The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-07-04
MILLIONS TAKEN OUT.
4 Bit of Montana Ground Which Gave Its
Owners Il Fortune.

4 Bit of Montana Ground Which Gave Its
Owners Il Fortune.
The;richest half acre of gold ground
ever known in the world is nov again
being brought into prominence. and
with it the shipment of gold dust to
the value of 81, POO. 900 in ordinary nail
kegs from the upper Missouri to St.
Joseph. Missouri. The story reads like
a romance. Il is brought up now by
the recent discoveries made in York
district in Montana. 1t is what Is
known as the Montana Bar, in COnfed-
crate gulch. about fourteen miles from
Helena. The luck of no other prospec-
tors has ever been equal 10 that of its
discoverers-George Z. Wright. James
Sullivan. Chris Fredericks and A. Nc
Oregon. 1t was in the spring of 1864.
The men were of the ordinary class OF
p~rospectors. embracing the different
grades of society. In their peregrina-
tions in search Of the precious metal
they ere struggling through the foot
hills on the east side Of the Missouri
river when by a lucky chance n Of
them picked up a handful of dirt on the
richest part OF the bar. 1t looked like
very common dirt, but if by washing it
showed even a color it would have been
cause for satisfaction as pickings had
been dry. His astonishment can be
imagined when out of the single shovel
full of dirt he washed about $40 in
coarse dust. He announced the dis
| covery to his companions in q somewhat
| excited manner and they at once made
another panning with the same result
Then they commenced work in earnest,
and by night had a pile Of dust and
nuggets that weighed u a value of
S2l. 900. They were up early the TEXT
morning, as early as they could see to
do anything. The first thing they did
was to properly locate all ground the
law allowed by driving stakes with the
usual posted notices. After that all
hands turned TO regular labor.
III IOCd1ltJ NUS IL q IcoillCo,
and their special location hidden by
natural distractions. so that they were
enabled to work without being disturb
ed. No one knew of the rich results
of their abors. Their needed supplies
were drawn from Helena. Whenever
they had to have anything. n of their
number went to that place. They had
some gold coin. and with this they made
all their purchases. The currency of the
country in those days was dust, but to
have used that would have been to
give away the fact that they had found
something. They took not only this but
other precautions to avert suspicion. A
log cabin was thrown up for their hab-
~itation, and under it the gold was hid
den away as rapidly as it was taken out
20 as to avoid even a chance observa-
ton. The pocket was of such unprece-
denied richness that in three months
they had accumulated 8! tons of gold,
mixed with the usual quantity of black
sand of course, and difficult of separat-
ion. They had worked but half an acre
OF ground. An idea of the richness can
be had from the fact that pure gold is
rated at $50 an ounce. The coarse gold
OF the Missouri river country runs
about SIG an ounce. This that they
had accumulated, dirt and all. went
about Sl2 an ounce.
1t is but a simple matter of mathe-
MATES to figure out what the 3! tons
would go. 1t was a very big fortune to
be divided among the four prospectors.
With all their dreams Of wealth they
had ever hoped for. and they began tc
For Sale.