Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1899-08-25
TOUGH LUCK.
Mike O'Brisn Last Seen In the River
Struck IL Rich. nut was Drowned

Mike O'BrIsn Last Seen IN the River
struck II Rich, hut was Drowned.
'"The stories OF prosperity In the
land are good enough, and allow that
there are good reasons for the same;
but now and then, gentlemen, you will
hear bit of hard luck individually,
and where you can't understand why
it should be So"
The speaker was a Western man.
He was encouraged to tell any story
he had in mind to prove his assertion
And this Is what he said:
There was the case of Mike O'Brien
i'm the country where | lived. He went
into the mines with pick and shovel,
and after the usual experience he
struck II rich, and had about settled
down to take things easy for the bal
anCe OF his life. Last summer young
kinsmnn of Mikes, n tenderfOOt, went
ont to get Mike to teach him how to
become n miner Mike dropped all his
own interests and went with the
yOungSter into the hills, where there
Is that hard but free life which man
finds nowhere else in this world. The
two went prospecting where few white
men had ever been. They staked
claims and dug shafts and found fa-
vornble indications. one day while
they were engaged digging n shaft the
tcndcrfoot accidentally smashed Mike !
right hand with Il sledgc. Blood pOiS-
uuing was threatened. Many a weary
mile lay between the hill where they
were and civilization, but they started
out to the hot springs to get relief. For
a long time Mike was unable to work,
and when he got well he was down to
hard pan. II was about the time when
all our country was making a stam-
ppdu for the Buffalo Hump country
Mike, however, was little too late to
get In with the rush. After every
body else had gone Mike and two OF
his friends who were also too late to
get I'm the stampede, went away to-
gcthrr without saying anything about
their destination. They were gone all
summer and part of the fall. When
they came back they had news of Il
wonderful strike; they had rich mill
ing gold ore. The strike was away up
on the Salmon River The men laid in
supply of grub for the winter and re
turned to the country and put I'm Il
winters work. They realized more
than they expected After they had
settled all doubts as to the richness Of
the mine one of the partners, Il man
named Smith, came down and closed Il
deal for a bond to syndicate for
S4OOOOO. Mike O'Brien's interest in
this negotiation was $4,000. 1t was
necessary for him to come down from
I the mountains 40 sign papers to get
| his money. and after the hard knocks
Mike had this $4,000 was fortune
/ TO him.
"The journey from the mines to the
I town where Mike was to 20 Is made
| on the Salmon River. In some places
/ the stream is swift, deep and treach
/ erOus -Four men We're i'm the boat
| After they had gone some distance
/ they met man whose business was
| boating freight. After a parley this
/ man agreed If they would help hin
! with heavy load which he was lining
up stream he would bring them bach
! over the treaCherOus waters free OF
! charge. When they came to n boiling
and ugly place in the stream the boa
/ CapsiZcd. Two of the occupants sanl
at once and were seen no more.
third occupant struggled and was res
! Cupd. while Mike O'Brien was carried
out by the current, and in spite of hii
! deSpliriug cry, he disappeared, hands
| uu. Mike had one child. "A daughter
his share OF the deal whenever she II
] found: but. gentlemen, | submit to yOl
/ that the prosperity of the country die
| mt do poor Mike O'Brien much good
| He went down right i'm sight of 1t. an,
after he had worked mighty hard Il
reach the point from which he saw
| it"