The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-17
Railway Station 5000 Feet in
the Air Now Deserted.
IT WAS KNOWN AS SHERMAN"
Al Top Of Mountain Over Which Trains Ran.
Now They Use Tunnel Through The
Giant Steep.

| Cheyenne. Wyo, Dec. 17.-s!nce the
| great railroad tnnrci through Mount
| sherman. Nyo has been completed and
| trains now ran under instead OF over the
| giant steep. there has passed forever
what has been for thirty-nve years one of
tho most peculiar railroad stations IN the
| world
Mount sherman station stood on the
very top Of q mountain ao0o feet high
in possibility as dosolate a spot IS human
eye has ever sazed upon. Nowhere is
there ever visible any vegetation beyond
few scrasgy TUFTS Of alkai wire grass.
Even this can hardly exist i'm that re-
gion. whore one may encounter almost
any day in the summer rain, sleet. snow
and hail. With a temperature that often
varies from Is degrees TO 20 and back
again within "A few moments; where the
wind never ceases TO blow from twenty
tive 90 seventy miles an hour. and where
the nerves Of many . tcnderioot have re-
ceived terrible snocks during the passing
OF storms. with the clouds touching the
ground and here and there hurling angry
lightning bolts into the mineral rocks.
Now the man no longer has a Mount
Sherman station. Nothing In the way
o. habitauon remains To denote the past
existence OF man on that dizzy height,
and u is very probable that the weird,
rock-clad spot Will never again be visited.
n, however. in some future age science
or quest Of adventure shall lead some
curious person over the summit he VIII
find standing slhouttcd against the sky
a massive pyramid shaped pile of CHS
eiled granite. G5 feet high and 90 feet at
the base. erected there three years ago
in honor OF the Ames brothers, who made
II possible 10 compleae the Union Paclhc
railroad.
A feeling Of sentimentalism will doubt
less now and IN n creep into the minds
of those who have often passed this mon
ument at the thought that IL now STANDS
50 far out OF the path or commerce, 50
far from the haunts OF man deserted, to!
remain there almosta as long as time SHAH
endure.
Several years ago two tramp telegraph
operators devised scheme Tor making
few dollars without much effort They
erected small shauty at sherman. gath
cred pieces OF rock OF different lorna
tons colored some of them win dyes,
and over others poured melted lead III
spots or pounded small bits of copper
into tho cracks.
These. when finished. were specimens
az gold and silver ores and found
ready market All trains stopped Just
In front of the Shanty, where the two
geuiUses held forth. 10 have the 2ir brakes
tested and the wheels examined PRIOR 10
The descent Of the mountain. L'uring
these stops passt myers were wont 10 run
over 60 the shaniy 10 make purchases OF
m there was ever time when the
wind did not blow a gale at sherman u
was a period previous TO the aoEcnt or
man ~ there. and IL WAS this everlasting
WIND that oddly blew good TO the tramp
shopkeepors.
one morning. when the overland fyer
drew Up at the old red depot an aproned
man stood at the door of the ShantE on
the opposite side OF the track, beating a
gong with vigor which soon attracted
the attention OF the passengers. heads
popped ont OF the windows and in q mo-
mcut usople came tumbling out OF the
cars and made q grand rush for the
su0nosCd lunch counter.
T'he wind was whistliug merry tune
over the summit and iu very foW sec
ouds several hats were rolling among the
rocks and down into the gloom OF me
canvon OF course, the recovery or the
head gear was impossible.
When q lot OF passengers had beel
"unroofed' it was the signal for INC man nan
with the gong 10 disappear. and I'm his
stead came another with q string OF
cheap hats and caps, which were easily
disposed uf 10 the unfortunates az iab-
ulous prices.