satisfaction, that | kept my word ir
this respect.
During the night which followed,
violent ranstorm swept through the
mountains. Shortly before ten O'CLOCK
the next morning received word ovei
the wire that the train from Pikeviile
could not get to Goldton owing to
washout below Summit Rock. 1t was
thought that the track could be made
passabIe By afternoon, and that the
train would reach my station before siY
O'Clock. ! communicated these facts tG
the mine superintendent by means of an
assistant who was always at the station
during the day.
al five o'clock that evening | re-
ceived message saying that it would
IL
through before nine or ten o'clock the
next morning. ! sent word TO this effect
to the mine superintendent, who, in
turn, communicated it to the men. Feel
ing rather tired turned in early that
night. Sleep, however, was out of the
question.
THE baggage, freight, express and
telegraph offices were all under one
roof. One corner of the big warehouse
tit was hardly anything else) was par
titioned off so rs to make a private in
closure. This boX-lile compartment
used for sleeping, eating and the trans
action of the companys telegraphic and
railroad business. The sender and re.
ceiver were affixed to table conven
iently near my bed, and If necessary
it was possible to transmit or take a
message without even arising. OF
course, | never found it necessary to dc
this; simply mention it to illustrate
the arrangement of the office.
"Along toward midnight the telegraph
instrument began to click. heard my
call. opened the key, and asked what
was wanted. The operator at Pikevillc
wired back that the train which had
been delayed on account of the wnshout
had started for Goldton, and would
reach there between three and four