Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-25

aided by q few cheap newspapers along the
line OF railroad were sending forth the
startling intelligence that mountains oil
gold had besn discovered in the mountains
short distance from the railroad. For
more than three months this
mad rush was kept up. until
tie towns Of Eagle. Murray and a
half dozen other places Of less importance
we're full to overfowing with gold hunters.
Eagle City, then the metropolis OF the
Ceur d'Alene, was about thirty miles from
the nearest railroad point, Trout Creek,
on the Northern Pacific. and in order to
reach Eagle it was necessary to cross the
mountains on foot. There was not even a
wagon road leading into the mines-only a
small trail over the top OF the snow, which
in places, especially ON the summit Of old
Baldy. was fifty feet deep. Every man be-
fore starting on the journey across the
mountains, was informed by some one at
the railroad Of the necessity oftaking along
at least enough grub to last him two or
three weeks. It was impossible for man
to carry on his back enough to last him
any length OF time. 1t was also impossible
for animals to pack over the snow owing
to it's depth and softness. There was only
one way of getting food and bedding across
the rarge-and that way presented itself to
the average tendsrfoot in anything but an
agreeable light. To manufacture s!ed
large enough to hold $50 pounds OF
blankets. bacon and beans and other deli
cacles and luxuries calculated to tickle the
| alate OF the hauler and add to his bodily
comforts, was small job, but to
haul it across the mountains to
Eagle City did not meet with the
hearty appreciation OF many who
had that solemn duty to perform or stay
away from the excitement at the other end
of the trail. At the foot OF Old Baldy,
about half way between Trout Creek and
Eagle City, station, consisting of small
log house and q tent, was established for
the purpose OF furnishing shelter and whisky
to the stampsders. The log shanty portion
OF the station was used as bedroom (for
proprietors only, kitchen. parlor, dining
room, bar, etc., while the tent apartment,
in the center OF which was large sheet iron
stove, wss used as Il bunk house by persons
going in and out OF the di.gings." 1t was
not an uncommon occurrence for fifty men
to roost in that tent in one night. Some OF
them wauld have blankets and Others
would have no covering save the clothes
hD ho1 h1t
blankets would wrap themselves up in
few drinks OF hallway whisky and lie down
on the wet floor of the tent in apparent
contentment with their feet as near as pos
sible to the stove. The feet in same in.
stances were piled up 80 high that it was
almost impossible to catch q glimpse of the
heater. The nights were cold and the fire
DOOR, and each man in the tent wanted bis
pedals where Q little heat would strike
them. One man would stretch himself
out on his back with his feet toward
the stove. Presently another man would
put his 'eet on top OF the first mans hoofs.
This would be kept up until the lower feet
would be unable to longer stand the press
ure OF the dozen or more above, when they
would be Withdrawn and placed on tor.
The place was q perfect pandemonium.
Profanity such as never before escaped the
lips Of mortal man was indulsed in during
tho night in that tent.
During the excitement Eagle City was
any thing but q Sunday y-school town. Snow
was 80 deep on the streets. in the gulchee,
and on the hillsides that nothing in the
way Of prospecting could be done, and the
men who bad rushed there with the happy
anticipation of scooping up the precious
metal from the streets, spent their time
around the saloons trying to keep warm.
Many OF them had not dollar after arriv.
ing there and were compelled to forego the
pleasures OF q square meal even once a
week. Halt starved and half clad, many
OF them rolled up in their blankets at night
and never again saw the light OF day on
this earth. When the body Of dead man
would be discovered, it would be rolled
tightly in q blanket, placed on the little
hand-sled he had pulled across the noun.
tains, atd taken about one hundred yards
from the center OF the town and buried, not
in the ground, but in the snow.
On one occasion when q man was
found dead in his blankets, q minister, who
is now resident Of Butte, had the body re.
moved to the middle of the street and
undertook to hold brief service over the
inanimate form lying on the sled before
him, but before he had proceeded far Q
gambler c0lieQ DOC stepped Out Oi u
saloon door and yelled at the top of his
whisky voice Everybody come in and
have q drink" Instantly the crowd OF
people who had been listening to the
minister wheeled about and started for the
saloon, leaving the parson standing alone
with the mans body.
Eagle City was Dbad burg. Nearly all
OF the horsethieves, gamb ers, cut-throats,
desperadoes and sure-thing men in the
West were there. It was not q good
locality for the FIRST named, because there
were no horses there for them to steal.
There we're no wagons, DO law, no nothing
except q mob OF moro than half-starved
people, a great deal If snow. but great
deal more OF bad whisky. Everybody
wanted to fight every body else, and the
crack OF the pistol was heard nearly every
minute during the day and night. Sure-thing
men and iakirs piled their vocations in the
street in the broad open light Of the day
without fear OF interruption from
any one, but, strange as it may
seem, only three or four persons lost their
lives via the bullet route. Gun plays were
frequent, though not Q day passing