Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
AN UNPLEASANT
 EXPERIENCE BUT
 NOT EXCEPTIONAL
By George o. Ford

Sy ScofSS V. v 0tu
 Although three years under the residence limit for "oldtimers'' in Ari- zona, I cannot but feel myself a ''pio- neer,' as a life period of years in our sister state of California, dating from 1861, where conditions were all most similar. save that the uprising of Indians only during the Modoc war did not compare with the trou- bles endured by those who paved the way in our prosperous state and who, to all intents. looked upon the pres ent thoushtless. ungracious genera tion of today as ''rubes" and has beens." but to whom I raise my hat and gladly shake those old feeble CT years of idleness. are drawn and hardened by long suffering and toll. But, to the story:
 In 1890, when Jerome was on a boom and Prescott was overflowing with all that made a mining town. there WAS, within a few hundred yards of Clark's narrow gauge rail- road, a large boulder literally spat- tered with gold. After the discov- cry and stalking off of claims the news was disseminated and a rush followed. Every available horse, bur TO and every engine on the railroad was brought into service, and then
 'shank's mare" served the remainder Myself and Jean Alison, a well known character, struck out well loaded with the liquid which exhilarates and too frequently intoxicates.
 We had hardly reached the grounds when a binding snowstorm was en- countered which for quick accumu- lation and quicker absorption I never beheld. For two days the whirlwind and cold and sleet continued and we, having no bedding, were up against it' The old section house was five miles distant, but we plowed toward it, the snow increasing in depth to three or four feet. There is no need to detail the trip, but fire water was copiously swallowed to nerve the body.
 There we met a motley crowd. The house was in charge of a widow with several children and was over filled Two horsemen were. among the crowd and not a wisp of straw was on the premises. Darkness set tied down. so building or placing a few boards over the shivering anil mals. we settled for the night around fire hole after dividing all we could scrape together in the shape of food It is useless to expatiate on aching bones and hard floors as when morn ing came we arose to note conditions outside. To say that they were sick ening would not fully express our meaning. and to crown it all up came two famished tramps who had been efn d1rlZnnSG It was sixteen miles to the junction and by trail twelve miles to Jerome, the trail leading through a deep gorge for half the distance.
 In sympathy for the poor beasts and the tramps claiming to know the country, a purse was made up to pay them for taking the starved ami malls to Jerome Still showing, they started out the gang still lowering over the fire and keeping up hilarity by means of drink Three hours la ter yell from the outside was heard and there stood a tramp and horse nearly exhausted They had not
 been half a mile from the house, but they had been moving continuously in that small circle.
 | It devolved upon some ono to take those horses to safety. so Alison and myself struck out for Jemore- The snow was blinding and the wind was | furious and icicles formed on our boards and clothing as they do on the caves of winterbound houses. We | followed the telegraph line closely SC
 as not to get lost and just before dark again we were gladdened by I human companionship.
 ! Following this experience, which you would think would drive a proving coyote from the field. l re-
 mained on the ground and for more than twenty years worked hard pros pecting and developing all kinds of Assures, lodges, indications and ex- pectants, never milling or getting a
 dime in return Such are the eXpen- ences of an old prospector- You are a beast not to treat him humanely.