The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-07-04
PAT LYNCH, RECLUSE
The Advent of the Iron Horse
Threatens His Habitati0n
in the Cliffs.

NeFHair June st--Ihe running of the
preliminary surveys OF the Denver. North
western & Pacific down the Bear River
canyon has brought into more than usual
notice one Of the strangest characters in
al the west. An old rcCluse named Pat
Lynch. who for more than twenty years
has led the life of a hermit in what is
known To the cowboys as Pats hole. -
near where Bear or Yampa river. emptfes
into Green river.
For thirty miles Bear river runs through
q great gorge cut into the soft sandstone
on either side are towering walls that
rise TO such a height that the river is
completely shut in from the surrounding
country and only in certain places can a
man reach the water on foot From the
mouth of Bear river down Green river
1or distance Of thirty miles there is
Aonly one ranch. about midway of this dis
lance. at what il known as Island park
Below Island park Green river runs
Other great cut through a mountain range.
" 1tn these great gOrges above and be
ioW ana rugged mountains all around
hlm ola Fat Lynch has lived all these
years without a COMPANION Of any. kind
save when some lone cowboy straNcd that
way and night overlook him and he found
himself glad 60 avail himself of the shell
ter the rude log hut afforded
Where the old man came from origin
ally no one seems 10 know. as ne is
averse 10 talking Of his past history Just
why he should wish 10 shut himself in
from the world is a mystery that sug-
EeSts that there Is skeleton in the old
mans closet somewhere. Once a year
he ventures cut for q few OF the neces-
SarIes of life and ammunition for his
truSty rifle. and when he Is seen at these
times u Is onfv FOR Just long enough to
supply his wants. and he is off again for
his lonely hut in the great gorge. where
q lt has been as silent as the grave through
all the Years until one day the advanre
Guard Of the iron horse came down the
CL1yon blazing the trail over which some
das viii no doubt pass the transc0uti-
mental traffic between the Atlantic and
tho Pacific.
Cowboys whose business has taken them
in the vicinity most say the Old man
talks 10 the rocks and trees and com
muueS with the spirit world i'm his inn
aginatiOn He tiIIs a small garden patch
IN the summer months and with this and
the game that comes along ne manages
10 exc out an existence " nen MS an
nual trips are made for what Is absolutely
necessary TO have he always seems TO
have money. Just where he gets IL is
secret OF his own.
The old man seems contented and happy
IN his lonely life and looks with surprise
when an occasional visit is made by some
Of the cowboys to see whether he is still
IN the land Of The living. for should ne
die there alone il might be weeks or
months before his death would be known
That the old hermit chose this only
spot because OF its inaccessibility is with
out question and he little dreamed tia.
some 1ay one of the great highways OF
commerce might pass by his very door
and he knew not that American enter
prise and push were at work on plans 10
pierce this seemingly impossible gorge
with a path Of steel Late developments
seem TO indicate that at no distant dav
the death-like stiffness or the gorge will
be broken forever by the push and hustle
of the business world and the ShriH
whistle of the iron horse viii echo among
The crags OF the big canyon and forever
drown the sound of the spirit voices that
came TO the Old man in the silent dayS
cries. When these DAYS come no doubt
Up old hermit viii quietly steal away
n im the old haunts to wander among the
cliffs until another secluded spot is
reached where he can. far from the
Inadding crowds ignOble strife. Iay down
his old bones until his earthly cares are
all lost IN death.