The Delta independent., 1908-01-10
Pioneer Days.
By Geo. o. States.

After we had lived on Surface Greek
over a year, l got letter from a
stranger living near the Maher post
office saying he was the only professor
of religion in that part of the country
and asking if would not come up and
hold some meetings.
l did so, and spent several weeks
holding meetings in the school house
there, when | formed the acquaintance
of all the old timers with whom | have
ever since had many pleasant associa-
tions.
These were the first religious meet
ings ever held there and we had very
pleasant associations with all the peo-
pie. The children and young people
have since grown up out of my recol-
lections and most of them are married
and have families of their own, and
when | meet them, unless they take
pains to make themselves known, | am
like the Levte that Christ speaks of
pass by on the other side.
1t is true that time has made great
changes in the children and young peo-
pie of our county.
The next winter after my meetings
at Maher, l held meetings several
weeks at Crawford. / organized a
small church and after that for num-
ber of years | frequently went up there
to conduct meetings. | shall never
forget the summer of 1888 and 1889
when the water was the highest, that
tenderfoot preacher from Denver
came here to hold some meetings with
me. After holding several in Delta
and on Surface Creek we got old Mr..
Castle to drive over to the North Fork
and we stopped over night with my old
friend, Uncle Enos, and / let him wor-
ry the preacher for two or three hours
that night. The next day we got past
ure for the team and u friend to row
us across the North Fork where my
brother met US and drove on up to the
Crawford country where we remained
several days holding meetings.
A friend then took us down the river
where we found lot of cattlemen, all
anxious to get over, but the skiff was
on the opposite side. After waiting an
hour or more and shouting to get some
one to come down and row US over, |
finally told the boys that if they would
tie some logs together and make raft
that l would take chances of getting
over after the boat. | could see that
vas very agreeable with the boys, bat
my friend, the preacher, labored with
me not to take such a chance as the
water was very high and rushing down
at rapid rate. The boys soon got
good raft made and they labored for
me not to disappoint them as they were
anxious to get across. / was satisfied
that it was not so much the getting
across as it was to see me get good
ducking.
did not tell them that years before
| had had lots of experience riding logs
down Pine River in old Michigan, but
got board and made a good paddle
and then took seat about the middle
Of the raft and in less time than it
taxes 10 IeIl IL was over IHe river
and soon had the skif ready for pass
engers. The boys all declared that l
was frst-class riding bronchos, RATS
and skiffs. | told them yes, | could do
that, if | wasn't very much of preach
er. My friend, the minister from Den
yer, said to me: Brother States, /
expected as much as could be to see
you get good ducking. How did you
dare to attempt such thing?" then
told him of my experience years before.
Little do the ministers of the present
know what we passed through twenty
or more years ago, but such is life in
the far West.