The Florence tribune., 1900-11-03
MADE THEM DRUNK.
Strange Story of the Origin of Whis-
 ky Gap, Wyoming.
Drankinx the Water of Its Spring Created Trouble AmOngst Some
 sOIdieFs Who Were in ! Camp There.

One of the historic places Tn the west is Whisky Gap, Wyo. The old-time dwellers of mountain and plain, the men who fought Indians and hunted buffalo out west" during the overland trail days of the early eos, have shrugged their shoulders with satisfac- tion at the mention of Whisky Gap for nearly 10 years. This is the place, ac- cording to their belief, where real fire water gushed up out of the rocks in a beautiful mountain spring to quench the thirst of whole company of Uncle Sam's trained Indian fighters. Tt was nothing but pure spring water" they say. "A veritable fountain of youth" Whisky Gap received its name in 1862, during the building of the overland stage route from Denver to Salt Lake City and the Pacific coast.
 It happened in this way: The people of Denver had long been working to se- cure the regular overland stage route, then connecting the east and west. In 1862 Ben" Holiday, veteran stage man, became the proprietor of the great overland line, and he agreed upon 8 route running through Denver to the west. He decided to discontinue that part of the road running up the North Platte and the Sweetwater rivers, and across South Pass, Wyo. The many ln- dian difficulties experienced on this route was the inducement to abandon it. The new trail led by way of Jules burg. Col, to Denver, and on over the established wagon road to Fort Lup- ton and north across the Laramie plains, then due west through Bridge water Pass, Wyo-, joining the old trail leading across the country to the Pa ciic coast. The change was made dur ing the summer of 1862. All the rolling stock, horses and other property of the company were gathered at the sta tion just above Devils Gate, in central Wyoming. Company A of the Eleventh Ohio cavalry, with Maj O'Farrell in command, was the detailed escort at the time.
 During the first day the long train 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 se- lected was in a gap in the nlauntains, where there was fine spring and pien- ty of wood for cooking purposes Short ly after going into camp the major dis covered that quite number of bis sol iiers were intoxicated, and he at once sent for Lieut.. W. H. Brown, who was officer of the day, and informed him of he condition of many of the men, and yave it as his opinion that some one vas selling whisky in the camp The command was doing escort duty not )nly for stage, stock and stores, but also or number of emigrants who had walled themselves of the opportunity 'or safe conduct over the plains
 Lieut.. Drown received orders to iearch all wagons, and if he should dis over whisky to destroy it. Taking a corporal and three or four men, he com nenced the search for the contraband 1rticle, and found at least a barrel of whisky in an emigrant wagon. Tine of icer ordered his men to roll the barrel ut of the wagon, knock in the head md empty the contents on the ground. This was done, but it chanced that the pot where the whisky was emptied was ust atase the spring, and the fiery iquid vent pouring down into the wa CT sUpaig Of the camp. The soldiers aw wlat was going on and they rushed T r.-fff, hrxo olr<fe nd canan kettles to save what they ould of .Ie coveted spirits" Many a nan stopped over the spring and drank lmost witbent breathing until he was rtnk. < haif hour later the intoxi- ant was showing it's effect pretty gen. rally around the camp, and soon but ew sober nen could be found. One sol fer who had succeeded in getting a ull canteen from the spring paid his espects to Maj. O'Farrell at the head uarters tent, assuring his command lg officer, with maudlin mein and lany "hic," that that was the finest bring he had ever seen and the very est water he had ever tasted,
 Maj O'Farrell was apprehending an ttack from the Indians that night, and he condition of his men fairly disheart- ned him. He saw at q glance that even
 small baud of savages could make successful raid on his camp; conse- uently the sober and less intoxicated len were kept on the alert that night fortunately no Indians put in an ap- earance, and by morning the de- auched men had slept of their into,d- ltion.
 Thus the gap in the mountains where ne canp was made received the name Whisky Gap. For many years it was ne fayosite camping place for the more -edulous of the old freighters and emi- rants Of the trail days" but the little bring was never fountain of youth" i" ii had been in the old days, when ire water' gushed up out of the rocks quench the thirst of company of nited States Chicago Timez- erald.
 NOTES OF THE MODES.