Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-01-30
GOLD IN THE YELLOWSTONE
COUNTRY.

In 1S42, myself and brother, John Rca.
owned the Elackw.tcr Mills in Cooper coun-
~, Missouri. An old trapper made it prac-
| ticc Of coming TO our mills. and. being dis
slpared man. while under the ,nfl .,ence of IL
qia0r. would tell Us wonderful stories Of hav.
ing discovered very rich gold diggings on
the upper waters Of the Yellowstone river.
While trapping for General Ashley, lie said,
he made the discoveries. In the year 1873 he
accompanied Ashley and Subjects fleet Of
trapping boats up the Missouri river to the
mouth Of tho Yellowstone. The aforesaid
trapper was Owen Bubble, well and famil-
iarly known to many people now OF Misosu-
RI, especially by the earlier trappe's and asl-
venturcrs. Ruble said that himself and six
others visited the Yellowstone country on a
trapping expedition; when, after reaching
the Yellowstone country, the indians came
upon them and killed oil the company but
himself; he only escaping by a trapper's in
genutty IN dodgtng and hiding from the pur-
suing savages. He was pursued for three
days by the blood-th!rsty warriors. After
his escape. he took due south course, and
on the second day Of his hasty retreat, bein.
weary and thirsty, he stopped at a small
stream to refresh himself; and while drinking
at this stream he discovered the bottom to
he almost literally covered With nuggets OF
gold; and not having time to gather any con-
siderable amount he only gathered up a hand.
ful or two Of nuggets. and put them in his
shot-pouch. He then continued his course
on south, towards the North Platte river.
He here found some French trappers, and
continued with them all that winter until
early spring, when he returned to Missouri.
He declared that there was plenty # gold in
that wonderful country. but we always re-
gardesi him rs crazy on the subject. and at
tached no importance to his, as We thought,
trapper's yarns.
In 1854. in company with many others, i.
driven from our homes to seek our fortunes
in the far Northwest, lett Missouri for
Alder gulcf. and coming the North Platte
rsnte, little incident, which need not de-
tail, brought inc to the cabin of IN old French
trapper, living far up on the North Platte
river, who cOrrOborated much of old Bubble
report Of gold in the Yellowstone country.
He went on to say. in conversation with him
in reference to this country. that if he could
find an old trapper who came to his camp
some twenty-three years ago, he cotild find
all the gold ie war ted. 1 asked i'm where
it was. lie stated that he did not know the
precise locality, but that it was somew here
on The head waters of the Yellowstone river.
l asked him who this old trapper was; he
said bis name was Owen Ruble. then told
him what knew about Ruble, and of his
tragic death. He then gave an account OF
the gold Rub!e exhibited to the band of trap
pers then together. He stated that few
days after Ruble came to his camp they all
started on buffalo hunt, and as was their
custom, before setting out, every man was
blanket, and divide them equally among
them. He says that when Rul>le poured on.
his bullets from his shot pouch there was
more gold than bullets. in nuggets of differ
ent sizes. . asked Ruble where he got this |
guid, ana he replied: II found II while rum
ming from the Indians on the Yellowstone
| a. ked him II lie had any idea where the
place was where he found that gold! Ruble
replied that it was due north from that place,
as lie travelled due SOUTH"
This is plain statement of facts as they
came fo me. have no doubt that there are |
rich paying gold fields in that country.
hope the expedition fitting out may be sue
ces!nl in finding diggings richer far than any
ever heretofore discovered in Montana.
WILLIAM REA.
GArLATIN CRY, January Is, 1874.