New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-13
THE FOUNDER OF CREEDE.
ROMANTIC STORY OF A WESTERN MINERS
LIFE


LIFE
Creole, Col. March 5-Probably the least excited
man In this most remarkable mining town Il ". c.
Creole. the man after whom IL Is named.
IL am an Indlanlan by blHh.7 he said the Other
day 10 correspondent OF The ST. Louis Globe Demo
cra' when asked 10 tell tho story Of his life.
born Mt Fort Wayne, that STATE In 1s43. Ny parents
took me to Iowa whom two years Old and have
never been east Of the Mississippi since In 1862,
when was nineteen, / volunteered In the United
states Army, and for seven years served a scout
with the Pawnees. l received the pay Of q first Bcu-
tenant, though / held rank. | went all through
Nebraska. Colorado, Wyoming Montana and the Rad
Lands Of the Dskotas In the early days. was In tho
Black HIS before gold was discovered. and when I
heard OF that excitement It set thinking about
my lost opportunities began to talk 10 everybody
met who / thought had any knowledge OF minerals.
and By this means picked up sufficient knowledge 10
tell silver and gold float when them. But I've
never bothered much with gold-it's too uncertain.
left the Army in 1850, and have been climbing over
the mountains in the West ever since. | usually
took man along with me. though often | could get no
for love money to accompany me. | have
staid In the mountains long the would let
me. and many times | have gone for months without
seeing q humsn being.
Twice have lad pneumonia way mp In these
mountains. Luckily had a npanon each time. or
wouldn't be here TO tell you about IL. Ny last attack
was ABOUT eighteen months ago. ana IL came Very
finishing me. We were fourteen miles from tho
nearest doctor. That's a good long distance In tho
mountains. My companion had TO 90 for the ply
sican, and l was left alone entire night
How suffered thought a million poisoned Indian
arrows were piercing my breast at once. Finally.
when the doctor did reach he had only a shsckiy
old farm wagon. without springs. 10 carry me to
wason-whoel Gap. II | hadn't keenly realized tho
danger and by my efforts propped myself up in the
wagon the ride would have killed After two
months OF close and attention pulled through.
You SEQ what shspe I'm in II tie pne'imona
strikes me again I'm goner.
In May. $780, struck float on the sfde OF
Mammoth Mountain. I tied my burros and began %
follow n. climbed the mountain along tho trail OF
the float all day. The sun was beating down me.
and the CLINT of the 1oat under my feet was binding
Just when the western sky tinged with that
gorgeous red see here sometimes lifted my head
and there was protesting out in front Of me- In inviting
shape. huge bowlder of scate. big house. That's
where the float had followed all day came from.
God God almost screamed with delight. knew
II was bound TO come some day. but the idea OF find
ing It In such shape was appalling 20 me. But. u
make q long story short stahcd IL OF, and Il
mine. named II the Mammoth. When | went back
to my camp that night I slept hadn't for months
before. knew there must be Of il close around.
and kept at work for month. until In Juno found
the Ethel. As TO the Holy Moses, about which the
newspapers have weaved many fairy tales. found
ard located IL the second day after striking the float
Tho CHI Is on the same vein. They are both IN
Campbell Mountain. ! gave IL the name Holy Moses
simply because like odd names
In August, 1891, two Germans named Theodore
ReinDger and Julius Haas began prospecting on
Bachelor Mountain Just the eide q the gulch
from Campbell Mountain. was In there at the time
They located the Last Chance within twenty fOIi
feet Of the Amethyst. which discovered. They arr
the same vein. which j. undoubtedly the richest
We have yet struck. ] think the richest mineral re
gon in this district is about four miles long by twelve
vide. These all hs,ure veins The true nssurc
such as We have here. Is the powerful Of all for
nations You can trace them further The formation
at Lsadve is blanket. There the silver Is found In
limestone and pophyry. Here it Is between porphyry
and rrachyie.'
How much do you expect TO realize out OF your
finds -
oh. | can't estimate It now" replied Mr. Creole
with nonchalant air. Il have tive partners Gap
tain l.. f. Campbell and Colonel Dave Monat. They
grub stiked me and share equally. | suppose my
labor cost them $500 each In the next two months
my income will be at least 1000 day The Hob
Moses pans out 80 ounces TO the ton and the Amethyst
100 We make clear profit of 300 a car on Holy
Moses and $500 a on Amethyst. since October We
have shipped $50 cars. and have Yet done stop
ping"
What are you going To do with all this money!
Creede with a cynical smile, said Well. reckon
I'll lind q place for it. There's my nephew, sherman
Fifer, he's about the best friend I've got. don't
want him 10 grow up Like did-wthout any educs
ton. III send him to school before he gets too old.
l want him to be lawyer | don't whether I've
pracuses or not Just 30 he learns enough law 70
know what my rights are is all care for
"Oh, have travelled. Didn't tell you that had
been al over Coi,sado, wyoming, Nebraska Montana
have seen went out TO California two or three
years ago. ana back BY way of Arizona ana New
through the southern states. 1 don't know much
about the negroes and want TO zee how they i've down
pretty big towns. and may go there on my southern
Eg,,. ,,,, ~, u,, 10 On % rn,on.,.
What DO want 10 90 30 Europe for They haven't
"Rsns s and sorg sss ana valleys s Axe hsss
these mountains ard tho fun OF hsntng TOR speckcd
IN tSsss ne ssa OF ap Ts
air here. too, Is 80 b'aens that don't know how
pecors have rushed 10 here lately but stand Just a.
sop Ss ' of m or es tines and NAV be " ssa d
better by staying here and looking after 1t. oh no.
along pretty well so far. and have the utmost con.
ndchce Captain Campbell who Is managing the prop
know he ro Se Yu have mo- bad Ss sSs ana ana
BY taxing care Of myself expect 70 i've a long time
nasty stuff: As for gambling at any same. never did
make a fool OF myself It's true never made much
money before. but have always done better than
nlnetenths Of prospectors I located the Monarch
district, twenty miles from Salda fourteen years aep
only got 5000 for that but that was enough u
Tide Over hard times also located the BonansS
Cam p. and sold the Twin Lode thcre for $4,000,
And 40 ths strange man prattled along about HIM
self a. frankly and simply a child. He doesnst
realize that there Is great money-mad world with IL
eyes feverlshly set on his romantic mountain homo.
and that his every movement Is watched and noted by
men who now command millions. which have servoi
only 10 whet their appetites for more nor that there
Are thousands of envious and hungry devil, who ars
only too anxious to follow In his wake Ike the ackals
that crngo In the tracks Of the Numidian lion tha4
they may pick ohe remnants and scraps left On -