Arizona republican., 1902-04-11
THE STORY OF JACK FERRIS
How Cripple Creek District Got its
 Name.


 was found on one of the main branches of the creek running through the dis trict.
 It was away back in the year 1871 that a lone prospector by the name of Jack Ferris unpacked his burro and pitched camp at a place now called Anaconda, right in the heart of the Cripple Creek district. Gold was known to exist there as far back as the Pika's peak excitement in 1859, but no one had ever found what was considered pay dirt Jack Ferris went there for the purpose of placer mining. but after finding so much gold bearing quartz scattered around came to the conclu- sion there must be some rich leads near by so after supplying himself with the necessary outfit he started tunnel at the west end of what is now known as Gold Hill (so named from the first gold being found on iD, and was driv- ing directly toward what is now known as the Great Anaconda vein and was closer than ten feet of the south wall of the vein when a premature eXpiO- sion crippled him for life and lost him one of the great gold mines of Cripple Creek and delayed the discovery of Cripple Creek for twenty years.
 The tunnel which. was only in about | twenty feet, is plainly in evidence to this day and is known as the first hole dug in the Cripple Creek district. Enough of the timbers are still intact l to allow man to crawl in at the open | ing and one can stand erect at the breast. The location stake was driven close to the opening and the writing on | its surface, which seems to have been done with a lead pencil. was dimly | legible two years ago. and very likely l is at the present time. At that time miners used black powder for blasting. Jack had drilled hole. put in his pow der inserted fuse and put a little | dirt on top, when locking around for the tamping stick he found it had been misplaced, so Instead he used an iron | spoon for the purpose. which many | miners often do to this day. He had run it up and down the hole but few times when it struck fire on the rock and exploded, the charge tearing of his right hand completely, binding one eye hopelessly and severely injuring the other. His right leg was broken both above and below the knee, about half his left fCot was mashed to a pulp. Jack was in q desperate condition. as
  from his nearest neighbor. It was in | September, 1211 when Amos Wright and George Malcom, two typical Colo | rado COW punchers, were hunting up a winter range for their cattle, that they came upon the abode of Jack Fer ris He was a dirty, ragged, half starved, emaciated human being. The eye he had left was sunken. his cheek bones almost protruded through the skin. an all-summer's beard covered his face, and. crawling along Qor he was not able to walk yeD it was har1 to tell at first sight whether he was man or beast.
 The expression of joy, welcome and gratitude on his forlorn countenance was q picture not soon forgotten. The only thin~ he had left in the line of i groceries was about ten pounds of flour and enough coffee for one meal His bed consisted of some pine boughs, a half-dozen old gunny sacks and T couple of old United States blankets. Luckily a small stream of water trickled down within a few feet of his bed. His own story is probably better:
 Immediately after the explosion realized what had taken place and therefore took hurried mental inven- tory of myself to see about what chance I had to remain in the land of the liv- ing I knew almost instinctively that it was desperate case and that must act at once. So within ten nlin- utes I had dragged myself out of the tunnel to my camp, not over fifty feet from the mouth of the tunnel The first thing l did was to tie a handker- chief around my wrist and one around my ankle to stop the flow of blood. then cut up one of my shirts and band aged my broken leg best I could tying four narrow strips of board around the broken places. I then made clean cut across my hand and foot picking out all the small pieces of bont I could find. I then wrapped them III in lard and poured some turpentine or them.
 My eyes came in last to be dressed and by that time I was too weak iron loss of blood to go further. l was get ting very sore by this time. so I lay down and covered up in a half faintins condition and cared but very little when I saw the sun go down that nigh whether l ever saw it raise again ol not. It was a solemn sunset for me Imagine my feeling, or guess my
 
 clear June night without a soul ts com fort me or wait on me and no prospec of any. l got very thirsty during th' night but luckily I had a bucket O water and a gallon jug of whisEe! within reach. The whskey, bottle O turpentine and a small bottle of cam phor was my complete line of medi cine. I applied externally and took in formally according to the quantity
 had of each. The next morning l fel it impossible to move, and then l be gan to think earnestly of death, bu along in the middle of the day I man aged to reach some of my canned good and crackers. They formed my entir' diet for three weeks, and such a thre weeks, It was awful The only do mcsticated living thing l saw durins that time was my burro. l saw hin probably once a week. How glad
 was to see him! His bray was as wei come as the song birds of spring. l he would have only stayed close around camp nothing l had would have beel too good for him. My eyes seemed t