The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-01-24

I
known. He was Western "Coal
Oil Johnny" and he very soon ran
through an immense fortune. When
the affairs of the great Gallagher,
mine were in dispute, Parson Uzzell
said to Pat Gallagher, the great
millionaire owner. "Pat, / under
stand your mines are in litigation. !"
mo, be jabers," /" Pat replied, that
is loie. Everybody knows they're
in TOMBSTONE p
On the day that Parson Uzzell
arrived at Leadville an old woman
known as "Mother Ray" began
washing under a pine tree. Just
one year afterward she struck it
rich on Fryer hill, stopped washing,
put piano into her shanty, and
attired herself in silks and satins.
Grub stalking August Richie
made Tabor" is a saying in the
camp of the carbonates. Richie
was a poor shoemaker at Orc City,
now Leadville, in the seventies, who
had prospected in the hills between
California Gulch and Red Cliff. He
had discovered indications Of rich
carbonates during one of his explo-
rations, and his confidence therein
induced Tabor to grub-stake him IN
order to enable him to pursue fur
ther Investigations. A "grub-stake"
is supply Of provisions such as
bacon, coffee, -four, salt, sugar, to-
bacco and whisky, sufficient to last
three months. 1t required consid-
cradle eloquence and many argu-
ments on the part of Richie to in
duce Tabor to furnish the requisite
amount of provender, for the rea-
son that Richie was already indebted
for previous supplies. Tabor ad-
vanced the 'grub stake" on condi-
ton that two-thirds of Riches find
be given to him. Richie returned
two months afterward with bag
of carbonates. Tabor had the SAM
Piles assayed, and bought Riches
interest in the claim, which later
became the famous Little Pittsburg
mine.
Parson Tom was one day sum
moned to disreputable house to
pray with an abandoned girl who
had been shot through the right
arm by drunken cowboy. The
arm had to be cut off at the shoul.
der, and it was thought the girl
would die. That was one of the
few incidents, Parson Tom thinks
where the "seed sown on good
ground brought forth fruit mete fol
repentance" for Kate professed con
version and lived to become an
honest woman and a faithful wife
Mollie May, the keeper of a notori-
Gus house known as the Bon Ton
asked Parson Tom if he would per-
form the funeral service over the
remains of baby born in her house
Fifty notorious women followed the
little white coffin into the church
Parson Tom and Undertaken Rog.
ers, who now lives in Denver, carried
the coffin. The women cried, y
Uzzell said, while relating this Incl.
dent, ''and Rogers cried and cried.
! On that occasion Parson Tom
rode down Harrison avenue to the
cemetery between two of the most
notorious women in Leadville.
All the golden dust of Colorado's s
fortunes blew right by Parson Tom
He might have been rich, but his
lines lay along different route. In
those days the only smelter in the
place was the original St. Louis
smelter, but Parson Tom remained
to see ten more built. w. H. james
of the Grant smelter, one of the
richest men in Colorado, was then
keeping a little store at Fairplay,
Edward H. Eddy, another million,
: aire, was using the pick and shovel
at Silver Plume. The bell in Par
son Toms church in Leadville
which occupies the highest point o1
any bell in the world, was imported
from Boston by Captain Cooper, al
old miner. The bell was freighted
from Denver, and was erected OF
the day of dedication, July 4th
At 10 O'Clock that morning the par
son rang the bell for love feast. Its
mellow tones vibrated over the hills
and everybody stopped to listen
An old miner took off his hat and
said: 1T sounds like Jesus Christ
had come to town.
The first passenger train which
reached Leadville over the Denver
and Rio Grande road brought Gen
Grant. Leadville received the great
!, soldier with celebration never be-
fore equaled in the Rockies. Gen
Grant met Parson Tom, and at the
/ latter's request attended service
at the little Westinghouse.
, Uzzell gained the title of aTht
Fighting Parson" by once taking
, off his coat and whipping squatte
who tried to preempt the land OF
J which the parsons church stood
!, He is now writing the life of hi
brother Charles, an evangelist al
, most as famous in the West Al
himself.-New York Sun.
Test Of q Rubber Coat.