The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-12
THE LAST CHANCE LOUNGER.

Tht certainty that work will be resumed
or the Penn Yam mine within a few days
recalls an interesting bit of gossip concern
ing the location and origin of the name. In
1856 William G. Buskett was with the Bus
kett Mercantile Co., at Wickes, which was
then a lively camp. John Maulshagen, who
is now dead, but who is we'll remembered
by all who were there at that time, had a
wood contract for the smelter people and
was doing fairly we'll. Like all old Mon
tanians he wanted q mine and he thought
he had found it when he discovered the
Blu Bird, near Wickes. He worked on it
at odd times and succeeded in getting out
about $1,000 in ore. One day he dropped in
the Office of the mercantile company and
said he wished to locate an extension of the
mine. He did not care to put his own
name to the location, for as he said there
claim with old Johns name at
tached. He therefore asked Will Buskett
to make the location in his name. Mr..
Buskett laughingly said he would do any
thing to oblige the old man, SO he walked
down to the postoffice to make out the loca-
ton. The papers were made out except the
name, which no one had thought of. A big
postal guide lay on the counter
"Open the book said the locator, ''and
see what the first name is"
penn AZ" replied the postmaster as he
as he glanced at the first name in one
corner of a page.
penn Yam it isl replied Bill and so
the mine was named.
~
Maulshagan, who by the way was a Penn
sylvania Dutchman, Buskett and Mr.. Hill,
of this city, became partners in the mine,
which panned out money from the grass
roots. In six weeks 10000 was been
turned out and a bonanza was more than in
sight. Soon after Manlshagan died, the
affairs of the company became tangled up
and work was stopped. Mr.. Buskett has
fortunately succeeded in making arrange
ments to continue work after nearly four
years loss of time, and the Penn Yam it ia
hoped will resume its old place.
~
But something more about the name, 1t
is not generally known that the man who
located the mine is the hero of Eugene
Fields poem, Penn Yam BILL one of his
most popular works. Mr.. Buskett and Mr..
Field are old friends and Mt one of their
meetings the story of the mine was told and
the poem followed. The odd name of
Penn Yam aWakens a momentary curiosity,
for nothing in it suggests it's origin from
any language. Allan II. Joy, county attor-
ney of Park county. heard the name
the other day and became interested.
He hunted out an old New York state pa
per printed away back in the twenties and
found this historical explanation:
During the winter of 1886 Dewitt Gin
ton, then the surveyor-general of the state.
had been directed by the legislature to di-
vide the vast area of unoccupied lands in
the central portion of the state into town
ships of about equal size. and about a week
before adjournment the clerk called upon
Gen. Clinton to supply them with names.
How man are therey" asked the officer.
about 49," said the clerk.
Two hundred and fifty towns to name!'
exclaimed the astonished man. 81 don't
believe that ID included in the duties of Nv
once! However, we can begin with our
heroes. Washington, Jefferson. Adams,
Madison, Warren, Putnam, Greene, Gates,
Knox, Stark, Decatur, Steuben-"
very good" said the clerk, encouraging
~, but they have all been appropriated in
TINS state, except Decatur-even Adams and
Jefferson, who died this year,
What can l do them" inouired the any,
: ious officer. II can name one after myself.