Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-06-21
O'Rourke'S Lucky Mule
Found Rich Mine, and Lived in
Clover Thereafter.
DILL OROURKE's lucky mule de-
t&A7{S<AatatataSSsstS,

DILL O'ltOURKE'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 it's
discovery a long chain of events, in
Guiding 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 Occur 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 SaltEee and his Occur
d'Aleue indians did not take kindly to
the white trespassers, and warlike
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 dan
gerous, but no one prospects in the
Occur 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, NO.,
O'Rourke was brought up on a farm.
His generous disposition gained for him
the reputation of spendthrift. 1t was
predicted that he would never have
nothin'," and this prediction was con-
firmed when he traded valuable gold
watch for an understood balky mule.
Indeed, it was this transaction as much
as anything else that induced him 10
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 sensitiveness caused him
to leave at night. 1t was 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 laugh
over the comments his departure had
caused.
The trail to the west was main trav-
eled road in those days, and before long
O'Rourke fell in with another Irish
man, named Sullivan, who had spent
number of years at mining in Colorado.
With only a vague conception of his
destination, O'Rourke agreed to accom-
pany Sullivan to the Occur 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 pack on his
back quite cheerfully, but when hitched
to vehicle he would not pull a pound.
Sullivan wanted the satisfaction of kill
ing him, and ORourke at one time con-
scented, but changed his mind before
the execution took place. When they
reached Nalla 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.
lie SOOu W 1OAlO" tACAA
like dog. He needed no driving or
leading, and the patient, unobtrusive
manner in which he plodded along bear
ing the beans, coffee and bacon soon
made the men forget his former short
comings. 1t was early in the spring
when they started. All summer they
tramped over the hills. Now and then
they would find traces of silver, but
nothing to warrant any work.
O'Rourke, after the first month, learned
to pass by piece of mica without pick
ing it up and shouting that he had found
a silver mine. The first snow of the
year had fallen, and the two men were
slowly making their way out of the
hills. All of their provisions except
salt and coffee had run out and they
were living on venison, coffee and salt.
Lack of food and constant companion
ship made the men querulous. Every
suggestion made by one was promptly
vetoed by the other. In this way each
began to think more Of the mule. He
was generally only short distance
away from the campfire hunting pa
tiently for the tufts of grass that sprang
up between the>rocks. After quarrel
one of the men always hunted up the
mule and made confidant of him
while the other modify stirred the
campfire and made mental survey of
the shortest route back to civilization.
Late in September one evening the
men went into camp on hillside. The
mule was relieved Of his pack saddle
and turned loose. There was no veni-
son. Two rabbits, food which every
plainsman despises, were all they had
for supper. In their hurry to get out of
the hills before snowstorm should inn
prison them the men had not stopped
since morning. Theywere tired and hun
cry. Not far away mountain stream
flowed swiftly down the hillside and
Sullivan after supper was trying to
catch fish. O'Rourke was lying by
the fire smoking his pipe and wonder
ing how man could be so foolish as to
try to catch the wariest of all the finny
tribe when he had only piece of Irvine
and a grasshopper for bait. Out of the
recesses of one Of his waistcoat pockets
Sullivan lad extracted 2 fshhook