The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-21
why NAMED WHISKY GAP.'


One OF the historic places in the West 70
WHISKY GAP, wyoming, The old time dwell
ors 81 mountain and plain--the men VINO
| "iousht Indians and hunted buffelo out West
during tho overland trail days of the carly
sixties--hsye shrugged their shoulders with
satisfaction at tho mention OF Whisky Gap
10Y nearly forty years. This is tho place,
according to their belief, where real 'hror
water gushed up out OF tho rocks In beau
| ttful mountain spring TO quench the thirst Of
a whole company OF Uncle Sans trained IN
dan fighters ut was nothing but purs
spring water" they say "a yerltabls fountain
OF youth"
Colonel G. q. Coutanl who is now writins
a history Of Wyoming and the pioneer Gays 81
the West has learned tho true story OF
whisky CAP 10 be somewhat different from
the fountain OF youth fable According 70
historical records OF the early days along
tina government overland trail Whisky Gap
received it's name in 1862, during the building
~ tina overland stage route from Denver to
suit Lake city pnd the Pacific coast
II happened in this way the people %
Newer Ind long been working TO secure the
regular overland stage route then connecting
Tho East and West In 1859 Ben liolhday'
a veteran stage man. became proprietor OF tue
great overland line; and he agreed upon
rou,e running through Denver TO the West
pe decided 10 discontinue that part of the
road running up the North Platte and th'
sweetwater rivera and across south faSs
wyoming. Tho many Indian difficulties ex
nerlenoed on this route was the indueemeh
10 abandon IL
The new trail led by way of Juieshnrd, COLO
RADIO. 10 Denver and on over the estanlsnee
wagon road to Fort Lupton and Mrth uelos'
the Laramie plains, then due west thropsl
Bridger Pass Wyoming, joining the old tFal
leading across the country to the Paclhc coas'
The change was made during the summer OF
1862. All the rolling stock, horses ana o'uo'
, property OF tho company were satheroa AZ 'ns
station Just above Devils Gate IN oehtre'
! wyoming. Company A, of the Eleventh oh'e
I cavalry. with Major 0'Farrell In eommanu
was the dstaled escort ut the time
During tho nrst day the long Tram o
coaches. wagons. horaes and mules maa'
. e.eyen miles from tue station Wh're '"'
y property had been gathered The route spoAei
was directly south from the sweetwa'er fFe'
Tho camp selected was In gap IN me ihoun
Q talns whero there was hne sprins ana plen''
c Of wood for cooking purposes
shortly after golng into camp the malo
dtHrONtTcU
u were intoxicated and he at once sent 10
9 lieutenant w. II. Brown who was officer o
u tho day. and Informed him of the oondiuo
6 Of many OF the men and gave 1t as his opinio
n thai some one was selling whisky in CAM
The command was doing escort duty not oul
: for stage. stock auh stores, but also Tor
d number OF emigrants who had awaited them
g selves Of the opportunity for safe conduct owe
the plains.
J. I1eutenant Brown received orders to scare
70 all wagons; and Il he should discover whisH
u TO destroy It. Taking a corporal and three
four men. he commenced the search Tor 10
ecutrahand article. and found at last, parf
~ whisky In an emigrant wagon the oihe'
~ ordered his men to roll the barrel out oil "
~ wagon. knock 10 the head and empty the COT
," tonts on the ground. This was done hui
" Glanced that the spot whore the WHISKY WI
~ emptied was Just above the spring ana u
~ fiery LIQUID went pouring down into the wat'
- supply Of the camp.
~ Tho soldiers saw what was going on ~
- they rushed forward with cups, canteen
~ buckets and camp kettles to save what I'M
could OF the coveted spirits" Many MI
stooned over this spring and drank almo
70 without breathing until he was drunk
st h,If hour later the lntoxieaut was showing
nu effect pretty generally around the camp al
ne soon but few sober men could be found
pc One soldier, who had succeeded In eettn
n full nanteen from the spring, paid MS
re gpects TO Major orFarrell at the headquar'e
AT tent. assuring his commanding officer, WI
el maudlln moln and many mic, that I'd
oil was the finest spring he had ever seem a
'rR the very finest water he had ever tasted
le- Major oFarrell was apprehendins an
I'D tack from the Indians that night, and the 90
d,uon Of his men fairly dsheartenea III
He saw at glance that even a small pa
lily oi sayages could make successful fAlu
ty. his camp: consequently the sober ana ie
us, intoxicated men were kept on the alert u
ost night. Fortunately no Indians put IN an
ms pearancc, and by morning the depauehea III
les had slept off their intoxlcatlon.
>ty Thus the gap In the mountains where
camp was made received the name OF Wills
The Gan, For many years II was tho favor
the canning place for the more credulous oil
me Old frelghters and emigrants Of the 'tr
OF Gays but the little spring was never
9TH fountain Of youth" as II had been IN
the ola DAYS when " Are water guahed up
axe Of tho rocks 10 quenoh the thirst Of CO
one pauy OF United States soldiers. -. ,...
axe Grant 'oHe
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