The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-11-15
MISS0ULA GIRLS
RUN PACK TRAIN
EDITH, MARY AND VIOLA PAS.
LEY Do WORK VERY UN-
USUAL FOR WOMAN
How P1ucky Sister Prevented Ami
mails From Stampeding Over a Pre-
cipice; Packed 100 Tons Material
During Summer.


have found it.
But it remained for three youth
full 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 ''hiIIs'' with them
once, perhaps twice-but there r
few who ever chose the field as a
means of livelihood.
1t remained for the three daugh
tiers of H. c. Paisley of Missoula t.
show the way into this field of worl
for girls and women. They are Edith
aged 20; Mary, II; and Viola, Is.
Vacation time came after the
school term ended last spring, an6
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 a large
development program.
He needed an assistant packer
that gave the girls their chance. They
talked their father into the PROPOSE
ton hat they should join him in the
venture, the three to take the place
of the assistant packer at a salary of
$3.50 a day. This would give each
a 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
owe 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
lakes and back is 20 miles over the
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 were spilled
during midsummer when the horses
damned together and split two sacks.
That's the only mishap.
Among the things they handled
on their trips was iron pipe, IL inches
in diameter and eight and II feet
long-exceedingly cumbersome. Two
immense valves, one weighing 220
pounds and the other $50 pounds,
were taken to the lakes. 1t was the
transportation of this sort of ma
terial on horses backs which was the
most difficult.
Packing in a Stove
1OA AAARSSAOOg AiI@5AbO 1Ocbo1llS g 1
range on a horse and carrying
it over a narrow trail through noun
tain country, and getting it uninjured
to its destination in order that men
working so far from civilization may
eat warm meals? That is what the
girls helped their father do.
The camp where the packers spent
enjoyable summe is near the
head of Spring gulch, a tributary to
Rattlesnake canyon. The camp
consisted of a tent large enough for
is two rooms. The kitchen was I'M
Ter an awning. Close by was a cor
'ol where the horses were loaded and
led. The camp was neat and the sur
.'oundings were devoid of any hint
If slovenliness.
Many thrills came to those plucky
girls who tackled a mans job and got
away with it. No, they were not ne
,essarily enjoyable thrills, though the
like to look back over them and
count them as a part of a delightful
summer.
The Packtrain is Stampeded
Perhaps one of the most danger
Jus of all the thrills occurred during
stampede of the packtrain.
The trail, when it is about two
birds of the way to it's end, leads
lose to the edge of a precipice. On
he other side, the slope to the head
of Grant creek, far below, is
cry steep-enough so that were one
O fall downit would be next to i'm
possible to stop.
1t was at this point, when the train
vas under the direction of Edith
Paisley, the eldest, and Mary, her 16-
-ear-old sister, that the horses be-
anne alarmed for some reason and
tarted their rampage. Mr.. Paisley
vas not along that day, and it was up
o the girls to use their wits.
Edith, who was in the lead, allow
d the three lead horses to take their
wn course, while she did her best to
old the remaining sever 1t was a
job, but she did it and soon
he horses quieted down and the
march was continued. The horses
had broken away soon came
ack to their companions and the
drew into the workmen's
INN with oil poonharc DrpSpnt