The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-04-17
HELENA'S MAJORITY.
TWENTY-oNE YEARS OLD THE oath
OF JULY.
One of the Last Chance Diseoverers Makes
Suggestion Worthy Of Attention.

THE following personal letter from an olo
and esteemed Montanian-row proprietor VI
The keystone, Ketchum, Idaho, contains Sc
good q suggestion to the Helenians that we
take the liberty of publishing 1t almost en-.
tire. Mr.. Clawson is not, probably, aware
of the Pioneer Associations existence, ana
suggests this occasion as reunion Tor oi1
Montanians but it is at least one that snouio
rouse the public spirit OF Helenians. Mt.
Clawson Is a fine writer--by the way he
coined the world wonderland" which mas
been accented for the Yellowstone National
Park-aud has a memory like q creditor. his
"reminiscences Of Last Chance would be In
teresting and authentic.)-ED. n. NV.
James IT. NILS, Deer Lodge:
You old Montanians, in later days OF pros
perity, may have overlooked the historical
fact that the city Of Helena-your rich and
beautiful Capital, the pride, as she is called
of the New Northland-will be Of age on the
oath of July next. Would it not be good
idea that there be celebration on the occa
sion, and make a grand gala day OF it?
know very many Mountainous would second
a move of that kind, and 1t would bring to-
gether again many Of the early settlers who
trod the plains and camped in the gulches OF
the mountains ere civilization had gained
foothold In what is now the busy land OF
busy, bustling, progressive people.
GOLD WAS STRUCK
in paying prospects on the afternoon or
evening Of July "a, 1864, on the Last Chance
creek, few hundred feet north of the foot
of Broadway, q few feet from the stream and
on the north side of it. 1 am perhaps the
only person in the West to-day who was on
the ground before there was a sluice set. /
got in there at about II o'clock of the night
of July 81. The next day I struck the cid
bar half a mile or mere below the upper dis
covery. / remained until the next summer
was fortunate in locating ground, and made
q good deal of money. l remember almost
every little incident land some big onesl that
transpired from July, "a, to July, '65. was
gone from there the fall and winter Of IS,
but returned in '66 and remained two more
seasons then went on the Sweetwater stam-
pede, and returned to the Territory and went
into the Deer Lodge country, and met you
and Addison Smith, Marry Norton, Hugh
McQuaid and others of the old-timers, in the
summer of TO- had ksswn Stackpole and
Rcd. Leggat at Highland in '66. Possibly the
OLD RECORDS OF LAST CHANCE
may have been lost in the Helena fires. The
first, or rather temporary, organization, was
had on the evening of the strike, July "a
but on the ID Of August we held a meeting
and completed what the discoveries had be-
gun.
hope you will make a suggestion that
Helena, at the time mentioned Oath Of July
next have a celebration worthy the city and
the Territory, and have a reunion and old
time love feast on the ground that q years
ago did not have human being within miles
of it, ] will try to be there, but II I cannot,
1 will, if they desire, send an article which
may be read at the meeting, concerning the
discovery and settlement just as 1t occurred.
Faithfully and fraternally,
CAL. @. CLAwsoN.
KETCHUM, Idaho, April 6, 's5.
Alabastine for Wall Finish at Deer Lodge