The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1894-05-04
STORY OF A LOST MINE.
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That in i've brief words tells ! story
which 10 hardly eonesitablei 4; is q
STANCE ID the old talsI told IL book1
Of the lost city Of the lncai. Il ID =
strange ii the weird tales which hunt
en- told around camphres when West.
ward, hol" WAS In every man mind,
the days when Montana was almost I
myth 70 every Eastern person.
Yet the story which was 20 often
told then 10 now reality. The story
Of the hunters Of The far West was TO
the, eject that hidden lomewheri
within the fistnsssss d thu Rocky
Mountains was gold mine which was
so rich that any one connected with 1t,
could II be found; was sure 10 make q
great fortune. IL
The mine had been originally dis
covered by = miner who was in search
Of golden fortune, but he had in the
most romantic way lost 1t, and what
was far more tragic, had lost his life at
the same time.
In 1859 two men lived In Montana
territory. They were great chums. II
one man had money, both had money.
II ono man staked . claim, each staked
. slain. II II was within the province
Of one nan to get into = fight, his
partner was sure 70 got into fight,
too. And 20 they lived together just
- happy and about - Needless - the
birds, which, By the way, do not live
fhs two friends we're II. 5. shsr.rd
and VIM. e. Snow, two young men who
haa then drifted West 10 the hopes Of
making ! fortune. But they did not
make II As rapidly Is they hoped. They
tried both quarts and placer mining,
but neither effort was highly success
full, and In 1863 they found themselves
together At point in the vastness Of
the Rocky Mountains where the thriv-
ing city Of Great Falls now stands, on
the line Of the Great Northern Rail
way, which runs now from that pleas
ant city to the Pacific coast. But in
those days there was no railroad. There
was no thriving city, either, and in
stead there was wild country which
the foot Of . white man hardly ever
trod.
The two men had their measre stock
Of provisions which was packed" by
4 patient burro or donkey, Is we'll Is
their blankets and q few utensils with
which they managed 10 cook them.
They had left Helena, Montana, more
than four months before 70 prospect
for gold in this country; and had really
had no fortune at all.
So one fair November day Snow
said to Sherard that no guessed he
would try to see whether he could not
get some game for their joint dinner,
and 20 shouldered his gun and went
hunting for rabbits add sSSe hcns
ShefArd remained in camp to keep
guard, IS there we're Indians about in
the wild country who, while supposed
to DO friendly, liked nothing better
than . white mans scalp.
Snow climbed steadily up mountains
and through canons for several miles,
but game he did not see. Every Jack.
rabbit in the territory seemed ID have
gone to vote In the British possessions
for annexation possibly. Every sage
hen, too. seemed to have Joined in q
convention, and to have passed . rcso.
luton not TO be shot.
At last, weary and angry, Snow
climbed mountain peak that lowered
in the air 5000 feet above the se,
level. About half way up the noun.
tain's summit no sat down disgustsd
over the scarcity Of game. Al he sal
resting himself he began chipping
away at . rock near his elbow with the
butt Of his gun. He managed u
chip . piece OF the rock, and with q
miners instinct picked Il up 10 sx.
anime it.
Great seottl" he exclaimed, at Is
gold quarts"
And 80 il was. Tho piece tina.
Snow had Clipped from the rock
weighed possibly Eve pounds, and WAS
almost mass Of solid gold. Back be
hurried and informed his partner,
Sherard, Of the lucky End.
Together the two jubilant men 70.
turned to tho scene and quickly pre-.
empted, under the mining laws Of
Montana, the vast treasure which they
had so strangely discovered. After
marking the spot, % they thought, 80
that they could End II again, and
naming the prospective mine "Gil,
EDGE" they started back to Hslens
with the nugget Of half quartz and hall
gold which Snow had frat discovered,
and . half dozen others equally - rich
which they gathered from the ledge.
3. At Helena these few pieces yielded
some 5000. But they kept their
secret we'll. There was little use re.
turning to the mine while the snow
lay heavy on the mountains, 80 they
decided 70 wait until the following
spring before paying . second visit 70
the Gilt Edge mine, which they right.
Iy dreamed would make them million.
aires.
When April. 1864, came, Snow
began telling his partner that IL va.
time TO start 70 their mine. In fact,
for . month prior To that time there
had been great many words between
tho two partners, - Snow Was 90 snx.
ious TO again sec his possessions that
no wished to risk tho extreme cold
and deep snow Of . Montana winter
before the spring sun had made trav.
cling easy.
ut will bs suicide TO try to reach
tho mine before june" argued 6hsr.
ard
II am going to risk IT," replied
Snow. II will 50 ahead and you can
Join me In juno"
Sherard saw his partner ride sway
on April II, 1864, for the great Oil
Edge mine. When June came he fol.
lowed his partner, but did not Apd
him. Neither did hs End the Gil,
Edge mine, for tho snow, storms and
wind that swept over the spot where
Nka ntts EI-. ...t.. IL 4