Cañon City record., 1909-02-18
FRONTIER

siac road had been completed TO Chsy-
aana. The snow was deep on the Lar
annie plains and on Rattlesnake noun
tains. Jonh 9. Collins and Mr.. Forth
ingham were travelling By Gilmsr Z
0alisburys stage via Denver to the
northwest. Farthingham was rather
pondsrous with fresh. tender face.
oliver gray. hair and more suited to
life on the sea than following stage
coach on foot, on snow ten feet deep
ever the mountains.
I'VE rot along fairly well ~ far as
cid Fort Bridger." said Collins in tell
ing Of the trip. TACK Gilmer, one OF
the partners. drove Us from there and
after . supper at ten O'Clock at night
on canned tomatoes and half-cooked
beans. which at that altitude could
scarcely be cooked tender without
the addition Of soda. We went to bed
The biscuits were OF tough dark
dough with . burned crust around
them and a. indigestible as ball OF
mud. They were called dobies.
I'VE went to bed In q station.
cabin built of logs. All the partitions
ware Of common muslin cloth. The
beds had q tick filled with hay. NO
sheets and the covers were the cheap
est cotton comforts. One with It's
velght would not keep . person
warm and two Weighted too much 20
that sleep was out Of the question
We had scarcely got warmed mp In bed
when We were called to start again
and 20 over the snow while the frozen
crust would bear the stage. We pulled
ourselves together and again resumed
our Journey. When We reached the
Spurs of the Wasatch mountains. the
moon was full. the night was almost
a. light - day. the temperature far
below xero. After daylight. when the
sun came up. the top crust OF the snow
began to soften and occasionally
mule would sink a foot In or . wheel
would break through and the driver
told us We must get out and Tighten
ID or We would get stuck in the snow.
He also informed US there was a
swing station dve miles ahead with
stove in the stable where the stock
tender slept and where We would
change horses-a mild invitation to
Get ont and walk. We climbed out and
roing on ahead. left the driver to his
tate. Soon We found It necessary to
blacken our cheeks with charcoal and
wear 4 silk handkerchief over our
faces to prevent snow blindness. Be-
fore reaching the station We sank In
the snow and wailowed through to
the top Of long. steep hill and here
the crust Of the snow was getting
soft and We lay down and rolled over
and over to the bottom like a barrel
"A uuch easier way OF getting down
than trying to walk At the station We
found q mormon with q span Of mules
and q wagon loaded with coops OF
live chickens. We had been there
four days snowbound. 1t was nearly
noon when the stage arrived.
Meanwhile we bought some chick
ems from the mormon, dressed them
and put them into the camp kettle
TO cook. as there was no food at the
station. We ate the chickens about
half cooked. as the stage had to go
on to n home station about sixteen
miles away. About half OF this dis
lance We walked and lifted and tugged
TO help the stage over the bad eros
sings. Ny fellow passenger became
entirely snow blind and was obliged
to get into the stage and remain there.
We spent the second night coming
over the snow crust and reached the
head OF Echo canon. Here we were
transferred to lumber wagon and
shanged drivers. When we arrived at
Salt Lake City. my fellow passengers
face. neck and ears had become one
mass OF blisters from the reflection
OF the sun on the snow and when we
parted at Salt Lake his face resembled
n man In the last stages OF smallpox.
He was not able to- resume his Journey
for four weeks.
after resting a day l took the
all the gullies and arroyas were blown
full OF snow and at the bottom Of them
ran a stream OF melted snow and
slush. The driver had to push on and
paid no more attention 10 those OBJ
stacleS and he would drive the lead
ers into them. At times they were
belly deep In water and slusk and
the snow up to their necks. II the
arroyas were narrow the leaders
would soon founder to the bank. drag