Arizona republican., 1901-06-09

near there and showed him some gold they had washed out The news took Wickenburg by storm, for the Gro Grande had not yet been located. MT. Chase and Jack Swilling immedi- ately organized a company of prospec- tors to go in search of the golden sands, the soldiers. having moved on. There were about forty-five in the party and among them were Mir. Montgomery, Old Arastra Johnson and man named Me- Cannon, Bill Reed and Grant H. Oury, afterward delegate to congress from this territory The country was full of Indians, which made prospecting q risky business except wher carried on by large partien The company trav- eled with a wagon train carrying plen- ty of supplies.
 In due course of time the party arr rived on the upper Gila, near the mouth Of what is now known as Chase's creek. Off to the right of the camp were some red hills. Mir. Montgomery had noted them particularly and thought they looked like a good mineral country. It was his place to stand guard the next forenoon. MT. Chase and a number of others pushed on up the creek early in the morning, and others nallied out in other directions. As soon as MT. Mont gomery was relieved from guard duty he took his Henry rifle and started out toward the red hills Before night he had found good gold and copper indi- cations and staked off a claim each for himself, Bill Reed and one other mem ber of the party. That location he says is now the big Clifton mine.
 They returned to camp excited over their discovery and the next day the whole party moved down there and began prospecting for gold. They could find a few colors in the sand be- low the red hills but that was all, and they gave up the search for rich plac- CT lind as a wild goose chase. One in- cident he remembers. however, is that the water below tho red hills was freely drunk by members of the party and it made the most of them sick. They did not know at the time, though, that it was water fcom one of the biggest cop- per deposits In the world
 Part of the prospectors went from there tO Pinos Alto.,, ". M.. and the re:t of them continued on southeast juot over the line into New Mexico and down on the rive.' Membres toward San Jose, which was then the biggest and about the only copper mine worked in the southwest. From San Jose the par ty went to Tucson. got fresh supplies and then returned to Wickenburg. But 1t was while passing down the Mem bres that the snake incident occurred
 The valley of that stream was cov- cred with grass almost as tall as a mans head. Shortly before reaching San Jose the lead wagon stopped, the horses rearing back on their haunches and nnorting with fright A most dreadful odor swept back over the car- avan The sturdy pioneers knew what | that meant They were familiar with the delicate perfume of the rattlesnake which has never been mistaken for the altar of roses. They not only appre- c'ated the presence of the biggest od0r they had ever met with, but looking ahead about fifty yards they saw the biggest rattlesnake that ever came over the pike, Just how long it was nobody was ever able to find out but his body as 1t lay across the road in the dust looked as big as a telephone pole The horses baked and no amount of flashing woul1 bring them nearer to the snake Mr. Montgomery unhitched one team ard mounting che of the horses took hi1 rife and tried 10 ride out in the grass t0 get a shot at it's head Il would have been folly to shoot il through the body. as it would only an ger and not kill the reptile. But the horse would rot budge an incl from the road.
 There was nothing for the prospec. ! tc-s to do but just git around anC | smoke and wait for the snake to move on. When 1t finally discovered the gar. avan it was about as badly frightened