Semi-weekly herald., 1916-02-07
EARLY DAYS BLOCKADE.

The 5now-bound Silvertonians re-
mind US of the winter of the long
blockade. There were quite a num-
Der who put in two months in Du-
rango waiting for the road 10 open,
among the number being W. e. Rid
die the clothing man. Those who
w.Ie caught in silverton at the tim,
were not as bad off as those in Du-
rsngo as after couple of weeks or
Sc they managed to get out by way
Of Red Mountain. The Herald scribe.
as stated yesterday, was Silverton-
ian at that time. After the block
ade had been ON for three weeks or
SO he was one of party Of four,
among the number being George
Bayly, that went out by way of Red
Mountain and ouray. walking from
the town of Red Mountain to Ouray
from which point one of the old time
six horse Concord stages conveyed
passengers to Montrose. Leaving
Ouray in the evening about 7 O'Clock
it was nearly seven-hour ride to
Montrose, owing to the deep mud that
prevailed most of the way. The coach
was loaded and it was dreary ride,
but there is always an end to such
things and it was pleasant relief
to board d. & R. G. narrow gauge
car, arriving in Denver the next even
ing. 1t was our intention of remain
ing in Denver only a week or ten
days, at the time of leaving Silver
ton the outlook for the road being
opened in that time being good, no
one surmising the blockade would last
one-tenth as long as it did. With new
snow falling and the blockade be-
coming more acute, Silverton-Duran-
go people in Denver took advantage
Of the opportunity OF taking an
eastern trip. We remember receiv-
ing telegram in St. Louis the road
would be open in day or two and
we started for home Arriving in
Denver we found the road was again
blocked and another so1ourn was nee
essary in the capital city. With
others we arrived on either the sec
ond or third thru train over Cumbres.
Trains We're then running as far as
Needleton and it was necessary for
passengers to walk from that point to
Silverton. A pack train had broken a
trail and if one had the price he could
ride a burro, but this was left, as a
rule, for the women who were an
xious to get home. The burros were
kept busy packing supplies into Sill
verton where many of the main food
products were very low. In fact,
all fresh and salt meats, butter, lard
cts, were out of the question for
time. Coal was also packed in,
it being almost impossible to get suf-
ficient wood to keep the stoves GO
ling.
Cole Lydon was superintendent of
the Fourth division at the time. AT
ter opening the road over Cumbres he
took charge of the work on the Sill
verton branch which required an
additional thirty days. In the mean
time the pack trains kept making
daily trips and the route being over
the D. & r. G. track the snow be
came so thoroly packed and harden
ed it was with difficulty loosened and
shoveied into cars which were then
backed up to the deep cuts and load
ed and the snow then dumped down
the road ways. The top of the
banks were SO high it was impossible
1t many of the places to throw the
snow Que even with two or three re-
lays of shovelers, and as only a GER
tain number could shovel snow into !.
car it took longer time. but it was
the only thing that could be done.
During the time the blockade was
on Durango merchants run short OF
many necessary articles of food and
some supplies were brought in by way
of Gallup, but at that time the road
was barely passable between Farm
ington and Gallup and teams made
the trip with much difficulty. Both
Aztec and Farmingtor were much
smaller at that time and the stores
there also run short. In those days
the dairy and poultry output was al
most nil and an egg and a pound of
butter were considered the greatest
luxuries.
COUGHS AND COLDS ARE