Thus supplied we were soon speeding to our destinations. On the way it was discovered that one of the bridges to be guarded was beyond the state line, therefore no detail was posted there, as it is against the law to take the militia outside of the state for active duty. As we arrived at each post, Major Burdick and a few of his officers left the train to see what arrangements could be made for boarding the men; the desire being, if possible, to do away with the necessity of having the men do their own cooking. Their efforts were crowned with success at Prosser Creek, Boca, and Cuba, but the last station, No. 24, a bridge about three miles from the state line, was too isolated for any arrangement of the kind. The men at this post, therefore, had to do their own cooking. At the first station, Prosser Creek, a detail consisting of a corporal and three privates of Company A, were posted. They slept in the bridge-tender’s house, and had their meals at an eating-house about half a mile up the cañon. The rose-colored reports brought back by these men about the goodly table set at this place made every man anxious to go there. It was the duty of the guard to watch the bridge vigilantly night and day, and allow no one to loiter on it, or in its vicinity; to challenge all persons approaching the bridge after dark, escort them across, and make sure that they continued on their way. Private Sullivan of ours, a few nights later, had the pleasure of doing the honors for a “Wandering Willie,” bent on crossing the bridge. This character informed Mr. Sullivan that if he had known he was to receive such distinguished consideration at the hands of so courtly a gentleman (Mr. Sullivan was at one time the Ward McAllister of Los Angeles society), he would have had a magnificent load aboard, many opportunities having presented themselves to him during that day for absorbing liquids that not only stimulate but intoxicate. The dread, however, of crossing the bridge in an inebriated condition had prevented him from embracing them. And as “Willie” shambled off, he heaved a heart-breaking sigh for the delights that might have been, resolving in his mind that should the tide of affairs ever be so favorable to him again he would take advantage of them, despite the dangers of a bridge or flood.
Prosser creek bridge is located almost nine miles east of Truckee. The Union Ice Co. has made this one of its largest supply stations. The company has built a dam across the cañon, imprisoning the waters of Prosser creek so successfully that the average crop of ice each season is sixty thousand tons. This immense crop necessitates the employment of a large force of men. Substantial quarters have been built on the lake shore for their accommodation. It was at this place the guard did its most effective work, punishing good food three times a day.
Boca was the next post. Here Major Burdick made arrangements with the Boca Hotel to provide the men with food. They bivouacked in a box-car. The duties and instructions were the same as those in force at Prosser Creek. Corporal J. N. Wilson, privates Frech, Fetz, and Gehret of our company were dropped off here. From this place, also, the men returned with expanded girths, in evidence of their sumptuous fare.
The next post proved to be a place called Cuba, distant about fifteen miles west of the Nevada state line. The detail posted here were men from our company, and consisted of Sergeant Walter Kelly, privates Adams, Bowne, Bannan, Baumgartner, Beseman and Claussenius. The property at Cuba to be guarded consisted of two trestle-bridges, one of them of considerable length and covered, a culvert, switches, and an ice-house. The men were quite comfortably situated. The superintendent of the National Ice Company placed a small store-house near the track at their disposal, and furnished them with large, thick, strong mattresses. They had their meals at the superintendent’s house; but after the second day he refused to feed the men any longer, giving as his reason that he feared the strikers would wreak vengeance on him for harboring them, by destroying the property under his charge when the troops were removed. It is believed, however, that the appetites of the men had more to do with his change of heart than any fear of the strikers. He had not calculated to satisfy the cravings of men who had for two weeks been living on bacon, ham, canned corn-beef, and leather steaks, and whose appetites were sharpened by the bracing air of the mountains.
THE COVERED BRIDGE AT CUBA.
Negotiations were then opened with the superintendent of the People’s Ice Co., and very satisfactory arrangements made for boarding the men.
The guard duty here was not arduous. The day watches were of one hour each, and only one sentinel was necessary. The night watches were two hours in duration, and during that period two sentinels were constantly on guard, one being posted at the west end of the long bridge, and the other patrolling the balance of the line, alternating hourly with his comrade.
During that night two men presented themselves, claiming to be section-hands sent there for the purpose of guarding the bridges. The sergeant informed them that he and his men were there for that purpose, and did not need their assistance. It was with difficulty that the sergeant restrained the belligerent Bowne and Adams from falling on these men and doing them great bodily harm. With a baleful gleam in his bloodshot eye Bowne watched them until they disappeared in the darkness to return no more.
The antiquated bridge-tender indulged in a fairy tale at the expense of our “boys.” He told them that two wildcats came down to the clearing on the mountain side every morning at 6 o’clock to bask in the sunlight. The “boys” bit with avidity, and the bridge-tender had the pleasure of seeing them take positions commanding a view of the spot, and with loaded rifles watch and wait for the cats that never came.