Ski Patrollers of the Yellowstone
UPHILL WORK.
. ' , W .- '2
SOFT QOINQ IN DEEP SNOW.
(CoyrlKlit, 1902, by A. E. Bradley.)
IROWDED on a llttlo plateau of
tufa, surrounded by mountains on
nil sides, Is tho army post of
Fort Yellowstone, In Yellowstone
National nark. Ita altitude Is
C.300 feet and that of most of tho park Is
from 7,000 to 8,000 feet.
Tho garrison consists of two troops of
cavolry, and Its duty Is to patrol and pro
tect from marauders tho park and tho ad
joining timber reserves, In all a vast area
of more than 5,000 square miles, tho great
est gaino pre3ervo in tho world.
In this region are found elk, deer, an
telope, mountain sheep, a few buffalo,
moose, beaver, mountain Hon, wolverine,
hear, fox, mink, ottor, wolf, etc., and to
obtain tho valuable furs of some of these
animals, to secure the heads of others
which as gamo trophies have become raro
and valuable, and to procuro tho flesh of
still others for market purposes, many un
principled men deliberately vlolato tho
law.
During tho summer season tho work of
tho soldier can bo readily accomplished
mounted, patrolling tho main roads and
trails, but during tho winter season tho
depth of tho snow makes travel of tho ordi
nary kind Impossible
It Is In tho winter that lawlessness can
best bo conducted, and it Is during this
tlmo that tho greatest vigilance must bo
exorcised by tho troops. Tho localities
whero gnmo Is known to range, and which
poachors frequent, must bo often Inspocted.
Tho snowshou or tho ski Ib the only means
by which this can bo accomplished from
November until May. So when tho early
snow3 havo deeply covered tho ground tho
summer mount Is abandoned to tho stablo
and tho hardy trooper takes to tho ski as
his winter steed.
Picture a toboggan-llko arrangement
from nine to twelvo feet long, four IncheB
wide, with Its sides parallel from tho up
curved too, and about nn Inch In thick
ness In tho center, thinning toward either
end, and you havo a ski. Tho toggle to
hold tho foot consists of straps and rings,
which aro fastened Just a llttlo forward
of tho center of tho ski, and secures tho
foot by tho too only, permitting tho raising
of tbo heel. Tho park soldier always
carries a polo or staff about six feet long,
which he uses as a balancing stick, and as
an aid to progress in coasting; when the
speed Is too great ho rides this staff "stick
horso" fashion ob a brako to retard speed.
In using the ski a peculiar strldo is
necessary; ono foot Is thrust ahead so as
to acqulro a gliding motion, and while thus
sliding tho other foot repeats the move
ment, then tho first again, and so on. The
skis nro not lifted, but lire pushed for
ward by peculiar movements or thrusts of
tho (high, tho weight of the body being
thrown forward to, aid Impetus. On level
ground good speed can be attained, In
going down a declivity onu literally Hies,
but to go up is a different proposition. If
not too stoop, one can go directly up, lift
ing tho skis slightly, so that tho snow
which may adhero will overcome tho tend
ency to slip backwnrd, or, If steep, tho
summit may bo reached by zigzagging back
and forth, or by sidestepping, known locally
ns the "corduroy" method. Thcro Is also
tho feather stitch step, which Is, however,
but llttlo used, so called liccauso tho
tracks left resemble tho seamstress' stitch
of that name; tho skis aro turned out at a
wide anglo and advanced alternately ono
In front of tho other directly up tho In
cline. In turning about a beginner makes awk
ward progress, for ho must take short
steps, first with ono ski, then tho other, in
tho desired direction, but tho expert lifts
ono foot forward high from tho ground, bo
that tho heel can bo brought to tho front,
and with a swing and a turn of tho foot
causes tho too of this ski to point back
ward, bringing tho foot to tho ground, tho
skis parallel, but tho toes pointing In op
posite direction. Tho other ski Is then
simply carried around tho first until tho
toes point tho samo way, and tho about
faco Is completed. It looks easy, but
many a hard fall has to bo acecpted In
mastering this feat.
