Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-30

III lookS as strong as a nine. did
smoke n soon found it in every re-
sPect equal to its looks. We were thus
placed at once on Il sociable footing.
n conversation flowed easily on the
various topics suggested bv the numer-
u silSht incidents of the tourney. and
oo)ects observed as We passed along.
OVER A ROUGH ROAD.
mere arc a number of stage roads
leading out of Nevada City, and the
best II is that which connects that
thriving mining town with its rosper
Gus rlval, the quartz-mining city of
nrass valley, though it would have
oeen hard to have convinced us of that
lact NAT rainy morning, as the stage
splashed through mud-holes and
bounced over corduroys, bolders,
stumps n other a~ppurtenances of a
mountain highway. The conversation,
which uttered in short, jerky utterances
through the iolts, or, technically speak
lng, the dips, spurs and angles, rami-
flcations and s%inuosities'' Of the mud
wagon, was extremely diversified,
touching upon many subjects; but one
topic l will never forget, a tragic tale
related by n of my companions, the
details of which, as I afterward learned
by careful inquiry, were true in every
particular.
just on the edge of Nevada City we
passed opposite the mouth of a gulch,
down which flowed a tributary to Deer
Creek, and across which. some dis
lance up the stream, was stretched a
long, high trestle bridge, a portion of
the nar~row-gauge railway which con-
meets that region with the Central Pa
cific at ColfaN. THAT is Gold Run, I
suppose?' L ventured, as l held the
side curtain back so as to get u better
view.
Eyes. that is the famous Gold Run,
one of the richest diggings ever worked
in California" answered the Oldest of
my companions, whose appearance in
Dictated that he had knocked about the
mines since the argonautic days of 40.
early in 1850 they were known
through the mines Us the Deer Creek
Pound Diggings.'"
Pound diggingsy" 1 said, interroga-
lively.
Eyes; when claims averaged a pound
OF gold dust per day to the hand, the
locality was generally spoken of as
pound diggingS.'
at was all worked out long ago, 1
suppose?
Eyes, with the exception of certain
hydraulic operations, which might be
carried on there yet. Rich as It was,
it is more famous for being the scene
of the tragic death of Boss Wright
than for its great yield of gold"
"Who was Boss Wright-one of these
h~ighwaymen who, l am told, infested
the mountain highways and trails in
the carlydays?"
"Not by any means. 4e was the
Sheriff of Nevada County. There was
a h~ighwayman mixed up in the affair,
however; the noted Jim Webster, of
whom you have no doubt heard"
Il can't say that | v heard of the
gentleman, but go ahead and tell us the
story. ii You Il manage to squeeze it
in between bumps. We have plenty OF
time, and l would like to hear it,"
'.Boss' WRIGHT.
And between bumps l was told the
following story:
The Sheriff of Nevada County in 1856
was w. w. Wright, Familiarity called
''Boss Wright by every one. He was
a man of great integrity of character,
firmness and courage, and discharged
the duties of his office so thoroughly
and yet so kindly, that every one, in
Guiding the numerous prisoners from
time t o time under his official charge,
loved and respected him. Every one
was eager to doafavorf for Boss Wright.
An incident will illustrate this feeling
exactly. In July. 1856, the city of Ne
vada was devastated by fire, and the
Courthouse, which had just been erect
ed at Il cost Of $50, 600, was burned, to-
gether with other property to the
amount of 81, 500, 600. When it became
evident the Courthouse would burn,
Wright rushed to the Jail to liberatc
the prisoners. He had been working
desperately in his endeavor to subduc
the flames, and was completely cN-
hausted, SO that after opening the jail
door he fell fainting lear the entrance,
overcome with the smoke and heat.
Among the prisoners was Il powerful
man named George Lewis, who was
confined under Indictment for murder
and had been denied the privilege OF
bail. Instead of making his escape
when thus liberated, Lewis returned,
lifted the unconscious Sheriff upon his
broad shoulders, and carried him down
to Deer Creek. where he bathcd hi
temples with water till he revived.
When he say that Wright had fully re.
covered, he said: Nov you are al
right, boss, where shall go?'
$50 where you please" was the re.
ply. ''only appear before the our or
Monday morning"
He actually showed up the next Mon.
day, according to his instructions. The
Court convened ina building which haG
been spared by the flames, and you may
imagine that.thcrc We're neither gowns
nor wigs to lend dignity to the occa.
sion. The Judge, Niles Searls, SO wei.
known in political and judicial life, who
had lost his all in the fire, presided
without a coat. and was arrayed in q
blue flannel shirt, borrowed for the oc-
casion. Coats were rare among the
officers of the court, and what few there
were looked as though they had held 4
discussion with Il barbed Wire fence.
When Lewis put in his appearance, the
: grateful Sheriff related the story OF his
herOjsm: and Judge Searls ut once adj