, 1897-09-10
he CARRIED THE MAIL.
HOW HON. C. H. BURRITT CAME TO
BE ON THE DOUGLAS CREEK
ROUTE.
The Night Vas Cold and Stormy, But
the Mail Went Through in Spite OF
the Elements-Camped in q Hotel
Parlor-The Important Contents Of
the Mail Sack.

Hon. Charles H. Burritt OF Buffalo,
who is in the city this week, was the last
man to carry the mail to Douglas creek,
some II years ago. After the White
Swan mine closed down all who worked
at the camp left there and the mail route
was abandoned. At the time referred
o, Mr.. Burritt was in charge OF the
ranch now owned by NJ. J. Coughlin, on
he Little Laramie, and the mail carrier
passed that way. Upon this last trip the
carrier was sick when he reached the
ranch, and. taking compassion upon
him, Mr.. Burritt volunteered to take the
mail TO Douglas creek. 1t was showing,
but the trip to Markets ranch. at the
foot OF Centennial mountain, where Cen
tennial postofice was and is still locat-
ed. was made without incident. From
here the sub-carrier wound his way
along the foot Of the mountain past
Christensen's ranch, across the Middle
foot CT the mountains, On the South
Fork. Pratt tried to persuade the in
trepid young man that It would be folly
to cross the range that night, that there
was no pressing need FOR the mail at
Douglas and it would be just as we'll
and a good deal better for all concerned
scr him to remain Till the next day. But
Rurritt had promised the sick carrier
nat he would take the mail through to
Douglas. and through ne was bound to
axe it with all possible dispatch. Here
he was compelled to leave the buck
board, Cor the snow was too deep on the
divide to permit OF its use. A big sorrel
horse was secured and an Arkar as sad
die placed upon its back. Acr1ss this
the mail sack was strapped, and thus
equipped Burritt stared for the Douglas
camp. Through the storm and night he
Struggled till he arrived at a place which
seemed to be inhabited, but 1t was
s.orming so that he could not tell which
II the camps he had struck. Some little
creeping about satisfied him that 1t was
Florence and then it was the work OF
but a few minutes to lead his horse into
he Florence hotel, entirely deserted.
where he took up quarters in the tire
place Of the parlor. which was Of such
dimensions that ne could rest very COM
scr,ably in it, and his horse also stood
with head and shoulders therein. 1t
was about 2 o'clock in the morning, and
1t was decided by the carrier that ne
would remain in the parlor Of the Flor
ence ho.el till the storm abated some
what. In about two hours 1t had calm
ed down materially and the struggle to
deliver the Douglas mail was resumed
From Florence to the postofflce was
about three miles, which distance was
covered speedily.
Harry Donkersley was the postmaster
at Douglas at that time, and aside from
him there was only one other man In
The camp, the Waterman at the Blue Jay
mine. Upon opening the sack, the post
master found two pieces OF mail, one q
postal card from Mrs. Donkersley, who
was in Laramie visiting. and the other
a copy OF the Rawlins Journal for a man
who had left the country. For the de-
livery of this mail Mr.. Burritt had suf-
tered all the hardships and perils at
tending a night in a snow storm upon
the mountains.
The next day Harry Donkersley
strapped ON his snowshces, tied his
wise's sewing machine on his back and
came over the range. and Uncle Sam
suspended the route to Douglas creek.