The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-23
THE LOST koMsTockER.
A Rediscovered Mine Recalls the story
of II Crazy Swede's RieI, Find

a Rediscoyered Mine Recalls the story
of Crazy swede's Rich Find.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat
Mining regions can turn up more pc
culiar facts and romances and super
stltions than any other localities in the
world, for the reason that all classes
ana conditions of men bump elbows with
one another in booming mining camp"
said y. O. Hardesty of Denver
Last summer there was boom in
Whisky Park, and there was a rush of
miners and prospectors to locate claims.
During the excitement a man of the
name of Martin pushed out several miles
ahead Of Whisky Park, and while pros
peeting one day found a pile Of rocks
that attracted his attention ON account
OF the peculiar way in which they had
been arranged. The rocks bore the APP
pearance Of having been piled together
by the hand of man. Martin began to
investigate, and he removed but a few
rocks until he found an old shaft This
old shaft had been abandoned and the
top covered with this pile OF rocks 1t
was evident from other reasons that
seme man had covered the shaft, as the
rocks bore pick marks The SHOWS of
many winters had been melting in the
mountains and washing down debris
that had almost filled this shaft to the
surface. Further investigation proved
that this old shaft had been sunk on an
extensive lead, and that Il had been fill
ed and abandoned, after much money
had been spent In development work
Near by was also found large pile of
mining timbers, rotted down partly to
dust heap. but still showing signs of
having been carefully stacked. III was
estimated that Il would take at least
30 years for a pile of mining timbers to
ROT IN this way. Therefore the concln-
sion was drawn that this mine had not
been worked for so years Then the
questions arose: What was the name of
The mine Whose property was it?
Why was it abandoned2 Did this old
shaft lead TO great riches?
sof course the accidental discovery of
the pile Of rocks. the finding of the old
shaft and the pile of mining timbers ere
ated much gossip throughout the dis
triet. The old-time miners, sitting
around their camp fires at night re-
Nised the story Of the lost Householder.
and II is an interesting story Of the pl-
neer days Of Colorado IL is a sad story |
OF poor, lonely Swede in search of
gold. The name of this .swede is not
known. He made his appearance in |
Wyo., soon after the Union |
racine railroad was completed. Every /
body considered him To he slightly daft. |
ana ne was the butt for the jokes of the I
rough miners and frontlersnen. He was
called the crazy Swede.' lie was a be-
lever III spirituaiism, and as he had
eten an old employee on the Comstocls
ode he declared that the spirits had in
ormed him that he would be the dis
'aNefer al mine far richer than that
ode lie thoroughly believed that he
would find another 'Komstocker' as he
IMPRESSED it in Ills Ole Olsen dialect
The Sweae had saved several hundred
iollars by hard work and economy, and
he purchased pony and IA camping
ntht ana disappeared in the noun
tn q 4.
'een IN that section. he declared that
he spirits had given him secret infof-
nation. All he would tell was that the
nTlis said he would find a rich gold
nine 10 The south IF Rawlins, toward
ne lfahn's peak country. in Colorado.
mere gold had been newly discovered
he SWede dropped out Of sight and
e was almost forgotten in the IRISH and
hange OF the pioneer towns.
hnt the following spring, after the |
Mede had been absent one year he
anne 10 Rawlins one day. and his pony
as loaded down with bags Of rich ore.
Ie was extremely secretivc, but dronned |
ne remark that he had found his .kom-
ocker, as he called IL. He sold his ore.
ought new supplies and two more
9nles. The word Went around that the
ray Swede' had struck II rich, and
lere was much eNeitsment among the
liners, The Swede WAS watched as the
liners and prospectors intended 10 fol-
" him when he left town. but he was
lrewd enough to divine their intentions
I'D he elud-d his watchers. Nobody
'utd find his trail, TIE next fail
amber 81 cowboys iii a roundup near
le present location Of Dixon, WNo..
und the carcasses Of a saddle pony.
I'D Two pack animals, and also found
ie saddles. They We're identified as the
'aperty OF the Swede The Swede was
Yer seen or heard Of after he left
awlins the last time. Ii is supposed
at he was murdered Years afterwarl
e old miners in that section still told 1
e story Of the lost Comsteeker. New O
z story Of the poor Swede Is revived
nee Martins discovery" Q