Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-02-04
] ] HaFdins Lucky Thirteen. !
) NJ" LIE OLD MAN STRUCK 1T RICH
) III IWo-BIT GULCH.
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I EVERYBODY who knovs tho .,,,,n,


sack Hills, about 2h miles southeast
oi Dendwood. Near it are mines that
na,e made that country famous and
sneir owners rich beyond the telling.
two and half miles west of the Gulch |
Is the Homestead, the richest gold mine
IN the world. About the same distance
q 70 the south of it are the Wasp, Two
Bear and Golden Crest mines, and
niue more than three miles to The north
are the Polo Creek mines. Each of
.hese mines has its story, told so often
oy the argonauts of the Hills that the
tales have become part Of history's me.
mortal OF The gold fields.
In all the fact and fiction of Ameri-
can mining comps, however there is
nothing more romantic than the history
OF lwo-Bit Gulch. And there is no
better illustration of what tenaciously
sticking to one thing will do for man
than is to be found in the life of old
Jim Hardin, who is as much a part of
Iwo-Bit as Two-Bit is part of the
H.ack Hills. The history OF the Gulch
ana the man shows, moreover, that 13
Is not always a hoodoo. Had it not
been for the wonderful happenings in
the Gulch during the past few months,
little, perchance, would have been
known of 1wo-Bit's history or Of the
history of Hardin, who for 90 years has
seen miners stake out claims near his
own, only to abandon them for other
nnd richer ones, leaving the pioneer of
the Gulch undisturbed in his faith that
If he waited long enough he would find
riches where he and others had all but
starved. Very few know the story even
new, for those who know it best are
disinclned TO say much about it, and
it now finds its way into print for the
first time.
Twenty years ago, when the news
of rich finds of gold were attracting
men to the Black Hills, James d. Hardin
followed the trail that others had beat
en- from southern Colorado to the hills.
He had not concluded hastily to fol-
lew the fortunes of miner, and when
he did start out, therefore, he burned
all his bridges behind him. He was not
young man then, and he had wife
and two young sons. These he took
with him. Once in the hills, Hardin
prospected for a time, and finally
dropped down in Two-Bit Gulch. The
place was a little ravine among the
hills, through which wandered creek.
a few miners cabins and place where
bad whisky was sold, dignified by the
appelation Of hotel, was all there was
TO remind one that the Gulch was a
place Of human habitation.
1t was called Two-Bit Gulch because
a disgusted miner had once said that
claim there might be worked for a
month and not more than two bits
(25 cents) would be realized from the
labor. Such a prospect didn't discour-
age Hardin, however There was water
there and game not far away to be
had for the shooting, and so he staked
out claim on the banks of the creek
built cabin for his family, and went
to work at placer mining. 1t was not
easy work, and the gold that he washed
Welded only bare living. Hardin
kent at it, however, and as his two boys
grew older they took their hand at the
pan.
In other parts of the hills rich strikes
were reported from time to time, and
Hardn's neighbors pulled up stakes anc
went In the direction from whence the
reports came. Hardin was popular il
rbe Gulch, because he was fearless ant
because he was honest. Therefore
when the other miners went where for
trne's smiles were said to be kindliel
tbev tried to persuade Hardin to g
With them. But he only shook his head
making to all the same reply;
"No; I'm going to stick by the Cullen
cho,s civen me a living so far, and
oross more'n that wouldn't be OF mucl
nse anywhere. You go along, though
l,ovs and better luck to you than yo'
found here"
And so they went. When they hat
none Hardin, growing older and graye
9th the years, appropriated the claim
- +ao deserters and added them to hi
own After time Hardin became pos
oossod in this way of great part OF al
Tho land in the Gulch. When aske'
hat he expected to do with his hold
,rrs he would say:
"some day I'll strike lead that VII
ostonish some folks. Then Jim nar
An will be called a wise man for SUCK
ing to Two Bit" A.
70 MI who asked him to leave IN
c.',oh and seek a new field, Hardin
onswer was always the same mos
~ IT, hoard it felt a kindly sympath
WY wv tho old man, but they tapped thei
10, ,a5a % and looked knowingly at one an
thor What he said was considereu D
t%n miners as the harmless ravings G
Iie ~ who had gradually lost his min
i ,tbe years that he had washed gol
~ mo side of the creek that move
~ oSS,.ouc,, the gulch. In time, haruih p'
iiwou Irown all through the hills a
Cray sclT Jim Hardin Of Two-Dl. II, ualsn es,,
Things continued thus nntil nnail nie
Inns uordin was obliged to sacrific
= part of his property 10 aascoJ sa,,sry u bel
Lain that a man in Deaowopu nt, s.,
omainst him. This came near ,o,e oneasim ~,
"ga'o aga old mans heart. For a long ,I hlm
the olu - no couldn't sleep ut nigh
al aitermo w.t. that he had to give up pal
Ine u -. iaI holdings didn't bother the o.
OF MS D ,nuch as the possibility th'
man man 50 tbe npar part s. sacrificed might be di
upon pJ W me untold riches that he WI
coyer1o Iov beneath the surface in tt
,.icinity Of Two-Bit Guich.
III could only get g,i a niue Tue "Insy aT eon1
dig with" Hardin would whsye iny # IS uu ar