Evening journal., 1899-08-09
VROurke'S Lucky Mule
Found o Rich Nine. and Lived Ia
Clover Thereafter.


SeSef0sessN9
DHIL O'ROURKE'S lucky mule de-
rived more benefit from the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan mine than any Of the
men who have owned it. Ever since its
discovery a long chain Of events, in
cluding the destruction of the mill BY
dynamiters a few days ago, have de-
stroyed the profits Of operating what
should be one Of the richest mines in
the Coeur d'Alene district
Wild as the Kootenai country is now,
it has undergone many changes since
Sullivan and O'Rourke went prospect
ing over it less than 20 years ago. At
that time Chief Saltese and his Occur
d'Alene Indians did not tale4lkindly TO
the white trespassers, and warlille
Sioux were not infrequent visitors TO
the region. Now and then a wandering
band of Crees were encountered and
thieving Gros Ventres stole many a
prospector's outfit. The Indians have
given way TO white men not less dam
gerous, but no one prospects in the
Coeur d'Alene district now. All the
country has been carefully examined
and it is seldom that new bodies Of ore
are found.
Not far from Knobknoster, Mo-,
O'Rourke was brought up on q farm.
Ills generous disposition gained for him
/ the reputation Of a spendthrift. 1t was
predicted that he would "never have
nothin'," and this prediction was con-
firmed when he traded a valuable gold
watch for an undersized bally mule.
Indeed, it was this transaction as much
as anything else that induced him TO
convert all his worldly goods into cash
and set out, leading the mule, for the
far west, where the reputation Of
neither himself nor the mule was
known. Irish sansitiveness caused him
to leave at night. 1t was a week before
the neighborhood knew he had gone.
Years afterward, when he went back
with gold enough to buy any ten farms
in that part Of Missouri, he and the
younger generation had many a laugh
over the comments his departure had
caused.
The trail to the west was a main tray-
eled road in those days, and before long
O'Rourke fell in with another Irish
man, named Sullivan, who had spent "A
number of years at mining in Colorado.
With only a vague conception of his
destination, O'Rourke agreed TO accom-
pany Sullivan. to the Coeur d'Alenes,
which country was just beginning TO
be heard of. The two men met with
many misfortunes. Sullivan's horses
died. They harnessed the little mule
and tried to make him take the place
of one of the horses, but he would not
pull. He would carry a pack on his
back quite cheerfully, but When hitched
to a vehicle he would not pull pound.
Sullivan wanted the satisfaction Of kill
ing him, and O'Rourke at one time con-
sented. but changed his mind before
the execution took place. When they
reached Walla Walla, all that was left
OF their possessions was the mule and
one team. They sold the horses and
tried to sell the mule, but no one would
buy him; so they bought some provi-
sions and loaded them on his back
Then they set out for the Kootenai hills
The mule soon learned to follow them
like a dog. He needed no driving OF
leading, and the patient, unobtrusiye
manner In which he plodded along bear.
ing the beans, coffee and bacon soon
made the men forget his former short
: comings. IL was early in the spring
when they started. All summer they
tramped over the hills. Now and ther
they would find traces of silver, but
nothing to warrant nny work
, O'Rourlze, after the first month, learned
to pass by piece of mica without pick
5 ing it up and shouting that he had founC
e a silver mine. The first snow Of th'
I year had fallen, and the two men were
5 slowly making their way out Of thu
e hills. All Of their provisions excep
p salt and coffee had run out and the,
} were living on venison, coffee and salt
Lack of food and constant companion
ship made the men querulous. Every
suggestion made by one was prompt.
/ vetoed by the other. In this way eacl
/ began to think more of the mule. HI
= was generally only short distance
4 away from the campfire hunting pa
e tiently for the tufts Of grass that sprani
n up between the rocks. After a quarre
n one of the men always hunted up tn
Q mule and made a confdant of hin
e while the other moodily stirred tn
campfire and made a mental survey o
4 the shortest route back to civilization
= Late in September one evening tn
" men went into camp on a hillside. Tn
Is mule was relieved of his pack saddl
d and turned loose. There was no veni
, son. Two rabbits. food which ever
plainsman despiscr. were all they kN