In many parts of this country and morn
particularly In northern Europe the ski Is
used for sport for trials of speed and en
duranco, but Its uso In tbo nthlotlc sense
Is not known In tho park. It Is confined
to tho hard work of duty and patrol. Ski
ing Is most fatiguing nnd tho progress made
depends on conditions of snow and wcathor.
In fair weathor and on good, bard snow,
many miles can bo mado with less fatigue
than can ono when tho snow is poor, and
tho mombers of tho party aro obliged to
take turn about In going first to break trail,
Tho Itinerary In tho pork Is so planned
that not moro than twenty miles of skiing
is contemplated as a day's journoy.
Scattered In tho park aro eight winter
stations for tho soldiers, each garrisoned
usually by ono uon-commlssloncd officer
and three privates. These stations are
coiufurtnblu cabins, built of logs and
chinked with mud or plaster; tho men nro
furnished tho ordinary equipment of thn
soldier, the rntlons and such additions to
It as tho state of the troop fund will per
mit. All supplies for eight months are put
In early In autumn by wagon transporta
tion. Each station has nsslgned to It n certain
district, which the men must keep patrolled,
watching carefully for any evidence of
poaching, and In general noting anything
of Interest as to tho game, Its condition,
etc. Tho non-commlssloned cfllccr In
charge makes monthly reports to the park
superintendent, who Is also tho post com
mander, ns to tho work done, tho trips
made, nnd all matters of Intel est; If any
thing unusual transpires ho mnkes special
reports without delay.
At lntervnls llttlo huts have been con
structed about ono day's Journey apart,
which have been designated snowshoe
cabins; these aro stocked in tho fall with
n small amount of food, some bedding, fuel,
cooking utensils, an axo and a shovel.
These huts Increase, tho efficient radius
of tho winter stations, for without them
no trip could bo mado which would eon
sumo moro than ono dny out on skis, for
It Is Impracticable for ono to enrry suffi
cient bedding and supplies cn skis to make
camp In the open.
Each of these huts Is a weleomo haven to
n soldier weary and worn after a day's
skiing; a roaring II ro can soon bo built In
the rudo fireplace, and, supplementing the
contents of his haversack with tho bacon
and hardtack stored In tho hut, tho tired
trooper can pnss In compnratlvo comfort a
night which would bo unendurable in open
camp.
Fcr tho soldier an skis, special clothing
Is supplied. On tho feet they wear eoft
woolen socks, then German or Arctic socks
nnd over these a lumberman's rubber shoo;
their underwear Is good, Boft, warm, woolen
material; their coats arc loose fitting, short,
"Mackinaw" garments. They wear tho blue
army Hhtrt nnd trousers nnd Scotch caps
with earpieces, though somo men prefer the
regulation fur cap. Fur is unsuitable for
nil wear except gloves, for tho violent
exercise of skiing causes profuse perspira
tion nnd fur garments do not permit Its
evaporation and escape.
Formerly the ordinary uniform was used
for this duty, but frequent frost bites and
occasional loss of life caused warmer,
special clothing to be ndoptcd. Tho winters
arc bitterly cold, storms aro frequent and
the duty hard; overy precaution and enro
must bo taken to nvold casualties.
Some years ago a soldier started out for
tho mall from Riverside station, near tho
western 'boundary, to go to Fountntn stn
Hon in Lower Geyser basin. Ho was alone,
but ho wns a good traveler and no fears
wore entertained ns to his ability to make
tho Journey. A storm aroso shortly after
ho stnrted and It Is presumed that ho lost
his way, for, on making a search aftor tho
storm had subsided, ho not having reported
to cither station, ho could not bo found.
Not until two years later wore his remains
accidentally discovered somo dlstanco up
tho Gibbon river, when his route should
havo boon up tho Flreholo. Ho evidently
became confused in tho storm at their June
tlon and followed up tho wrong stream.
In tho winter of 189G-97 another soldlor
lost his llfo through dlsobedlenco of orders.
Owing to tho hardships of winter travel
and tho liability to accidents orders woro
given after tho accident above mentioned
that no man should under nny circum
stances travel alono.
