Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-04-15
MAIL FOR MINERS.
How Letters Are Delivered I'm the
Rocky Mountains.
An Undertaking Which Il Exceedingly
Hazardous In Wint<f-rhe 0nd3u6 -
Free. Delivery Bysten Of H. r
tho dIncfs. f.'F

Probably the most unique method of
transporting mails known in the
United States post Office department is
that in daily use between Telluride and
Smuggler. The mining town of Tell
uride is located at the head of pictur-
esque gulch. The mountains rise in
majesty to cloud-piercingh heights about
the town, and from every propitious
dlaw between the, giant peaks, foam
ing cascades, waterfalls and roaring
streams come down from the snow
laden SUBMITS to swell the torrent of
the San Miguel, which rushes through
the town. Four miles above Telluride
is Marshall basin, situated among the
snowy peaks and far above timber line,
and in this basin is the little mining set
Element of Smuggler, where the en-
ployes of the great Smuggler-Unfon and
Tom Boy mines make their homes.
Although the inhabitants have a post
Office of their own, the postal author
tiles do not guarantee a regular serv-
ice, because of the difficulty of keeping
ATRIAL open in the winter time. The dam
gcrous snowslides constantly threaten
destruction to the hardy miners who
scramble through the SHOWS up the
steep trails to the settlements in Mar
shall basin. Until in recentyears all sup
plies for the camp in Marshall basin
were transported thither by pack ami
mails. Timber for the miners. coal for
the boilers, and iron rails were dragged
over the trails or packed securely about
swaying pack saddles and carried to an
elevation of $4,000 feet by the burro.
When winter closed down and the burro
trains could not longer be driven on
schedule time the miners would take
turns in going down on snowshoes
to get the mails and a few necessary
supplies 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 Tellu-
ride up to Marshall basin. Great iron
buckets, each carrying down the noun
tain half ton of ore, furnish by their
weight the active power which drives
the endless chain from which they are
suspended. In these buckets, upon
their return, the necessary supplies for
the camp are placed. One of the buckets
is painted n bright red color, and the
letters "U. S. Mall" in black, desig-
nate the use to which it is put. The
daily mail for Smuggler post office is
now delivered as regularly across the
four miles Of precipice, snow-buried
gulches, and giant mountain rugged
ness with as much safety as between
two settlements in the prairies of west
ern Kansas or Nebraska.
Just over the ridge of peaks from
Marshall basin is the post Office OF
Mount Sncffcls near the famous Virgin
Jus mines, seven miles above Curay, a
mining town which is as picturcec r"l,.
located as Telluride. A good y amor
trail leads from Ouray up Tho r1ollIi:I;:I
side to VirGinius mine, but in tic win
ter time the trail fills with SNOW. IN ce:.
cusional slide destroys the coni;T'n.,y
of the route so that shedding ca. not t.
done, and the mails are carried W n;c,:
with srowShoes. There are l&.::':.'..
of snow shoe routes in the mountain.
of Colorado, but none more hazH1 GoH..
than this one. The men who carr" ti!c
mails over snowshoe routes scl;'om
1ucet with accident. They have Learned!
10 understand the peculiarly Of Srow-
slides, and when high wind Il; blow
ing or other meteorological conditions
make travelling along the trails Danger
Gus, they postpone their trips ur Ill set
tied weather returns. Sometimes the.
mails arc two weeks in arrears whcr:
the mail carriers dare to venture forth.