Nobody Had Driven Up Her Road in Three Years. Then 900 Head Came Over the Ridge Needing Water.

Tolliver, Wyoming Territory, the third dry summer of 1886. Nell Ashby, 31, held the Ladder spring and eleven private miles of road nobody had driven in three years. Then nine hundred head came over her ridge with no water behind them for forty miles. The trail boss, Amos Crowder, priced it out loud: three cents a head for three days. She took the twenty-seven dollars and made all eleven of his men sign it. In October Owen Kittredge swore the Ladder ditch had run dry two seasons. What you'll discover in this story: The 1886 Big Die-Up emptied the valley below. Two seasons of non-use could void a water right. A paper is only as good as its witnesses. One complete story, one real ending. Subscribe for a new western every 48 hours. Tell me in the comments where you are listening from.