Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-19
DANDY FERGUSON.
THE HERO OF THE cHApARA1 SHAFT

more pitiably deformed creature, or Quilp
more hideously unnatural looking OBJ
Ject than was Dandy Ferguson when l
saw him for the first time, that calm
summer afternoon, laughing and joking
with crowd of boon companions in the
cool shade OF an awning at Quartz Noun
tam. His face was seemed and distorted
Dy peculiarly glossy scars-the ineradi-
cable evidence of close and long ccntac:
with that shriveling element, fire. His
body was bent, and he walked with a
siding movement. He was sickening
spectacle at first sight, suggesting fearful
suffering In the past, and my curiosity in
regard to him was thoroughly aroused,
"WhC is that msn2" asked, &C costing
tall, blue-shirted minsr who was stand
ing in front of the post-office.
"DoEt you know him9" answered the
man; "why, that's Dandy Ferguson.
thought everybody knew Dandy Fergu-
son."
"'Why do you call him Dandy Fe-
guson2"
"Because-well, because he used to be
dandy-a regular out-an' out sport
When Dandy Ferguson first came to this
camp he was gilt-edged gentleman, an
no mistake. He wore plug, an flashed
spark in his billed shirt front as big as
a peanut. He put On more airs'n mine
superintendent, an most ell the boys
was down on him from the start. That
was about three years ago, an he came
up here from the Bay to git Whit o.
fresh air. an make nature an the pines
give him back what he'd lost sprcein'
round with them stock sharps and young
bloods O. Frisco. No, he don't look like
he was more'n halt human, that's fact;
but I'd rather have them scars O his then
wear the clothes Of the richest man in
Californy--that is eff I'd gone through
what he has an suffered what be did
Proud of EN-! Mister, thar anita man III
this yer country-no, sir, nor in this yer
State-as is prouder'n Dandy Ferguson
OF what other men might grieve over an
sigh about, an no mans got a better
right to be proud, either. When he fust
came to Quartz Mountain he used 20 par
ade the streets with his nose cooked up
so; he'dhydraulic himself with patchoulv
an smell water till you couldn't git with
In mile of him.
He was delieate-looking cuss, an his
hands were as soft as a BARRIERS. The
boys used to bet that if big Bridget Sui
llvan-our waSherwOmrn-was to take 1t
into her head to jump him, she'd knock
spots out O him IN short order That was
our opinion OF him when he played MS
small cards in this yer camp-b but he
showed down both bowers and the ace be.
fore he qui. the game, you bet yer life.
Dye see that quartz mill over thar Oh the
SIDE hill? Thet's the Chaparal Mine, We
know, an it's thar tibet Dandy Fereurson
showed US what sand was. One night,
about month after Ferguson got here,
somebody out there yelled Fret an the
camp turned out. The h'istin' works was
In light blaze, an the flames shootin'
high up ii the dark. We all rushed to
the spot like a pack O. mad animals-you
know how a fire stirs men up an excites
'em. Of course, nobody knowed what to
do, an for minute we all stood round
lookin' at the fire creepin' long the caves,
an the burning shingles droppin' down
the ahatt. Purity soon some one says
WHAT kinder sharp an fierce like
Then there was little movement in the
crowd, an man with face as pale as
death sprang away from the mouth of the
shaft yellin' frantic: Water! Water For
love O. God, turn on the water-the night
shifts In the lower drift. There was an
awful agony in thet mans voice; he had
jist remembered thet his brother was
= down there an tibet, the fire under the
biler of the engine was banked, thet the
cage was too heavy TO work by hand, an
the timbers in the shaft, pitch pine an
dry as bone with great sparks droppin'
down like fakes in g snow storm. You've
heard how fast man thinks in time of
danger. Jim Slocum thought of his
brother, the dry timbers, the engine, the
cage, an water, all in second, but that
was all. He didn't hev time to think of
the fact tibet thar wasn't bar'l of water
within mile Of the mine. Somebody
rushed to the tank-ther was about a tub
full there. The fire was playin' round
the biler, an the engineer had turned the
safety cocks to let tibet out. We all
rushed ev'ry which way yellin' for ropes,
ladders, anythlng-as eff ladder could
reach down about two hundred feet to
where the men was. They were clean
gone with excitement, an didn't know
what to do, an the fire roarin' and crack
lin like the devils own blaze.
"Some rushed one way an some
another, while some of them stood star1n'
into the hot black smoke and yeller fire,
dazed, scared. helpless. Quickern it
takes me to tell it man jumped through
the door OF the histin' works an caught
hold of the chains. His coat an hat was
gone, an he looked like an angel-almost
AS he swung over the shaft in his white
frilled~sA iEt an, his long yeifer hair. 1t
vas dandy Ferguson. He didn't wait fol-
nobody, but famed big scantlin' tibet
two men couldn't alifted, down over the
shaft. Then he yelled for rope, an
told some one near the door to fetch him
the oil win'lass tibet was lynn outside
near the dummy. You never saw men
work like they did as soon as thcr was g
head. The rope an the win'lass was
brought into the works on the jump an
fastened to tue scantlin'. Down went the
rope and Ferguson shouting after it. I'm
here, boys, an stay till l roast Then
he grabbed the crank, an spun the rope
round the bari EASTERN it ever was rolled
before. He used one hand first, an wher
she frightened he laid the other On.
81 Holden wanted to help him but he
wouldn't hev no interference. Time
enough says Ferguson, when | drop.
1t wasn't long before half-naked body
came up. They got the rope off as quick
as they could, draggin' Harry Miller Out
of the works more ueao'n alive, tremblin
like leaf. They thought at the time
thet he was scared at the danger he'd
been in an didn't notice how much ex-
hausted be was. but they found out after.
~x,ords fhot he'd nlaUpd IL down in fhai