Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-09-05


received by express for the superin-
tendent of the Ingot Mining company
the money with which the miners were
paid of. The amount averaged be-
tween $15, 600 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 l under
stand Grizzly Bill is operating in the
mountains again
Grizzly Bill was a name to inspire
terror. The individual who bore that
unmusical sobriquet was an outlaw of
great daring and resolution; he stopped
at nothing. 1t was, therefore, quite
natural for me to feel some little trep-
fdation. / assured the superintendent,
however, that l would do all in my
power to guard the money; and
think" continued the major with some
dissatisfaction, that kept my word
In this respect.
During the night which followed,
violent rain storm swept through the
mountains. Shortly before 10 o'clock
the next morning / received word over
the wire that the train from Pikeville
could not get to Goldton owing to a
washoHt below Summit Rock. 1t was
thought that the track could be made
passable by afternoon, and that the
train would reach my station before 6
O'Clock. l communicated these facts to
the mine superintendent by means Of
an assistant who was always at the
station during the day.
fAt o'clock that evening | received
l..
possible for the train to get through
before 8 or 10 o'clock the next morn
ing. / sent word to this effect to the
mine superintendent, who, In turn,
communicated it to the men. Feeling
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
(itswas hardly anything else) was par
ddoned off SO as to make private in
closure. This box-like compartment
used for sleeping, eating and the trans
action of the company's telegraphic
and railroad business. The sender and
receiver were affixed to a table conve.
niently near my bed, and il necessary
Il was possible to transmit or take O
message without even arising. OF
course never found it necessary to dc
this; / simply mention 1t 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 Pike
Vile wired back that the train which
had beon delayed ON account Of tn,
washout had started for Goldton, ant
would reach there between 3 and
o'clock IN the morning. At precisel,
2:45 O'Clock the train steamed init
G9ldton.
@The express messenger alighted ant
handed me a huge and many-sealet
package 1t contained S17,5OO
= oh, that isn't ALL" said the mes
senger, with a laugh; 4 have box Il
the car that's as heavy as lead. View
been wondering all the way up tn
mountain what II contained
fThe box was lifted from the car an
placed on end In the freight depart
ment of the station. 1t was fully sevel
feet long and four wide horribly sue
gestive Of the rough box In which
coffin is inclosed. ! thought of thi
after the train had resumed Its joui
ney. ! put the pay money In the safe
turned the combination lock and re