The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-02-25
they could find their way with

people from the AtIantlc to the
Pacific and from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Puget Sound.
This was on January 9TH, 1902.
They had two horses when TAX
ing their departure, also plenty
of provisions, clothing, blankets,
and in fact everything necessary
to make the trip. They proceed
ed as far as the summit of Nor
gan creek on horseback. Here
they encountered some heavy
snow for a short distance, and
one of their horses got off the
road and broke its leg, which
they had to kill. Mr.. Roberts,
being the most rugged and the
younger of the two gentlemen,
started on snowshoes from this
point and Mr.. Tautphaus return
ed to Mr.. Stephens ranch and
took the stage for Salmon, going
to Thunder mountain on snow
shoes by that route.
They both arrived at Thunder
mountain with little difficulty and
experienced no hardships to
speak of, besides made the trip
in good time. After remaining
at the new Eldorado for a few
days to rest before starting on
their return. they took personal
observations of the mines and
the possible mining resources of
the new camp, and they say that
this is the greatest and richest
mining camp that they ever saw,
and both agree, however, it is
too early to go in, for there is
still four feet of snow at the
mines. There are about $50
people at the camp, and every
day few were arriving on snow
shoes from the thousand and one
trails leading to the new camp.
After a good rest Messrs. Rob
erts and Tautphaus took their
departure for their return to
Challis. They travelled together
as far as Loon creek. At this
place they took different trails
Mr.. Roberts the Singiser route,
and Mr.. Tautphaus the Challis
creek route, and they expected
to meet at Dewitt & Altham's
ranch. Mr.. Roberts arrived at
their proposed meeting place on
time; waited a day for his part
ner, but he came not, and Mr..
Roberts came to Challis on Sun
day morning, the 18th, hoping
to meet his companion here. bat
was sadly disappointed on not
finding him, so on the next morn,
ing Mr.. Roberts started back to
find Mr.. Tautphaus, but in the
meantime Mr.. Tautphaus was
brought to Challis more dead
than alive.
To relate the experience of
Mr.. Tautphaus in detail would
require many columns. He says
he does not care to go through
another such ordeal, and today
when relating his terrible trials
and hardships that he went
through from hunger and ex-
haustion makes one wonder that
his life had been spared to tell
his dreadful experience in the
dreary mountains. He was alone
and no other recourse to depend
upon but to struggle for life.
In the first place, Mr.. Taut-
phaus is a man of over fifty
years of age, and of not overly
strong constitution. After he
and Mr.. Roberts separated, Mr..
Tautphaus had rations for only
three days, being confident that
he could make the trip in that
time, so he was not at all saving
of his rations, but it took him nine
days before he reached Patrick
Sections ranch on Challis creek,
consequently was six days and
nights without morsel of food.
and the only water he had to
quench his thirst was obtained
from eating snow. 1t can be
imagined from. this how near he
was at deaths door. Another
day it would ended his earthly
career, for on the sixth day with
out food he had become so weak
and exhausted that he made no
headway, but when attempting to
walk he would reel, fall exhaust
ed to the ground.
When Mr.. Tautphaus separat-
ed with Mr., Roberts, besides his
three days provisions, he had
no blankets, but did have light
overcoat, which he used for a
, bed and to shelter him from the
cold at night. He had with him
matches and small axe, and in
this way managed to fell dry
trees and build a warm fire at
night. Long at last he would
sit uD at night around the glow