Evening journal., 1899-08-19
VROurke'S Lucky Mule
Found Rich Mine. and Lived In
Clover Thereafter.



DILL 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 q leng 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 asfthe Kootenai country is now,
It has undergone many changes since
Sullivan and O'Rourle went prospect
ing over 1t less than 20 years ago. At
that time Chief Saltese and his Occur
d'Alene Indians did not take kindly TO
the white trespassers, and warlike
Sioux were not infrequent visitors TO
the region. Now ana then a wandering
band of Crees were encountered and
thieving Gros VeAtres stole many a
Trospectors outfit. The Indians have
giveR way TO white men not less dan
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 KnoblSnoster, NO.,
O'Rourke was brought up on a farm.
! His generous disposition gained for him
the reputation of a spendthrift. 1t was
predicted that he would never have
nothin'," and this prediction was con-
frmed when he traded valuable gold
watch for an undersized balSy mule.
Indeed, II 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
Tar west, where the reputation OF
nelther himself nor the mule was
known. Irish sensitiveness caused him
to leaye at night. 1t was a week before
the neighbophood kEew he had gone.
Years afterward, when he went bacl.
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 trav-
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 10 accom-
pany Sullivan to the Occur dAlenes
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'RourlSe at one time con
seuted, but changed his mind before
the execution took place. When they
reached WaTia Walla, all that was lef'
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 prou
sions and loaded them on his back
Then they set out for the Kootenai hills
like dog. He needed no driving OF
leading, and the patient, unobtrusiv'
manner in which he pIodded along bear
ing the beans, coffee and bacon sooI
made the men forget his former short
comings. It 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 any work
ORourke, after the first month, learned
to pass by a piece of mica without pick
ing it up and shouting that he had founC
a silver mine. The first snow of thu
year had fallen, aRd the two men were
slowly making their way out Of thu
! hills. All Of their provisions excep
salt and coffee had run ont and the,
were living on venison, coffee and salt
Lack of food and constant companion
ship made the men querulous. Ever
suggestion made by one was prompt.
, vetoed by the other. In this way eacl
began to think more of the mule. Ill
was generally only a short distanc
? away from the campfire hunting pa
2 tiently for the tufts of grass that spran.
E up between the rocks. After quarre
5 one of the men always hunted up tn
r mule and made a confdant of hin
while the other moodily stirred tn
campfire and made a mental survey o
the shortest route back TO civilization
Late in September one evening tn
men went into camp on a hillside. TIL
, mule was relieved of his pack saddl
and turned loose. There was no veni
son. Two rabbits, food which ever,
plainsman despises. were all they hal
|