The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-27

the sand beds near by had been washed
by the heavy rain storms and melting
snow until the pure gold could be seen
on the surface. When this sight met
the eyes of the prospectors they almost
wept for Joy Their Journey had been
one of frightful hardship, but they were
now rewarded. They arrived shortly
after open season" had set in, and
proceeded at once to reap the rich har-
vest which lay before them.
The richest of free ore lay imme-
diately at hand in the sand and gravel
of a bar which ran for a long distance
out into a small lake. The party work.
ed with feverish haste, taking out
nearly $1,000 in gold from the washings
each day. But they stayed too long
The richness of the ore tempted them.
and soon the 40 days of summer were
nearly over. Taking $4,000 worth of
gold flakes, they packed IL in bags and
hid the treasure in the locality. Then
each man tied up $4,000 in portable
form, and the three began their peril
Gus journey back to the coast 1t was
a case of tramping 1000 miles over
snow and ice; of weathering frightfuI
storms and fighting wild beasts and
munger. When the return trip was
put half completed, Tom and John,
their surnames being forgotten by
Mr.. Seldom, succumbed to hunger and
fatigue and could go no further.
wilson stayed with them until they
Doth died or fever and starvation, when
ne alone started again on the Journey
what food his dead friends had left he
TOOK with him but could not carry their
money. He determined, however. to
carry his own budget of 81. 600 or die
In the attempt. Wilson hardly remem-
oers how he made that trip, but does
know that he finally reached Bonner's
ferry, Idaho, and there weighed 3out
his gold. He left for Leadville with
$4,000 In gold, but. with the sworn dec
laration that he would never again at
tempt that awful journey. After drift
ing around the West and Southwest
in his capacity as a mine superintend-
emit ana mining expert, Wilson went to
johannesburg, South Africa, last De-
cember. leaving full description of the
Lost Rocker and how to reach IL. with
his brother-in-law, II. w. Seldom of
Minneapolis. He also detailed minutely
the exact location of the bodies of his
dead comrades.
Mr.. Seldom, with the exception of
Wilson himself, is now the only living
man who has this information. Hamii-
ton Gault, the western newspaper man
and one of the original party to dis
cover the Lost Rocker, last year at
tempted to arrange a searching party
from New York, but for some reasons
failed to do so. Even he does not know
the location of the two skeletons and
their gold; and, therefore, Mr. Seldom
considers that he is about the only
man in the world who could and would
head such an expedition successfully.
He intends to make up a party of about
20. Already he has 10 or II men in mind
whom he will take with him when he
goes, but, as Mr.. Seldom says, the men
who are to make trip of that charac-
ter must be picked out carefully They
must also have money enough to keep
them for a long time. There is no
money to be made until the destination
Is reached. Mr.. Seldom himself is an
experienced explorer and prospector in |
the West, and knows what hardship of |
this kind means. He is therefore not |
making any hurried preparations but |
when he starts he will be fully equip |
ped.
Mr.. Seldom, while at the 500 Line |
ticket office, stated that by this time |
next year he would be on his way to |
the Lost Rocker and his brother-in- |
Avs dead companions, whom he will, |
Of course, give a decent burial. 1t is |
possible that he may start in the next |
few months, but 1t is more likely that
he will wait until about the first of
next year.