The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-11-03
TAINTED THE SPRING
HOW Whisky GAP, wy, GOT IT'S
PECULIAR NAME.

1t,e Trronticrsmen's Fable That the
Mountain stream Was II Fountain
Of Youth DispelIcd by the True StO-
ry of the Blending
One of the historic places in the west
Ia Whisky Gap, Wy. The old time
jewellers Of mountain and %plain--the
men who "fought Indians and hunted
buffalo out west" during the overland
train days Of the early s~iXties-have
shrugged their shoulders at the men
ton Of Whisky Gap for nearly 40
years. This is the place. according to
their belief, where real ~"tirewater"
gushed out Of the rocks in Il beautiful
mountain spring to quench the thirst
of a whole company OF Uncle Sans
trained Indian fighters. ut vas moth
ing but pure spring water" they say;
"a veritable fountain of youth"
Colonel @. G. Coutant, the author Of
a history of Wyoming and the pioneer
days Of the west, has learned the true.
story Of Whisky Gap to be somewhat
different from the fountain Of youth
fable. According to historical record
Of the early days along the govern
ment overland trail, Whisky Gap re-
ceived it's name in 1869 during the
building of the overland stage route
from Denver to Salt Lake City and
the Pacific coast.
The people of Denver had long been
working to secure the regular overland
stage route. Their connecting the east
and the west. In 1862 Ben Holiday,
a veteran stage man, became proprie-
tor Of the great overland line. and he
agreed upon a route running through
Denver to the west. He decided to dis
continue that part of the road running
up the North Platte and the Sweetwa.
ter rivers and across South Pass, wy.
The many Indian difficulties expert
enced on this route were the induce
ments to abandon it.
The new trail led by way Of Jules
burg, Colo, to Denver, and on over the
established wagon road to Fort Lup-
ton, and north across Laramie plains,
then due west through Bridge Pass,
wy, Joining the old trail leading
across the country to the Pacific coast.
The change was made during the sum.
mer Of 1862. All the rolling stock,
horses and other property Of the com
pany were gathered at the station just
above Devils Gate, in central Wyo'
ming. Company A Of the Eleventh
Ohio cavalry, with Major OFarrell in
command, was the detailed escort at
At the time.
During the first day the long line Of
coaches, wagons. horses and mules
made II miles from the station where
the property had been gathered. The
route chosen was directly south from
the Sweetwater river. The camp Sc
lected was in a gap In the mountains
where there were a fine spring and
plenty Of wood for cooking purposes.
Shortly after going into camp the
major discovered that quite a number
of his soldiers were intoxicated, and he
at once sent for Lieutenant w. II.
Brown. who was officer Of the day, and
informed him Of the condition of many
of the men and gave it as his opinion
that some one was selling whisky in
the camp. The command was doing
escort duty not only for stage stock
and stores, but also for a number of
emigrants who had availed them
selves Of the opportunity for safe con-
duct yer the plains.
Lieutenant Brown received orders
to search all wagons, and II he should
discover whisky to destroy it. Taking
a corporal and three or four men, he
commenced the search for the contra
band article and found at last a barrel
Of whisky in an emigrant wagon. The
officer ordered his men to roll the bar
rel out Of the wagon, knock in the head
and empty the contents on the ground.
This was done, but it CHANGED that the
spot where the whisky was emptied
was Just above the spring, and the
fiery liquid went pouring down into
the water supply of the camp.
The soldiers saw what was going
on, and they rushed forward with
cups, canteens. buckets and camp ket.
ties to save what they could Of the
coveted Spirits" Many a man stoop-
ed over the spring and drank almost
without breathing until he was drunk.
One soldier who had succeeded in
getting a full canteen from the spring
paid his respects to Major O'Farrell
at the headquarters tent, assuring his
commanding officer, with maudlin
mien and many a "hic," that that was
the finest spring he had ever seen ana
the very best water he had ever tasted.
Major O'Farrell was experimenting
an attack from the Indians that night,
and the condition Of his men fairly dis
heartened him. He saw at a glance
that even a small band Of savages
could make a successful raid on his
camp, consequently the sober and less
intoxicated men were kept on the alert
all night. Fortunately, no Indians put
in an appearance, and by morning the
debauched men had slept off their in