The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-03
THE W|NDFALL PLACERS.
Rich Strike Reported in Some Dig
gings Which Doomed Back
in 1869.
Reports From Prospectors In Jof-
ferson Indicate the Season
Win Be Prosperous.
Arrangements Being Completed for the
Erection Of tho C~oncentrator on the
Iron M0untnin--Thc Clark Mine.

Good news comes from the old placer
digginRs down about Cedar creek every few
weeks, says the Miasoula correspondent of
the Standard. The latest is from Mr.. Run
yam, who ia at Windfall, another creek near
Cedar. His friends do not know his initials.
but speak of him as "Old Man. Runyan.
A short time ago he wrote to his wife that
he had struck gravel that pays rs cents a
pan. This was good news to her and also
to Nsssrs. j. l.. Sweeney and j. B. Spooner.
who are interested with Mr.. Runyan.
Windfall. like the other digeings in that
country, has an interesting history. 1t
was in the later sixties that Edward Miller,
who now owns a ranch near Fort Miesoula,
discovered plaoers in Windfall. He and
three other men tool up claims amounting
to about some sixty acres, covering the
whole ulch. In the summer Of 80 he in
dueed relatives of his. Mr.. and Mrs. Mi
chael Farrell, to go the gulch with
him. They spent one summer there and
it was from Mrs. Farrell that your CORE
spondent learned some of the history of the
Rulch. MIR. Miller's partners were Edward
Kinney, who used to manage John Caplice's
mining interests in that country, Fred Sa-
sier md Charles Glasson. In '69 the camp
was booming. Men were receiving S. a day
and the proprietors were making over So a
day on each man. Everything was favora-
BILE. There was plenty of water and the
dump was in the Missoula river and nobody
was required to look after the tailings. In
deed, all that was necessary was to shovel
gravel into the sluices and clear away the
rocks, which were quite numerous. BY
some means the men lost the streak of pay
gravel. They vsered to one side against the
wishes of Mr.. Miller, but on the advice Of
others interested, and soon Windfall was a
worked-out placer district.
Sunrise guloh was just above Windfall
and emptied into it, but the dump was so
poor that, although the gravel was rich, it
did not pay very we'll. The camp became
deserted, Messrs. Miller and Kinney came
up here and bought q ranch, and Windfall
lived only in the memory of some old
timers. At one time the owners were on
the point of bonding 1t to Salt Lake parties.
Some of the men wero up here, when one Of
them received a telegram announcing the
serious illness of his wife, and negotiations
ceased until he should return from Salt
Lake, and finally foil through.
Last fall Messrs. Runyan, Sweeney and
Spooner bonded the property for $4,000,
the bond to expire next November or De-
oember. Since then they have bonded 1t to
other parties for $25, 600. Mr.. Runyan has
evidently struck the streak of rich gravel
again, and 1t is probable the $25,OOO bond
will be taken up. If not, Mr.. Sweeney says
they will pay tho $4,000 and take the prop
erty.
This is only an example of what is taking
place all oyer that country. The aban
doned diggings of Cedar creek, Deep guloh,
Lost Rulch and many another are now re-
oeiving attention. and hydraulic appliances
will again mako the gravel yield up it's gold.