Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-02-17
Carrier COStin Caught by the Cold,

Jay Costin, the mail carrier
between Grangeville and Florence,
met a horrible death early Satur-
day morning while in performance
of his duty. Within four miles of
Florence, his journeys end, his horse
floundered in a snowdrift and was
unable to extricate itself. Costin,
who had been obliged to make most
of the trip up the mountain on
foot, was exhausted, and probably
in a semi-conscious condition, when
his animal could travel no farther.
Saturday morning Jay Costin's
brother Hugh started from Flor
ence with the mail for Grangeville.
He had hardly made four miles
when he discovered Jay, lying at
full length on his horses back, and
Oh the point of death from cold and
exposure. Hugh lifted the half
frozen body from the buried horse
and placing it in his toboggan used
every endeavor to restore life.
Finding his efforts futile, Hugh
wrapping his brother up:in a robe,
turned back on his tracks for
Florence. The condition of the
road can be imagined by the fact
that he found the four mile trip
back almost more than he could
manage. He gave up once, but
finally obtained assistance and
brought Jay into town. Here ev-
cry effort was exerted to restore
animation without success, the last
spark of life having been ex-
tinguished during the return to
Florence.
Mr.. S. S. Costin, father of the
dead mail carrier, was in Grange
Vile this morning and gives the
following account of his boys aw-
full end 1t appears that Jay on his
way into Florence, started early
Friday morning in good health and
spirits from his fathers house at
Slate creek, about fifteen miles
from Florence. BY midday he had
made half the distance, Thursdays
storm having made travel up the
mountain slow and difficult. All
Boulder creek station Jay ate din,
ner, fed his horse and started t.
make the balance of the trip il
good shape. Parties travelling t.
Grangeville on snow shoes eat din
ner with deceased, and on reaching
Slate creek mentioned this fact t.
the father.
From Boulder creek the trail il
steep and the snow had driftet
heavily. Tracks showed that ia.
had walked the greater part of the
distance up the mountain. Fiv'
miles from Florence, evidently il
an exhausted condition, with snow
to his hips, he remounted his steed
For another mile the faithful beas
foundered through the drifts keep
ing pretty closely to the trail. Jay
father is of the opinion that at thi
point the boys physical forces be
gan to give out. Mr.. Costin be
lieves that for a considerable dis
lance deceased was carried lying a
full length on the horses back 70
warmth, and that Jay had ceases
all attempt to guide, but trusted t
the animals instinct to pull hin
through the remainder of tn
journey. When four miles fror
Florence the horse stuck in tn
snow and could make no turtle
Roadway, Jay was overtaken b
the killing cold, and gave way t
the fatal sleep that presages death
Hugh Costin having taken hi
brothers body to Florence, return
ed with party of men for tn
horse. They succeeded in diggiu
the buried steed from its Twin
grave, and wonderful to relate, tn
animal was alive, and after Will
could be led back to Florence.
Hugh Costin, replacing the bod
of his dead brother in the tobos
gan, reached Slate creek by nigh
fall with his mournful burden, an
broke the sad news to the old folk
lHis uioiuiuS thC IShhoiitS VI ia
Costin were brought into Grange
vile for burial. The interrmen
took place at four O'Clock this al
ternoon from the house of Mr..
McGaffee, the deceased's mother.
Jay Costin was little more tina
boy, not having reached b
twentyfrst year when his untimel
end overlook him. He was un
versally liked and esteemed by h
wide circle of acquaintance. ft
having driven the Lewiston stag
he was we'll known in both NJ
Perez and Idaho counties. III
contract for carrying the Florent
mail is held by Hugh and Fran
Costin. The dead youth was en
ployed to carry it one way by Il
brothers on account of his know
edge of the mountains aud reliahi
ity. The family, in addition
the parents, who are both livinl
consisted of four boys and one cir
New Variety Theatre.
A short time ago II. Ra