The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-29
Special Correspondence OF the Standard.

Tloneers OF Montana, which VIII as
semble at Virginia City next Tuesday
evening, will doubtless be the most
notable one in the history of the So
ciety, not only because it will be the
first of the yearly gatherings of the
trail-blazers and founders of the ''glor-
ious commonwealth of Montana" to be
called together in the ancient capital of
the territory, but, also. because it will
be held within sight of the spot upon
which was made the grandest discovery
of gold-bearing placers recorded in an
cient or modern history--a discovery
beside which all the other magnificent
finds in Montana and other auriferous
fields must pale their Intellectual fires"
and sink almost to inslgnificance. 1t
may hardly be disputed that, however
much be due to subsequent develop
ment of the wonderful resources of the
state, the real foundation of the prog
rees of the last third of a century was
laid when the now dead and gone ad-
venturer, William Fairweather and
his half dozen companions halted in
Alder gulch when fleeing from the at
chasing them for several days in the
spring of 1853 Many and varied have
been the versions of the story of their
adventures which have found their
way into print, and many vivid imag-
nations have been taxed to the utmost
limits of ingenuity to fittingly describe
the thrilling events which attended the
journeyings of the gold seekers on that
memorable excursion. The Standard
reporter will not try to reconcile these
apocryphal relations, but merely give a
plain. unvarnished recital of the dis
covery and its results, with a few in
cidents which marked the career of the
famous discoverer who was the central
figure of the group, and his subse-
quent death and burial within view of
the place where the stroke of his pick
broke the virgin soil of the gulch
which was destined within the next
quarter of a century to yield nearly a
hundred millions of golden dollars to the
wealth of the nation and the world.
How near the famous explorer came to
being buried in a pauper's grave in
stead of being inferred with all the
pomp and pageantry this community
was capable of creating "a years ago
will be related further along in this
narrative.
Discovering the Guleh.
OF all the published accounts Of the
discovery of Alder gulch the most sue
cinct and reliable is contained in CEN
tenniai address delivered in Virginia
City on July A. 1876, in response to a
proclamation of the president of the
United States, calling upon the people
of the nation to assemble on the CEN
tennial anniversary of the national
birthday at their country towns and
public places and listen to addresses
and orations upon the history of their
oil
porter has no hesitancy in passing this
judgment upon Judge Blake's nara
ton, being personally cognizant of the
painstaking care which the judge be-
slowed upon its preparation. especially
in establishing the authenticity of the
data unon which it was founded, most
of which was obtained from Henry Ed
gar, one of the discoveries, who is ex-
pected to be present at Tuesdays gath
ering
The exploring party, which originally
consisted of eight men, viz: William
Fairweather, Barney Hughes, Michael
Sweeney, Henry Edgar, Thomas w
Cover, Lewis Simmons, George Orr and
Harry Rodgers, left Bannack on the
morning of Feb. a. 1868, with the in
tention of joining a company of Is. un-
der command of James Stuart, which
was organized in Deer Lodge for the
purpose of exploring the ranges of
mountains In the vicinity of the Big
Horn and Yellowstone rivers. The
members of the Bannack party were
attacked near BoZeman by Crow In
dams, who robbed them of all their
effects except their arms and ammuni-
ton, which they steadfastly refused to
surrender, traded them poor and
worthless horses for the valuable ami
mails which they bestrode and packed,
seized upon Simmons rs a hostage for
the fulfilment of promise to leave the
country and not return, and then, to
ensure their departure. the redskins
attacked and drove the adventures
until they had forded the Gallatin and
Madison rivers and were well beyond
the limits of the Crow nation on their
way back to Bannack, from whence
they had started nearly four months
previously.
The seizure of Simmons as a hostage
reduced the number of the refugees to
EXPERIMENTATION, Cover. Hughes, Ed
gar, Sweeney and Rodgers--George
Orr having remained in the Deer Lodge
valley while the rest of the Bannack
party travelled eastward. 1t is widely
believed that Orr was one of the Alder
gulch discoveries. but this is a mis-
take, as he stayed in Deer Lodge val
ley as above stated (See Vol. II. Re
ports Hist Soc. of Mont. p. S0).
Being driven into the mountains Of
GERS who were in sorry plight from the
effects OF their encounters with the saw
ages, and almost destitute Of provis-
ions. were impelled to push forward
by the continual fear of the pursuing
indians, and crossed over into Alder
gulch by what is now known as Wig
wan creek. and soon found in the dense
growth Of alder and other shrubbery a
sufficient concealment from their enc
mics and protection from any attack
that might be contemplated by their
following foe. They selected a suitable
place for picketing their horses, and
four of them went out for that pur-
pose. leaving Edgar and Fairweather
in charge of the camp. While engaged
In this duty. on a spot about mile
southwest of the present site of Viz
Einia CITY, the two men in camp made
The world renowned find" The Stand
ard reporter will relate the circum-
stance as it was told to Judge Blake by
Henry Edgar and retold by him in the
address above mentioned:
As Edgar Told 1t.
"It was the 2Sth of May, and Fair
frRFl n Inn 4 u C