The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-12-26

Editors Democfafs
Seeing two small items IN your paper
about these mines, the writer's must
think oil the old settlers are dead; but,
stop, there IL one pioneer loft that
crossed the plains In lsl5, and was at
the lost camp-or atinking hollow. NJ
some called II, on aefount Or the dead
cattle--nnd saw the nugget Of gold that
Henry Maflen found on u gravel bar In
dry branch.
stephen Meek, brother Of the re.
nowned Joe Meek, was our pilot. lie
| had been leaving ut each one of his
camps note stating The distance to the
next water. The note WIS covered with
loose dirt and q stake stuck down by ii.
/ He stated that there was water In fen
miles. We Travelled al next day before
we got to water; O spring that ran about
| forty rods aud sank into the ground.
This was tho lost camp. IL was at or
near the sand or sage desert. Our pilot
| then started out 10 find more water. lie
was gone two days aud one niyht, but
found no water. When he got back his
tongue was black and 30 dry he couldn't
speak until he got some water.
] was In the second or third train that
got 10 the spring. When we got there
the water was q little thin. BY the time
j two hundred head OF famishing cattle got
70 the spring the water was loo thick to
stir with stick. By this time there was
excitement. IN camp, and most Of the
men rushed out In every direction TO see
II they could find water. We had 10 find
the ones az camp would meet him 10
know II he bad found water.
Henry Marlen went 10 look for water.
The wagon he drove was closeto fathers.
When Marlen got back there was three
or four OF us near his wagon, all anxious
TO know II he had found water. lie SAID
he had been up the dry creek 10 every
bunch oi willows IN search OF water. He
then took out OF his pocket yellow lump
OF metal which WAS passed around 70
each one TO look nj. One Eaid IL looked
like gold; another said gold was not
found In Jumps, but In fine dust. Mar.
len then took the iron wagon hammer
and, placing the lump on the wagon tire,
hammered II. IL was mallable like all
virgin gold. lie then put IL In his pock-
ct. Our next thoughts were water,
water, or We would perish. / did not
see any clear water for four daya and
nights, only what ran down the checks
OF the pitlful-looking women aud poor
little children begging for water. The
sick and poor creatures that were dying
did not have q drop Of water 10 cool
their parehed tongues.
After seeing these hearl-fending scenes
aud sufIerings myself, forgot about the
lump Of yellow metal until the fall
le4s. when | went 20 the gold mines in
California. There | found nuggets Of
gold, just like the one that Henry Mar
len found near the lost camp. / ham
mered them and they were just like the
nugget that Marlen found was satis-
iied that IL was gold.
The Blue Bucket mine got ils name In
this way. Some men were talking about
gold being found on the aAfeek'a entoH. -
One man did not believe Ii, because lac
had not seen the gold. lie said, 10 make
II look unreasonable: "Yes, the gold was
30 plentiful the women and children
picked up blue buckets full, and hung
them on the wagons, where the tar buck
els had hung" Another asked: "What
did they do With the goid7" ooh. .
said he. ''the roads were rocky and
knocked the buckets 70 slaves and lost
! tire gold"
] Stephen Meek aaid this dry creek had
had running water In il until that year,
u being very dry summer.
PtoarnR.