The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-07-25
HIGHLAND.
| "reminiscences of the Old
Time Camp.
THE AGED
A Magnificent Placer Mining Claim
and It's Development
Other Notes.

Standing in the streets of Butte and look
ing to the southwark one can see a series
of cloud-piercing mountains. from whose
peaks bands OF virgin snow diverge and lose
| themselves in the deeply shaded canyons
where the glare of the sun is never felt.
! These lofty sentinels are the Highland
mountains mi are some twenty-five or
thirty miles from this city. Nearly all
| strangers visiting Butte, and doubtless a
large majority OF our citizens believe that
these majestic peaks lift themselves from
the main range or divide of the Rocky
mountains. This is a mistake, the divide
being several miles TO the northward or
this side OF the
s~NOw-CREsTED MOUNTAINS,
which rest upon a horse-shoe-like spur OF
the main range and whose everlasting
| springs unite in forming the never-failing
| volumes OF water which course through
Highland gulch, Monmouth creek and other
streams OF lesser note. The main creek is
known as Highland gulch until it reaches
Jefferson valley at which point it takes the
name of Fish Creek. These waters all flow
toward the Atlantic. At the foot Of the
highest Of the peaks noted above is all
that remains of the once famous tow Of
HIG
Eighteen years ago it was one Of the
richest, ~iveliest n most prosperous min
ing camps ever struck in the Great West.
Eighteen short years ago nos of the peo-
pie who then lived in Butte did their trad
ing in Highland. What changes time has
made! All old timers have heard of High
land and many Of them were among it's
most enterprising and influential citizens.
Among those who once claimed Highland
as their home and who did much toward
the development or the mines were Messrs.
Rod D. Leggat, Joe M. Venable, Frank
Beck, Wm. Owsley and Others of Butte;
Green Campbell of Salt Lake; J. c. Kerley,
one of the founders of the Independent,
Professor Swallow, it's present editor; W.
F. Chadwick now in Helena, Billy Todd OF
Fort Benton, NJ. A. Flanagan of the same
place, doing business for T. c. Power; Els.
Stackpole, Lou Coleman and J. +. Dickey
of Deer Lodge, and a score OF Others whose
names are not now recalled.
AMOUNT
Of gold were taken out OF the great gulch
and it's tributaries. In the hey-day OF it's
prosperity the place contained fourteen
stores, as many saloons, a dozen or more
boarding houses and three hurdy gurdy
houses, the largest OF the latter being run
by the late John Beckney well known in
DuCUC dAu 4xClCHd. IL was " SAC1C plSCC,
surrounded by great mines and populated
by an energetic, enterprising people. Three
toll roads from as many different directions
led into Highland. They were all well
%patronized and each coined money for it's
owners. The people of the place
DID NOTHING BY HALVES.
They mined, purchased goods, voted and
gave balls and parties upon the heroic
plan. John H. Ming shipped in twenty
four tons OF coffee one season. At one OF
the many exciting elections held there,
thirteen hundred votes were cast, and a
dance running two days and nights was not
an unusual occurrence. Upon one occa-
sion invitations were out Tor a grand ball,
to be given by the citizens of the place.
Rod D. Leggat was placed at the head OF
the committee Of arrangements. A heavy
snow fell a day or two before the appointed
day for the dance, and blocked the roads.
Rod sent word to the valley and Deer
Lodge people to come on, the road would
be open. He took 200 men and shOveled a
trail for six miles. The dancers came, and
the hall was crowded with the gayest party
of the season. The old Highlanders were a
right royal people, and served their guests
in a right royal manner.
NEWSPAPER MEN.
Pete Roman, then of the old Rocky
Mountain Gazette, Bob Fisk of the Herald,
and Ben r. Dittes OF the defunct Montana
Post, all of Helena, used to make their reg
ular visits to Highland to solicit and col
lect for their respective papers: Their visits
were the occasions for grand blow-outs and
general hilarity among their many patrons,
and each departed with a large subscription
list, a heavy purse and a light heart. OF
course people who treated printers so gen
erously deserved and received the blessings
OF a Divine Providence. They were pros
porous, happy, and possessed clear conscien-
ces.
But as time passed the more easily worked
placer mines became exhausted, the peo-
pie scattered throughout the Territory and
the
GLORY OF
as a great placer mining centre departed.
A few foundations logs; a score or more
fallen stone chimneys, and a %half-dozen
shaky log.cabins now mark the spot where
a few years ago a thriving mining camp at
tracted it's thousands of prospectors, and
it's rustlihg, bustling denizens made the
surrounding forests echo with the clang OF
the pick and the sound OF the hammer.
The shouts of revelry which once drove
the wild beasts from their lair are heard
no more and on the spot where champagne
and other choice vintages OF foreign chimes
HOW III lhC "dUCIs IN "C"AJ
finds naught but the pure, cool mountain
stream wherewith to quench his thirst.
But the
BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PARKS.
fanked by stately pines and frs; the
wealth OF waters flowing down from the
grand old mountains to the southwark,
and the magnificent scenery upon either
hand are here still. The hardy miners in
delving for the three or four millions OF
treasure which the great gulch yielded failed
to mar their beauty. The flower-be-
decked parks, the dense forests, the bah
bling streams and the snow-crested mount
aims are as beautiful and grand as they
were before the presence OF man was known
among them.
ONE OLD NAN
still fingers in the deserted village. His
name is Henry Marshall. Seventeen years
ago he came to Highland. He knew it in it's
prosperity; he witnessed it's declines, aw his
old comrades depart one by one and now
when the camp has fallen from it's high
estate he remains true to his first love and
stays by her. No coaxing or persuasion
will induce the old recluse to abandon
Highland. Though his flowing beard is
whitened by the frosts of seventy-six
winters and his voice weak and step un-
steady the old hermit manages to exc out
a subsistence by mending boots for Mr..
Leggat's men, supplemented by gifts OF pro-
visions and other necessaries from the
generous Rod. He believes that Highland
has a great future in store and declares
that he will live and die within its Ito hi1n)
| hallowed precincts. The old man Marshall
| may be endowed with the gift OF true
prophesy, and Highland may yet again be-
| come a great gold producer. Quien Sabc.
And this brings me to the point where
mention may be made OF one OF the great
est, if not the greatest n most valuable
PLACER NINE
in Montana. As has been stated above
Mr.. Rod D.. Leggat was one of the leading
business men Of the old town OF Highland.
| He watched the development OF it's placer
mines, noted their apparent exhaustion
| and reached a conclusion in regaad to
! placer mining in Highland, which for well
! grounded reasons, he kept to himself. Mr..
| Leggat believed and still believes that old
| Highland Gulch yet contains more gold
! than has been taken out of it. Acting
upon this belief he has through purchases
| and locations which are all patented, OBJ
| tanned possession and control OF all the