The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1865-11-19
lailp mouutalneu,

GOLD CREEK, MONTANA IERrIToRf.-Uolu1
Greek, or American Fork, is the name OF a
tributary of Hellgate River, which comes
into that stream from the west side, about
twelve miles below the Little Blackfoot.
The creek carries few hundred inches OF
water, and after falling very rapidly from a
cluster of remarkably broken, bare, granite
peaks, debouches through high, gravelly |
bottom of half mile in width, into the
main Hellgate River. Gold was discovered
on this creek, on the fats and gravel points,
in 1861, and has been worked ever since I o
a considerable profit. Some pretty rich
gulches were found upon the tributary
creeks, and some dozens of men are still at
work in them. At the mouth of the creek,
settlement of twenty substantial Lighthouses
was built in 1862, and q portion of the
houses are now occupied, and a part of them
were burnt down last year Esur years ago
the Blackfoot Indians infested the adjacent
country, and one fortified corral bears marks
of where these predatory savages tried to cut
away the gate frames, to steal band OF
horses which was enclosed in it at night.
The gate was built with an iron frame, con-
ceale1 between two layers of boards, and
the Indians patiently cut into the wood until
their knives met the iron, when they de-
sisted This corral witnessed one of those
cases of swift, retributive vengeance which
80 frequently overtakes criminals in the
mountains of Montana. The circumstances
are these: Two men called at the camp of q
man named Bull, who was camped on Elk
City prairie, in the Nez Perces mines, in the
Fall of 1862, and asked to stay all night.
Bull kindly entertained them, and they, with
detestable ingratitude, got up in the night
and stole five horses and mules from him.
Bull, nothing discouraged by the fact that
he was sick at the time with ague and fever
started with friend in pursuit. Crossing
the Bitter Root Mountains, one hundred and
sixty miles to Fort Owen, he followed then
down the Bitter Root River, thirty miles tc
Hellgate, and seventy-Gve miles up the He'll
gate River to Gold Greek. Twenty days haC
elapsed and the thieves felt safe from pur
suit When Bull arrived in the camp, h
called upon o trader, to whom he had letter
explaining his errand, and from him Learned
that the men were at that time in neigh
boring drinking-house. Hastily loading
double -barreled shotgun, Bull, accompanie
by the friend who had attended him fror
Elk City. went over to the drinking house
This establishment was low, hewn-lo
cabin, with a thatched roof, and here wer
the long sought Williams who had set hir
.a-foot One of them saw Bull, as he cam
up, and Immediately jumped upon hors'
which was hitched to the corral, and 1et
The other. whose name was Bill Arnett, We
dealing a game of monte. AS Bull entere
the door, Arnett recognized him. Springin
to his feet, with his cards in one hand, wi,
the other hand he reached for his pisto
But Bull was too quick for him and brougl
him to the ground dead, with two charges
buck-shot and slugs. The other man WI
pursued about ten miles down the river
caught-brought back, and hung on ga
lows hastily improvlsed by two logs la
over the top of the corral, with cross pie
tied on it. Both were buried in q clump
bushes near by, which grew around a sta
nant water hole, and Arnett was laid in t
grave with the monte cards still grasped
his hand The verdict of the miners WI
'Served 'em right"
"THE BoYs."-We have daily proofs Il