The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-06-19
MAIL ROUTES
Queer Ways Of Delivering Letters
in Mining Regions.
An Endless Chain and Bucket
Service in Colorado.

United States postoilioo department is
that in daily use between Telluride
and Smugglor, Col Tho mining town
OF Telluride is located at the head OF
picturesque gulch The mountains
rise in majesty TO cloud-pioroing
heights about the town, and from
every PERCEPTIONS draw between the
giant peaks foamiug cascades, water
falls, and roaring streams come down
from tho snow laden SUBMITS 10
swell the torrent Of the San Miguel.
which PUSHES through the town. Four
miles above Telluride is Marshall
Basin, situated among the snowy peaks
and far above the timber line, aud in
this basin is the little mining settle
ment Of Smuggler, where the en-.
ployes Of the great Smuggler- Union
and Tom Boy mines make their
homes. Although the inhabitants
have post Office Of their own, tho
postal authorities do not guarantee a
regular service because Of the din.
Guilty of keeping a trail open in the.
winter time. The dangerous snow
slides constantly threaten destruction
to the hardy miners who scramble
through snow mp the steep trails to the
settlement in Marshall Basin In recent
years all supplies for the camp in
Marshall Basin we're transported
thither by pack animals Timber for
the mines, coal for the boilers. and
iron rails we're dragged over the trails
or packed securely about swayiug
pack saddles and carried to an eleva-
ton Of Is, 900 feet by the burro. When
winter closed down and the burro
trains could no longer be driven on
schedule time, the miners would take
turns in going down on snow shoes to
get the mails and few necessary sup
plies that could be carried upon their
backs.
But the practical application Of the
endless chain by the inventor of the
Huson tram has greatly facilitated the
transportation of supplies from Tollu-
ride up to Marshall Basin. Great
iron buckets, each carrying down the
mountain a half ton of ore, furnish by
their weight the active power which
drives the endless chain from which
they are suspended, In these buck
cts, upon their return, the necessary
supplies for the camp are placed. One
of these buckets is painted bright
red color, and the letters, "U. S.
Mail, in black, designate the use to
which it is put. The daily mail for
the Smuggler Postofiice is now deliv-
cred as regularly across the four miles
of precipice, snow-buried gulches, and
giant mountain ruggedness with as
much safety as between two settle
ments on the prairies of western Kan
sas or Nebraska.
A free delivery system is in vogue
in the mining districts, though the
postal authorities have nothing to do
with it. From every mountain post
Office trails diverge up every draw and
gulch. A miner setting out for his
cabin, perched somewhere far up on q
mountain. Will take with him all the
mail belonging to his neighbors,
though they may live miles from his
place. At each turning point a small
box will be found nailed securely tc
the trunk of stout old pine tree, anc
upon this box is scrawled the name.
OF all miners who must pass that tree
in going to their respective cabins.
In this box the last man from town
deposits all the mail belong
ing to miners living up tina
particular gulch. From that gulcl
miner will occasionally descend TO-
mails. and as he returns up his trail h
deposits in turn the several pieces 0
mail IN other boxes placed at conven
lent points. In this manner one maj
can save many weary step to othe
miners who live out the long winter
in the very heart Of the Rocky Noun
tains. Mails are collected in a sim
liar manner, and often small errand
are likewise done, Money deposite
in mail boxes for the purchase c
stamps, tobacco, and other notion
light in weight, is always properly re