Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-25
THE "LOST. CABIN" NINE.
The True Story Of It's Discovery and
Development.
A STIRRING TALE OF GOLD.
Allen Huibert's Find IL the Big Horn
MountairS-rhe Lost Trail-Tbe
Lead Rediscovered "A
Sad Sequel.

most mysterious, mine on the continent
is the celebrated Lost Cabin Lead. 1t
has been discovered, rediscovered and
lost half a dozen times, and at the pres
ent writing the exact location Of this
rich lode is rs much a mystery as ever.
This mine is one of the magnets that
drew Thomas Paige Comstock (Old a
cake) north from the Nevada bonanzas;
but he never found the lead, and he
came but to find a suicides death and a
pauper's grave awaiting him. He drove
q pistol ball through his brain near
Bohemian, September q, 1870, and his
neglected tomb is now there, without a
sign to mark this famous mans last
resting place, and almost unknown. The
Lost Cabin has grown to be somewhat
Of a legend, although there can be no
doubt that very rich veins of gold are
scattered all through the Big Horn
range, and among those mountains
this much-sought mine is snugly hidden
away, and will probably remain so until
some lucky prospector stumbles upon it,
and so becomes a thrice millionaire in a
twinkling. That there is gold in the
DIP Stii " w NV
toned. Colors have been found all
along the Big, Little Horn and other
mountains, and at the mouths of the
Big Horn and Rosebud a little indus
trious banning on the bars will show
uudoubted signs of auriferous ~washings.
But the treasure vaults of the Big Horn
must be closed to prospectors for many
years yet, as the Grow Indians are
barons, in fee, of all that rich country,
and do not propose to part with one
inch of their birthright for love nor
money until a wise congress legislates
on the matter and throws these rich
lands-rich in minerals and grasses
| open to the industrious white pr0spec-
| tor and farmer, whether the Crows like
it or not.
l have seen many descriptions of the
Lost Cabin in print, but never yet has
the true story been told, or how it got
the name of Cabin, nor how such a big
thing as a gold mine with a log
cabin attachment came to be so utterly
and totally lost as never to be found
again.
THE LOST CABIN RIO.
Allen Hulburt,a California stampedcr
of the 49 epoch, was the man who dis
| covered the mine, built the cabin, lost
the mine, and never found it again. He
was a quiet, sensible citizen of James
vile, Wis, in lS49, when he caught the
California gold fever like a great many
others, and so in October of the same
| year he left home, friends and every
thing else behind him and %journeyed
across the plains to the Pacific Ell Dor
ado. He worked his way north to
Oregon, then into what is now Wash
| ington, and in the spring of 1863 found
! himself in Wallawalla without a cent in
his pocket.
In company with two other rowing
| spirits, one Jones and one Cox, the trio
bought a new prospecting outfit, includ-
| ing six horses, and with a months pro-
visions in pannier packs, set out over
the Mullen trail for an exploring expe-
dition or the eastern slope OF the Rock
les. After hard trials, and encompass
ing almost insurmountable difficulties,
the little band finally reached the yell
Big Horn river and made camp on an
island in the widest and most hostile
portion of the United States.
The geography of the country was
little known in those days. Most of
their travelling had to be done in the
night time, as the country was full Of
Indians and therefore not being very
able to distinguish the country roun-
about as they passed through it at night,
the range of mountains that loomed up
in front OF them one bright morning
had neither name or location for them.
Into these mountains they hurried,
banning and prospecting as they went,
and striking better pay the deeper and
higher up the gulch they got. AT last.
coming to a wonderfully rich streak
which prospected handsomely. a shaft
was sunk to bedrock, which was only
seven feet below, and here vas found
gold from the grass roots down, panning
all the way from sc to 81 each trial.
These frantic men made up their mind
to stay all winter. They had plenty Of
powder and lead, the country was full Of
game, and so, without further delay tn
little pioneer party began work in dead
earnest for a long winters stay. They
whip-sawed lumber, built a dam across
the creek, put up the sluice boxes, an6
sluiced from morning to night while
the weather lasted. The average yield
was about 800 to a man until snow be-
gan to fly. When the water froze, ant
mining operations had to be suspended
Cox, Jones and Hulburt had about hal
a bushel each of bright, sparkling mug
gets and gold dust. Now came winter
The time vas too valuable while the
season lasted to waste it in building OPP
erations; but it was now getting late
and the boys industriously w~hip-sawet
lumber and cut logs sufficient to erect {
cabin and surround it with a stockade.
This was the famous cabin that haI
since been lost SO many times. Ha.
was cut, too, for the five horses. ON
had Deer drowned in the Yellowstone
In the spring, when the water began Il
run again, the three men were at theil
sl~uice-boxes and taking out just as mucl
gold as ever. One day Hulburt sud
denly returned to the cabin for som
necessary article, leaving his two com
rades busily at work.
Scarcely had he gotten out of sigh
when bangl bang! went a number O
rifles, and Cox and Jones lay welterinl
in their blood. From a tree Hulbur
saw the Indians strip, scalp and mutilat'
his comrades, after which the redskin
followed the well-beaten trail up to thu
cabin and rihed the latter of every sin
gle article or thing they wanted. The.
even attempted to set fire to the famou
structure; but the logs were green ant
would not burn, thus sparing the Gel
ebrated blu ildlng to future discovery
After awhile the Indians left. Hulbur
slipped quickly from his perch, gath
cred together a few necessary article
ftha Indians had nappiad off the harSas'