The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-16
THAT there are many strange things
in the world Is the opinion Of

THAT there are many strange things
in the world is the opinion Of
Charles Hooker, well-known res
taurant man of Butte. who recently re-
turned from q visit to Minnesota.
Mr.. Hooker was a member Of little
party sitting around table in q cafe
the other evening. telling stories and
relating odd experiences. Some of them
were evidently fiction, but when 1t came
Mr.. Hooker's turn to speak this is the
story he told, and he vouches for its cor
rectness.
Lost river. near Windsor, Mimi. is a
lost river no longer. 1t has been found,
and the awe and mystery that has here
tofore attached to this peculiar stream
has been cleared away in part, at least.
Drops Into the Earth.
This river, about which but little is
known, except, perhaps, by persons re-
siding in the immediate vicinity, flows
along through the woods and across the
meadows near Windsor, in the northern
part of the state, taking dive into the
bowels of the earth in several places,
and then reappearing half mile or so
further on.
The Indians have long regarded the
stream as the abode of the Evil Spirit.
oAA dCSOuhI, pOSSIpiyS VI lIlG EOdI1u6 VI
the water as it plunges into the earth
at the points where it disappears from
sight, and although 1t Is filled with fish,
and noble game comes to drink of it's
waters, the red men keep alOOf.
Nothing can tempt them to venture
upon the stream, and as for shooting
deer while the animals are drinking
there-why. the most daring of the
braves in Minnesota would turn white
with fear We're such thing even sug-
gested in their hearing.
At the points where the river disap-
pears into the earth are large holes, or
chasms, into which the water rushes
with noise like thunder as it seethes
and b6ils in leaving the solid bed and
plunges into space.
Reappear Later On.
Time and time again various persons
have sent pieces of wood whirling into
the maelstrom, only to have them re-
appear later on at the points where the
stream energies from a cave in hill
side.
During the winter the surface of the
river where it flows on top of ground
freezes over. but no matter how cold the
weather or how solid the river is frozen
there is always warm water issuing from
the cave. showing that the cold does
not penetrate into the earth as far as
does the stream, and showing, also. that
inside the earth there is heat of some
kind, intense enough to warm the water
that passes near 1t.
Up to the present time no attempt had
ever been made to solve the mystery of
the strange river and it is not likely that
the attempt would have been made this
time We're not move being made to
the benefit of the settlers, whose land is
almost Invariably overlooked in the
spring, when the hole in the ground is
not large enough to accommodate all
the water which comes rushing down the
stream and which spreads all over the
adjacent country, causing much loss
every year.
Solved by a Settler.
Carl Johnson, young settler with an
investigating turn of mind, living on
the bank of Lost river, near where 1t
makes its first and greatest plunge into
the earth, is the man who has solved the
mystery Of the stream, and on the re-
port he has made the legislature will be
asked to appropriate enough money to
pay for the opening of the subterranean
passages and thus free the settlers from
the danger that constantly menaces
their little homes.
Johnson is one of the men who have
at different times sent pieces of wood
through the underground passage. At
one time, simply out of curiosity. he
tied a short piece Of line with hook
at the other end to a piece of timber,
which he cast into the torrent.
An hour or so later the timber emerged
from the cave. half a mile away, and on
the hook was a small fish,, blind and al
most white, resembling to some extent
q perch.
This capture determined Johnson to
make further Investigations. Several
weeks ago. accompanied by Alex. Peter
son. a friend, he began the work of sOlv-
Ing the mystery CT the stream.
Very Near to Death.
The most remarkable part of the whole
story is the fact that Johnson is alive
to tell the tale, for he was very near
to death several times.
johnson and Peterson first went to the
hillside, half mile below where the river
plunges into the earth. there entered the
cave and tried to work their way up
stream. They had proceeded but a few
rods when they were halted by a solid
wall Of stone and earth. through which
the water gushed like mad through the
small opening.
1t was impossible to reach this aper-
ture, however, on account of the rush
ef hot water. and they were afraid to