Two woro skiing from tho Lako station
A HALT I1EFOHE THE DESCENT.
to the Thumb; tho snow was bad, the travel
difficult ami a few miles out ono man found
that he was becoming exhausted nnd In
sisted on returning, requesting his com
rade to accompany him. Returning was
tho shorter dlstanco to shelter anil (he trail
was easier, being broken by their coming.
Tho man who wns not fatigued lefuseil and
pushed ahead; tho other returned, reported
nt the Inkc station what had occurred and
a search party set out the following morn
ing. The night had been severo and only
a mllo or so beyond the point whcio tho
men had separated was found frozen dead
tho man who had pushed on. Ho had
sought shelter under a culvert, whero ho
bad lain down nnd gone to sleep. Although
ho was in n country where dry timber
abounds nnd he had matches there wns no
evidence that he had undertaken to build n
fire.
Rut It Is not cnly In tho cold that danger
lays for those men. Should they In their
patrols come upon poachers they know that
they have, to deal with defperute men, who
hcsltato at nothing. On one occasion tho
park superintendent learned what led him
to bclluvo that poachers wero after tho buf
falo In tbo Pelican valley country, east of
Yellowstone river. lie caused to ho sent
out n civilian scout, llurgcss, and onu sol
dier, Private Trolkc, from tho Iiko hotel.
They soon found tho poacher's enmp, with a
number of buffalo heads hung up In n
nearby tree. They followed up his trail for
some dlstanco and then heard somo rlllo
Bhots. They soon discovered Howell, tho
poacher, skinning tho head of ono of the
buffalo that had Just been killed. He was
armed with a rlllo, tho others only with
revolvers. It was n dangerous bit of work
to get over that stretch of open ground juul
cover Howell with his revolver, but llurgcss
did It. Tho wind favored him and Howell
know nothing of his approach until ho wan
called upon to surrender under n cocked
pistol only fifteen feet distant. Even
Howell's dog did not detect tho approaching
danger to his master.
Howell remarked that he would not havo
been captured had ho had a llttlo warning
of tho approach of llurgcss and Trolko, ami
those knowing him do not hesitate to as
sert that ho would havo killed them both
(Continued on Sixth Page.)
9
CAPTAIN GEOUOE J. CRAN'15.
Captain George J. Crane, tho subject of
this Bkotch, was born In New York, and in
enrly childhood became n clHzon of Wis
consin. When tho war broku out ho en
tered tho Third cavalry and served through
tho war. For meritorious servlco and
bravery on tho Held of battle ho wao
promoted to the captaincy of his company
and had tho honor of bringing home his
command. Ho bears honorable scars as
evidence of tils participation in many u
fierce battle.
After tho war ho moved nnd became ono
of tho early pioneers of Minnesota. Cap
tain Crane prospered greatly and bccnino
ono of tho most successful business men,
owning nt ono tlmo onu of tho largest
wheat farms In tho state, flouring mills,
storo nnd bank.
In 1883 business reverses overtook him
and ho entered tho llfo Insurance field. As
a promotor nnd builder of companies Mr.
Crano has been exceptionally successful
and sovcral well established companies owe
their present existence- to his writing nnd
able efforts.
As an underwriter bo Is unexcelled In
tho west and his services aro eagerly
sought by tho host companies. In ono year
ho wrote personally over $3,000,000 of ln
suranco and with tho assistance of his
agency forco placed ovor $25,000,000 of In
surance In three and one-half (3) years.
Mr. Crane Is now superintendent for tho
western department for tho State Llfo of
Indiana, having offices in tho First National
bank building, Omaha, Nob., and undoubt
edly will havo It In tho first rank of Old
Lino companies In respect to now business
written this yenr.
Captain Crano is a heavy taxpayer and
stands high in all commercial circles; so
cially, ho Is noted as Jolly, generous and
ono of tho most companlounblo of men,
making friends of all ho meets.
Ho belongs to tho Masons, Odd Fellows,
Knights of Pythlns, Elks and Eagles. Ah
Mr. Crnno lias written business from Maine
to California, thoro Is no man moro favor
ably known over such a wldo territory than
ho.
