The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-21
THE TRIBUNE MORNING, MARCH 21 1911
Heroism Needed
to Sell Threshers
In Glorious West
Little Things Like Swollen
Streams Do Not Dallnt
Hustling Sales Agent.

There have been countless stories told
oi the methods used by commercial rraV-
elcrs TO get business. but FOR strenuous
work and persistency. first honor Is be-
licvcd TO belong To Il. II. Roberts, All
agent for an implement company whose
home is al Grantsvllc. Nh Roberts Sc
cured an order for thrcshing machine
on March II In a way that IS believed 10
be unequalcd in the history of the com
mercial traveller in this or any other
country.
the grip Mr.. Roberts left this city about
a month ago. his objective point being
southeastern Nevada. lie mad been over
the country before and had talked with
some of the people, with the result thai
lie had high hopes OF selling one or more
OF the thrcshcrs. II was but q few days
after hc left that the first real trouble
began. The hood waters OF the Meadow
Valley wash were on n rampage ROD
crts and the other man had 10 cross the
wash and lis torrents OF water in order
to reach the point for which they were
headed. They crossed In n wagon, WIN
three Indians on horseback following on
the lower side, The Indians taking tnat
side To protect their ponies from IN"
swift waters. When abOu, "alt wa
across the pony ridden BY one of the
Indians stepped into mole af6 went
out Of sight, a moment later horse and
rider came 10 the surface. Win the IT.
dian hanging close 10 the neck OF the
horse. Again they went under and when
they came TO the surface again lUrsc and
rider were separated.
The Indian finally reached The side
Of the stream which he had left a few
minutes before the horse reached shore
on the other side. nearly tivc-eighths of
a mile below the point where they ha1
entered the stream. Mr.. Roberts ana
his party. including a woman, arrived al
the opposite shore In safety, but not an
I'll they had come near to being over
turned In the mad waters halt dozen
times.
It was on March II that Mn Roberts
showed that when he went after IN order
he was going 10 get IL or know the red
son why. There were some at Bunker
Vile, New. to whom he had a pretty
good idea he could sell a threshers When
he arrived at Mesquite he found that tho
Virgin river was impossible. No amount
OF money would induce anyone to 'lEc
him cross the river. which he must dc
II he would get To Bunkervie. The tele-
phone was rcsortcd 10. He got into com
munication with the persons he wanted
told OF the merits OF the machine which
he had To sell and finally reached ar
agreement whereby they would meet him
later in the day at a certain point OF
the Virgin river.
The agreement was kept by all par
tics. When MIR. Roberts reached the
point Of conference he was separated by
nearly seventy yards of rushing watel
from the men with whom he had TO dt
business. There were noteS 20 sign, as
well a. the contract Roberts was cqud
TO the occasion. Stripping so his under
clothing. placing the notes and contracts
In sealed tin can tied with a strul
around his neck. he swan the stream. ar
rving on the opposite side AT poin
more than fifty yards down the stream
from the place NJ which he started. H'
was met by friends and assisted TO th'
bank
The party went at once into confer
ence at point where fire had beer
built. One OF the party on the west hInl
put heavy overcoat around Robert;
while the business in hand was bcin:
transacted. With the contract and note!
signed placed in The can and again ticc
about his neck. Roberts once more swan
the stream and arrived safely al the Sid
which he had left n half hour before.