Reflections: Soft snow keeps news out of Dillon

Reprint of this story from the April 16, 1904 issue of the Dillon Doublejack brought to you courtesy of Grandma’s Cabin, Encampment, Wyoming. Preserving History - Serving the Community.

BOTTOM IS GONE

The Snow Roads are going out Much Earlier than Usual and Found Many Unprepared

Dillon is temporarily “off the map.” We haven’t had an outside newspaper for a week. The letter mail is carried in on snow shoes but papers are practically out of the question. This issue of the DOUBLEJACK will be carried out by special messengers who will accompany the mail carrier.

The cause of all this is the four or five feet of snow on the roads, that was beaten as it fell by horses and sleds, is now getting so soft that horses sink in it and flounder so that travel with teams is practically impossible. Occasionally for a few hours in the latter part of the night the crust is frozen hard enough to hold up horses which still permits some travel.

The snow was never known to go as early as it is this season. The crest has dropped about two and one half feet this week and what is left is soft and going rapidly. On some south hillsides fallen trees, stones, and stumps that have not been visible for four or five months are now in sight. At the present rate the snow will be so melted in three or four weeks that wagon travel can start. In the meantime we are bottled up for travel except on foot or in a balloon. If the weather should turn cold and the roads freeze up they could be used until warm weather came again.

One of Lock Clendenan’s teams with “Slim” driving reached Dillon Wednesday and got away again after midnight Thursday night.

The coal teams have all stopped. Tom Elwood with the mail stage was stalled between Rambler and Copperton early in the week and finally got the horses back to Rambler and has since taken them out to Encampment to remain until the roads are again passable.

Kelsey has a load off and down the bank at the Doane Hill this side of Rambler. He is out with two sixes. J.W. Seavers will start tomorrow morning for Rambler. He has the best trained snow horses in the country, the old company team, and several men will go with him.

The stage from Encampment is still able to reach Rambler by sled, though with much difficulty. The snow does not melt so fast on the eastern slope as it does on this.

Mrs. Mignault has Hotel

Mrs. Mignault who has been running the boarding house in Carbondale has taken charge of the Dillon hotel. She has been engaged all week with several assistants in giving the house a complete renovating. She is preparing to open the hotel to the public tomorrow (Sunday) noon.

Mrs. Mignault has been in this vicinity for several years and for a time had charge of the boarding house at Rudefeha. She is therefore well known, is an excellent cook and a first-class manager for a hotel. She will be assisted by her daughter, Mrs. McNulty, and they will employ such help as will be required to run the hotel in a first class manner.

The town is filling up with strangers and the hotel will be filled up from the start. The business for the future promises to be very large and there is no doubt but Mrs. Mignault’s management of the hotel will be very satisfactory and attract a large patronage.

Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Morgan

County Commissioner W.T. Morgan came in Tuesday from Rawlins by way of Encampment and was met here by Mrs. Morgan coming up from Snake River. They stayed over a couple of days and left Friday morning with Clendenan’s team. Mrs. Morgan and her two daughters will be up with about forty milk cows as soon as the snow is gone and will supply Dillon people with milk again this season. Mr. Morgan intends to commence the erection of a house here shortly.

 

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