The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-08-02
TAINTED THE SPRING
HOW WHISKY GAP, wy, GOT ITS
PECULIAR NAME.

!
The Frontiersmen's Fable That the
/ Mountain Stream Was Fountain
of Youth Dispcllcd by the True Sto-
ry of the blending Process.
One OF the historic places in the west
| Is Whisky Gap, Wy. The old time
dwellers of mountain and plain-the
men who fought Indians aud hunted
buffalo out west" during the overland
train days of the early slxtlcs-hayo
shrugged their shoulders Mt the men
ton of Whisky Gap FOR nearly 40
| years. This is the place, according to
their belief, where real "hrewater"
gushed out of the reeks In Il beautiful
mountain spring TO queneh the thirst
of n whole company of Uncle Sans
trained Indian fighters. 1T was moth
ing but pure spring water" they say;
"a vcrtahle fountain of youth"
Colonel c. G. Coutant, the author of
Il 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
celved Its nnme in 1862 during the
building of the overland stage route
from Denver to Salt Lake City and
the Pacific coast.
The people of Denver Ind long hecu
working TO secure the regular overland
stage route, then connecting the east
and the west In 1SG2 Ben Holiday,
n veteran stage nun, became proprie-
tor of the great overland line, and he
agreed upon Il route running through
Denver to the west. lie decided TO dis
continue that part of the road running
up the North Platte and the Swcetwa-
ter rivers and across South Pass. Wy.
The many Indian difficulties expert
cnced on this route were the induce
ments to abandon II,
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 1867 All the rolling stock,
horses and other property of the eom-
pany were gathered at the station Just
above Devils Gate, In central Wyo-
ming Company \ of the Eleventh
Ohio cavalry. with Major O,I'arrell in
command. was the detailed escort Mt
mt 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 Swcetwatcr river. The camp Sc
leeted WAS In gap in the mountains
| where there We're n fine spring and
plenty of wood for cooking purposes.
Shortly after going into camp the
major discovered that qnite II number
of his soldiers were Intoxicated, and he
mt once sent for Lieutenant w. IL,
Brown, who was officer of the day, and
informed him of the condition of many
of the men and gave 1t 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 number OF
emIgrants who had awaited them
selves of the opportunity for safe con
duct over the plains.
| Lieutenant Brown received orders
to search NIL wagons, and If he should
discover whisky to destroy 1t. Taking
corporal and three or four men, lie
| commenced the search for the contra
| band article and found at last n barrel
of whisky in an emlgrnnt wagon. Tho
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 chnneed that tho
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 n man stoop-
cd over the spring and drank almost
without breathing until he was drunk
One soldier who Ind succeeded IN
getting full cantecn from the spring
paid his respects to Major O'Farrcll
at the headquarters tent, assuring his
commanding officer, with maudlin
mien and many "hlc," TINT that was
the finest spring he had ever seen ana
the very best water he had ever tasted.
Major OFarrcll was apprehcndin6
an attack from the Indians that night
and the condition Of his men fairly dis
heartencd him. He saw Mt IL glance
that even n small band of sayages
could make n 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
t0xlcation.
Thus the gap In the mountains
where the camp was made received
the name Of Whisky Gap For many
years 1t was the fayorite camping
place for the more credulouS of the
old frelghters and cmlgrants OF the
trail days" but the little spring was
never fountain Of youth" as 1t had
been in the old days, when "frewater"
gushed mp out OF the rocks to quench
the thirst Of n company Of United
States soldiers. Philadelphia Inquirer.
~ lie Put n.
blanche told this story of an Irish
man who was driving n mail coach.
II.