The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-07
supplies in Helena. i've miles down the

supplies in Helena. i've miles down the
james W. Whitlatch was born in West
Virginia in 1842 and at the time of his death
was As years of age. The adventursome
spirit overlook him when he was mere lad
of Is, when he joined a party bound for
California: After a perilous trip across the
plains during which he suffered hardship
and almost starvation he landed in Nevada.
Being possessed of wonderful tenacity and
pluck he at once began to seek his fortune.
At this tender age his knowledge of quartz
values was of course very limited, but he
was lucky. His first adventure was locat-
ing on Reece river, Nevada, the Whitlatch-
Union and Whitlatch Yankee Blade lodes.
The latter proved a very rich mine and he
sold it for $4,000. That was his fortune
at the age of II years. He then spent q
year or more prospecting around Nevada
and California and about the time of the
Alder gulch stampede headed towards Mon
tana. But he remained in Utah for more
than year, sinking most of his money de-
veloping quartz claims around Park City
and therefore did not get into Montana
until the Alder gulch excitement had SUBJ
sided. But the Last Chance digginRs were
then in full blast and in the summer Of "a
Whitlatch with few companions arrived
in what is now Helena with wagon load
of provisions and prospecting tools and
several barrels of whisky. He and his
party were about 'broke," but the sale Of
the whisky replenished their exchequer
considerably. He had not been in town an
at fancy figures. This gave him a GRUB
stake and he began his search for quartz
and at that time he anew piece Of quartz
when he saw it.
Judge J. g. Sanders, now police maRis-
trate Of Helena, was Whitlatch's private
400 II al IL II
Helena career and he thus tells OF the dis
covery Of thu Whitlatch- Union No. 2, which
made Jim Whitlatch famous in Montana:
He started out in December before the
snow began to fall and went up Last Chance
Rulch, found some float and then traced
tl 70 the ledge. He saw gold, jumped in
to town. He did nothing more until the
following late spring. He toiled away at
development. but there were no reduction
works to treat the ore until the spring of
1863, when L. G. Turnkey (now q resident
OF Boulder Valley who at that time was
frelghter across the plains, brought out and
primitive pattern. Turnkey had secured a
claim or two in that section, and worked
his mines with much profit. In the fall Of
1866 Whitlatch made contract with him
to crush ], 900 tons of ore from the Union
at $15 ton, which yielded $63, 600 in gold.
nu0 AoAs coNS!acC vas ZOE oOO IONS AZ $lo.
ing ore. All of this came from claim No. 8.
~. G. Kicker in 1867 put mp a 20 stamp
mill to treat ore for claim No. e Mean
while Whitlatch had become owner of most
Of the ground on the lead outside of Rick
er's location. In 1858 Whitlatch made a
company for about 800, 600. This COMPANY
erected 2O-stamp mill and subsequently
Jim made another sale to the Columbia
Mining company, Philadelphia orRaniza-
ton. who also put up q 2O-stamp mill. !
think the price paid to Whitlatch was 375,-
QO; Soon discovery was made BY VIM.
the Granite Mountain millionaire, and they
erected 10-stamp mill. They called their
claim the Oyhee. Old Unionville was in
her glory then, and had population OF
about 1000, part of whom resided at Park
City, where several of the mills were situ-
ated. Everything went lively until 1876
when litigation commenced, and one thing
or another, until all of sudden everything
was closed down. The total output Of the
camp was never known, but it is varionsly
estimated between Sc, OOO, 600 and 81. OCO, GOO
During the early days of the discoveries
NniouviAe Whitlatch had s,me trying
or 500, ooc debt he aIvsss had the same
wonderful nidence III himself I re.
member onc nat F5 owed Helena banke,
about $75, COO two notes. They were
bearing interd( at the rate of per cent a
month. This id not phaze him in the
though already millionaire, and despond.
ency was stranger to him. He paid the
notes, however. ina had lots of money left
He spent moneyfwith reckless extravaganza
and in this connection might say that he
had weakness, or whatever you may call
It. for seeing his name in the newspapers
when Of iS1rv vo1o w.t. Dou -
and was probably that which caused him
| to beSfor several years the financial main
stay of the Helena Herald. He put up a
tine building on the present site of the
postofice which the Herald occupied.
I'm 1863 Whitlatch went back east and
She was most lovable and devoted wife
and is we'll known in Helena, having spent
four years. residence in this city. She was
an estimable and highly accomplished
woman and a great favorite in Helena
society. By this union Whitlatch leaves
was here in the early part of tho year with
his father
In 1872 Whitlatoh went to California and
later spent several years visiting nearly
every mining district on this continent.
About four years ago more welcome fortune
again favored Whitlatch, whom he discov-
cred property at Kingston, N. M. He or
ganized a company in st. Louis to work
the property, but some differences arose,
and though he got big price for his inter
est, the scheme fell through. He still de-
veloped it under bond and was negotiat-
ing the sale of the mine again when mis-
fortune overlook him. Failure and inabil-
ity to provide for his family, who were not
aware of his financial standing, undoabted,
ly drove him to drown his woes in drink,
something he was never known to indulge
in excessively, and the last chapter in q ro-
mantle career was ended with pistol.
Forbes 4 Davis Special
3,OSS Cumberland, one block, cheap, 70,
immediate sale.
1858 Cumberland, whole or part.
1000 to 5000 Yellowstone.
$3.50 Merrimac.
10000 Lightning Treasury stock).
Blocks Castle Crescent, T. v. PowdsEly
and Grand Central Ut price.
1000 Glengafy. &pk
1000 To ~ nm CNv>v,ar nnll