Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-03-08
THE DESERTED MINING CAMP.


Mountains by river once mighty but
now shrunken to an insignificant creek,
lies deserted mining camp.
/ had spent the day in the forest,
walking up and down high divides, ex-
aiming creeks and roughly measuring
the water they contained. / had in
view hydraulic works to be used on a
placer mine owned 1t was growing
dark in the shade Of the pines, when,
with aneroid in hand, ! found that the
ditch to bring water to my mine would
have to pass around high, barren
point of rocks. Satisfied that this was
the only serious obstacle that would be
encountered in digging the ditch, I.sat
on a rock and figured the cost of "box-
ing" the water around that point.
Then, not knowing my whereabouts, /
clambered up the main range and To-
Gated my position. Reaching the sum-
nit, saw the sun sinking behind the
snow-capped peaks of the Medicine
Bow Mountains. The dense timbered
TANKS of the hills were partially yelled
by purplish mist. Far below me was a
glen, through which ran creek, its
course marked by willows. perceived
that ] was miles from my camp, and
that was hungry. Looking into the
glen, l saw three animals grazing among
the willows, where the grass was tender
and unfrosted. Fastening down the
steep rocky incline, l found trail,
grass-grown and encumbered with fall
ell trees, that led in the direction of
the glen. Following it, was soon
among the young pines that grew, thick
et-like, on a peninsula that jutted into
the swampy park. Lying down on the
edge of the young pines, / looked into
the glen. A black-tailed doe with a
spotted fawn by her side stood among
some willow bushes. Nearer and to
my right stood young buck. Stand
ing in the pine opens across the park
was an elk busily engaged in paving
fungi out of the decomposed pine
needles and greedily eating them
Quickly shot at the young buck. The
smoke from my rife drifted in tiny
cloud against my face, partially obscur-
ing my vision. Indistinctly saw the
doe and her fawn rush into the shadows
Of the forest. The smoke cleared. The
dying buck lay struggling on the ground.
/ fastened to him, cut his throat, dis
embowled him, and, after cutting off q
hind quarter, hung him high in pine
tree. Wrapping the ham in my blank
cts / shouldered my burden and walked
briskly down the glen.
Evidences Of mining camp were
all about me. On the hillsides were
prospect holes for leads. On the creek
bottoms, holes had been sunk in hopes
of finding placer gold. l left the trail
to look Mt shaft, over the mouth of
which stood a windlass, from which a
rope and buckets dangled. A coffee
pot and frying pan stood on the cold,
rusty stove that was in the corner of a
well-built log house near by. Tools
were scattered about FASTENED down
the trail in hopes of finding house
occupied by men before the night over
took me. The trail led through an
extensive placer mine. Sluice boxes,
partly filled with water running musical
ly over ruffies, stood in proper position.
A few picks and shovels lay on the
uncovered bed rock.
reached the lower end of the placer
mine just as dusk was turning into
night, and entered long, struggling
village. I could see the full length Of
the street. Not human being was
in sight. Not dog barked at me.
"The miners are at supper" l said to
myself as walked into the Village.
Chairs stood before open doors; buck
saws leaned against half-cut sticks
shovels and picks stood against the
cabins; piles of stove wood were be-
fore almost every house; axes leaned
against rotting stumps. Hanging my
meat and blankets on tree, / should
cred my rifle and walked from house
to house in search Of men. There were
none. The village was deserted. Find
ing lantern in one of the houses, /
lit it and inspected the cabins, in order
to select sleeping place. / choose
house Of four rooms that was fully fur
nished and carpeted. The kitchen was
equipped with good stove and full
set of cooking utensils. There were
sugar, tea, coffee, butter, flour, and half
of q canvas-covered ham in q closet.
There we're spring beds, with hair mat
tresscs, and plenty of blankets in the
sleeping-rooms. On top of small
bookcase, half filled with well-selected
books, were two lamps filled with coal
oil and trimmed.
| brought my blankets and venison,
and cutting tenderloin stakes, soon had
a fine supper cooked. After eating
lit the lantern and went to the saloon in |