The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-07-04

think about ''realizing'' and of getting
back to civilization. There was anOth-
Ell reason for this also. The water in
the small stream in the gulch was get
ting very low. and their operations
were consequently or less handi-
capped. After duly discussing the
matter they decided to get out. 1t was
one thing t determine to leave and ii
very different one to do so. Finally one
of the fOur went to Helena and secured
a covered freight wagon with a four
horse team. Fearing that the purchase
of bags Or the usual receptacles for gold
dust would betray their secret. he drove
to the rear of a hardware tore where
he loaded up about about twenty empty
nail kegs with all the loose heads he
could find. With these he drove back
to the cabin on the bar. The idea of
carrying the dust in the nail kegs was
a novel me-. The kegs of course had
to be lined with whatever material was
at hand. This was finally done and at
the end of the end of the week the dust
was packed in kegs and the latter Sc
curely bound with thrOngs of raw hide.
This was only one problem. The great
est one was before them. Fort Benton,
12O miles north, was the head of navi-
cation, but the boating season was end
ed and the only other outlet was Salt
Lake. 500 miles south, over a road in
tested by highwaymen Of the most des-
perate character. 1t was clearly out
of the question.
1t had been a~scertained during this
time that the treasure had a value of
about s l,2O0, 600. 1t was finally, after
a great deal of elaboration, decided to
take the nail kegs to Fort Benton and
there construct a light draught raft or
tiat-boat that would 60 over the shallow
places and with it float down the Mis-
souri, to St. Joseph. This idea was car
ried out, though only after several
startling experiences. One of the men
returned to his native country, Ger
many. married a bankers daughter,
and succeeded to a profitable business.
The others disappeared completely and
were not heard from again.
After the departure OF the discover.
ers a stampede to the Confederate
gulch set in. Many good friends were
made. In one instance. an Irishman
who had just staked Off a claim and ex-
~perimentally found good prospects, was
bantered by a by-stander who owned a
couple of pack horses for a trade. This
was quickly agreed to and in a few
weeks the new owner took out dust to
the value of $50. 600. Another claim
which yielded $4,000 was bought with
a Colts revolver.
The total yield of the gulch was then
in excess of 5000, 600. All of the
culches called ravines in the east, Op'
ened to the Missouri river for a dis.
lance of 90 miles below it's three main
tributaries were very rich in gold and
many millions of dollars were recover.
ed. The old bars left by the receding
water were the most profitable but the
opinion prevails that if the water OF
the river could be reverted so that the
bottom ground could be washed at
least $500, 600, 600 would be the reward,
or, as n old placer miner residing in
that section puts it "There is enough
gold there to load a steamboat"
Last Chance gulch is n of those
which seems 10 give foundation for the
possibility extravagant idea of this old
miner. 1t is one in which Helena is
located. 1t has yielded $50, OOO, 600 and
in every direction for a distance of sc
miles the ground seems to be impreg.
mated with placer gold.-Philipsburg
, Mail.