The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1900-03-15
About the Coded Strip.

- FNSo toO u Eudl0 az oWAAu O1A
rent. The snow was very deep and soft
and a man without snowshoes was out of
luck. A man who did not have them,
or was horse back, did not take much of
a share in the proceedings. Sooners
with nov shoes were getting here and
there in plain sight, and the guard (0
did not cut any figure with them. The
colored boys would call out Come here,
white man, come here we want to tell
you something. the only answer would
be cha, ha,' and the locating went on. The
soldiers would wade into the snow to
their arm pits, and founder back again.
They had no orders to shoot, though no
doubt, some them felt like doing so.
They were joshed plenty. The Strip
could not have been opened at a mo Q
satisfactory season for sooners. Men
who knew the mountains were prepared,
those who came from a distance stood
and looked on in nearly every case.
After all danger of snow slides was pas
sed, and the now nearly all gone, then
they commenced to nose around and look
for something to Jump.
After all the men who frs, located the
claims, and who are called "~soonels" can
hardly be blamed for their course. They
had, at the risk Of their lives, with what
they could pack on their backs Journey
ed through these mountains, seeking for
wealth. They had found it, ard as the
time shortened which was to open the
strip, the fear that they might lose what
they had found, and which was consider
ed as their own, grew upon them, and
made them desperate. Theyeven slept on
their claims for several nights before the
opening. OFT times they were above
timber line, and snow so feet deep, and
softening every day. Any nj who has
ever seen a snow slide, or even read of
one a appreciate the situation. Be
sides nearly every day it showed and
"blowed" as it does in no other country.
From reports Klondike is not in it when
it comes to wind storms, with this ran ge
of mountains. A man caught in one of
these storms must have perfect control
of himself. He must know his ground
thoroughly, he must know ever every
inch Of the way, he must be perfectly
acquainted with every peak. ridge and
gulch, for their are no trails; he is above
the clouds in a whirl;ng mass of sticky
snow, the wind is coming from all direc-
tons, and it is with great difficulty that
! one can stand; he must feel, rather than
! see his way. What show then did any
one, but these hardy mo%untaineers stand
when it came to locating quartz leads in
these mountains? For those unaccus
toned to mountain climbing. will find it
no picnic even in summer. 1t is Just
such adventurous spirits as I write OF
who have opened up every new country.
The weak and timid have no place in
such undertakings, and those who-pre-
pare the way, and take the ris6s should
reap the reward.
There is another story Of a man who
resided in the St. Mary's District. He
had, according to report, sold his one
half interest in each and every location
ne would make for a term OF z years.
He had made this same deal with two
different parties, was looking for enc
third, and no doubt found him. This
man entered into another agreement
with 4 or 5 other men whereby he would
show them, for q one fifth interest in
each claim located, a lead which had
shown an assay OF 81 per cent copper.
The party to whom he would show the
lead, was to do the locating, and it was
understood that the name Of the ''party
OF the first part" was not to appear. Or
the day the strip opened 4 or 5 mer
could be seen hanging around this party
and each one appeared to be on Tx
anxious seat; each watched the other
and the first party watched them all
Every little while one of the 4 or 5 woulc
skin around the corner Of the house witt
the mining operator, and would endea
vor t%o'explain to him the necessity o
making a break. Say lets get a NOV,
on us, and strike out for that lead" eacl
one took his urn around the corner, ant
the whole of that day passed, ant
another. without any movement. Final
ly, the green goods man told his "com
on's" that it was now to late. "ever
thing is located" Nothing was said
b,,t zach IF +La 4 or K falt that too n,rcl