Reprint of this story from the December 30, 1904 issue of The Grand Encampment Herald brought to you courtesy of Grandma’s Cabin, Encampment, Wyoming. Preserving History - Serving the Community.
Martin Farrell, agent for the Dixie Clothing Co., was “up against the real thing” from Sunday afternoon until Tuesday night. He left Encampment Sunday noon on horseback, headed for the Carbon Timber Co.’s headquarters east of Hog Park, carrying six suits of clothes to be delivered at the tie camp.
Frank White, the stage driver, who makes regular trips three times a week to and from the tie camp, told Farrell that he could not get over the trail alone and advised him to wait until Monday, when he could follow the stage. Farrell declared that he would be in camp before night and so started out. He reached the half-way house on Green Mountain without difficulty but after he had gone about two miles, farther he became lost in the storm.
Monday night he camped all by his lonesome in one of those monster snow banks up yonder on the Continental Divide, with no one near to disturb his meditations or annoy him in his solitude. The wind was blowing some (if you have ever been up there you will know) and the atmosphere was the limit of the extension, chillfully speaking, and Farrell was handed the icy mitt in earnest. Next morning he managed to wander around some, but darkness came on again and he was forced to spend another night in the snow and cold. About five o’clock Tuesday night he made his way to the tie camp headquarters, and has since been in a critical condition. During the trip, Farrell had nothing to eat and had only two matches in his clothes to encourage a fire, and he lost the six suits of clothes.
Frank White goes to the half-way house in the afternoon and starts from there early the next morning, making the tie camp about noon. He has never failed to get his outfit through, even in the worst weather, but he declares that the trail in mid-winter is no place for a tenderfoot The snow is drifted as deep as twenty feet in places, and in a storm it is difficult even for the old timber to keep the trail.
Real Christmas Weather
The hopes of those who desired a real old-fashioned Christmas at Encampment were quite fully realized, with the exception, perhaps, of good sleighing. It has been three years since the weather at Encampment has exactly harmonized with the average resident’s idea of Christmas weather, but this year there was plenty of snow and plenty of frost in the air.
The snow began to fall Friday and before Saturday night several inches had fallen. Saturday there was a high wind all day but it did not interfere with the attendance at the evening’s entertainment at the church. Sunday dawned with the thermometer below zero, and throughout the day the air was cold indeed. Monday morning the ranchmen were telling about weather as cold as twenty-four below, while in town thermometers registered as low as ten and twelve degrees below. Monday night was another freezer, and Tuesday was about on par with Monday, but on Wednesday Old Sol got tired of Jack Frost’s maneuvers and began to thaw out the air and earth. By Wednesday night the weather had moderated so that water pipes were no longer in danger, and Thursday dawned “brite and fair”. Friday ditto.
There have been a few sleighs out during the week trying to master the situation but right in the city sleighing has been pretty thin. A few miles into the hills there has been enough snow to slide with ease, so much so that the Rambler stage came in on runners all the way. While Encampment is noted for its delightful climate, summer and winter, everyone appreciates a touch of winter if for no other purpose than to remind them of old times back east where the snow comes and stays sometimes a hundred days and where winter is in evidence according to the calendar.
Reader Comments(0)