The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-11-16
MISSOULA GIRLS
RUN PACK TRAIN
EDITH, MARY AND VIOLA PAS
LEY DO WORK VERY UN-
USUAL FOR WOMAN
How Plucky Sister Prevented Ami
mails From Stampeding Over a Pre-
cipice; Packed 100 Tons Material
During Summer.

as mems fIeIQS exclusively.
Some have chosen business
others have sought adventure and
have found it.
But it remained for three youth
fua pretty Missoula girls to do work
which, so far as known, is unique
for women even in a section where
packing is practiced commercially.
There probably are many who
have loaded a string of horses and
set off into the 'hiI1s'' with them
once, perhaps twice-but there are
few who ever chose the field as
means of livelihood.
1t remained for the three daugh-
tiers of H. G. Paisley of Missoula tc
show the way into this field of work
for girls and women. They are Edith,
aged 20; Mary, II; and Viola, Is.
Vacation time came after the
school term ended last spring, and
the girls sought something which
would bring in spending money.
About the first of July their father
took the contract for packing sup
plies overland into the Rattlesnake
lakes basin, where the Missoula Wa
ter company is carrying on large
development program.
He needed an assistant packer
that gave the girls their chance. They
talked their father into the PROPOSE
ton that they should join him in the
venture, the three to take the place
of the assistant packer at salary of
$3.50 a day. This would give each
little more than $40 per week.
Do not let it be understood that
it required the three girls to do the
work of one man, for each one, except
perhaps, the younger, is perfectly
capable of handling the assistant
packers work. There might be some
question concerning the younger,
Viola, who is only Is years old.
First Trip Back in July
The first trip was made on July
IL when the material for establish
ing the camp was hauled over the
mountains. All three girls made that
trip in order to acquaint themselves
with the trail. The country is rough
and the climb to the top of the first
ridge is long-longer in distance
than the descent to the lakes, but not
so difficult.
Thereafter at least one of the girls
accompanied her father and his
string of 10 pack horses on each of
the 100 or more trips that were made |
over the hills and back each day dur
ing the summer and fall. And many |
times the girls made the trip alone. |
The trip from the camp the Pasleys |
established in Spring gulch to the
4 aa1r So, h.
trail-not more than 10 miles as the
crow flies.
During these 100 trips, one ton of
supplies was carried daily-100 tons
during the season-and their record
IS that not one thing was lost. A
small amount of oats we're spilled
Turing midsummer when the horses
TANNED together and split two sacks.
That's the only mishap.
Among the things they handled
IN their trips was iron pipe, IL inches
n diameter and eight and IL feet
ng-exceedingly cumbersome. Two
immense valves, one weighing 220
pounds and the other $50 pounds,
we're taken to the lakes. 1t was the
of this sort of ma
erial on horses backs which was the
most difficult.
Packing in Stove
For instance, imagine loading
arge range on a horse and carrying
! over a narrow trail through noun
ain country, and getting it uninjured
D its destination in order that men
Torking so far from civilization may
at warm meals? That is what the
asley girls helped their father do.
The camp where the packers spent
n enjoyable summer is near the
cad of Spring gulch, tributary to
he Rattlesnake canyon. The camp
onsisted of a tent large enough for
s two rooms. The kitchen was un-
er an awning. Close by was a cor
il where the horses were loaded and
I'd. The camp was neat and the sur
were devoid of any hint
slovenliness.
Many thrills came to those plucky
rls who tackled mans job and got
way with it. No, they were not ne
,ssarily enjoyable thrills, though the
rls like to look back over them and
,unt them as a part of delightful
Immer.
The Packtrain is Stampeded
Perhaps one of the most danger
is of all the thrills occurred during
stampede of the packtrain.
The trail, when it is about two
irds of the way to its end, leads
ose to the edge of precipice. On
e other side, the slope to the head
aters of Grant creek, far below, is
ry steep-enough so that were one
fall downit would be next to i'm
ssible to stop.
1t was at this point, when the train
Is under the direction of Edith
Isley, the eldest, and Mary, her 16-
ar-old sister, that the horses be-
me alarmed for some reason and
arted their rampage. Mr.. Paisley
IS not along that day, and it was up
the girls to use their own wits.
Edith, who was in the lead, allow
the three lead horses to take their
n course, while she did her best to
Id the remaining seven. 1t was a
klish job, but she did it and soon
) horses quoted down and the
rich was continued. The horses
ich had broken away soon came
L