Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-23

Among the many tragedies that have
Redeemed the history OF Montana the story
of how half million dollars in gold dust
and nuggets was lost in the Missouri river
thirty-six years ago is perhaps the most
wonderful. II has to do with the snufing
out of a score Of lives and the loss of a
treasure in the sombre waters of the Mis-
souri, where the eddy was crimsoned with
the life blood of the unfortunate miners,
who had won fortune and were returning to
their loved ones back in civilization.
That the precious cargo of yellow dust
is a reality there is not the slightest doubt,
but where It rests beneath the quicksands
there is but one man can tell He hopes
some day to find the sunken scow with its
glittering wealth, but the ever changing
eddies in the treacherous channel OF the
river have erased the evidences in the sand
and his chances Of again finding the spot
rests entirely on his recollection Of the
place as it was described and pointed out to
him by one now long since dead.
J. D. Emerson, of Basin, one of Mon
tana's earliest pioneers, is the only person
in the world that knows the true story of
the tragedy that cost twenty miners their
lives and their fortunes.
In 1865 party of miners started from
Virginia City for their homes in the East,
with the accumulated savings Of several
years Of hard work. OF the vast army Of
placer miners that invaded the primOrdial
wildness Of the treasure gulches of the ter
ritory, few were fortunate enough 20 find
great wealth.
This ill-fated score one day decided that
enough gold had been dug and started down
the Missouri River for home. A rude scow
was built, stauuch and rough, which was TO
take them down the river to civilization
In the bottom of the scow in water-tight
compartments lay the wealth Of each man
securely tied in sacks Of buckskin and
marked with the names of the owners.
hoor of boards hid the treasure of golden
dust aud nuggets and above this hoor we're
packed the rifles, ammunition and provis-
ions of the voyagers.
The Journey down the Missouri from Fort
Benton was fraught with thrilling adven-
ture. AS the boat was carried along farther
aud farther into the land of hostile Sioux,
travelling became so dangerous that for sew
eral hundreds Of miles, the little band con-
cealed the scow in the bushes By day and
iourneyed only by night
At last when but two days distant from
old Fl. Rice, danger was thought to have
been passed and the voyagers pushed boldly
out by day. Floating on the turbd waters
Of the river with scarcely a sound marring
the silence, the crack of a rifle on the bank
came like a thunderbolt from a sky Of blue.
Closely following the shot one Of the men
in the scow leaped to his feet, gave a sharp
gasp for breath and plunged overheard, his
lifes blood dying the dark waters Grim
son hue.
From out the bushes came a rattling FIRE
which splashed the water and bit little
pieces out Of the wood on the boat. The
current was swift at this point, and in hand
ling rifles those in the boat looked not to
the steering oar. With a Crunching sound
the scow went full upon a rock and the
rush of water through a hole in the square
prov showed that this was to be the last
stand Of the little party of fighters
The story of how the miners fought until
dusk, wounded and sorely pressed is a tale
of thrilling heroism. When their ammuni-
ton gave out the red foes on the shore were
quick to see the advantage and swan out to
finish their bloody work
In the little band of white men there was
a Frenchman who had taken unto himself
rush came and the glittering scalping knives
Redeemed in the horrid work, she begged
for the life Of her husband and it was
granted her.
The bodies of the white men were stripped
and thrown into the eddy, and after the
scow had been looted Of rifles and provi-
sions il was pushed in the swift whirling
stream and the weight Of the gold carried
it to the bottom The Indians suspected
not the existence Of the white mems wealth
and the scow with its precious load rested
upon the sandy bottom Of the Missouri
The Frenchman, whose name was Pierre
I.avalle, soon after left the Indians and en-
listed with the soldiers at Fort Rice so that
he might be near the spot where the
treasure was lost.
Some months later he confded his secret
to an old Quaker named Richard Pope, and
the old mans son. Together the three went
up the river from Fort Rice to the fatal spot
to find the sunken scow. Where the boat
had sunk a sand bar formed and they dug
beneath the gravel and found the PROV. A
barking OF an Indian dog and the zip of a
bullet warned them that the white mems
foe was on the opposite side of the river
and they at once ran through the woods A
running fight followed and Iavalle was
killed Pope aud his son reached the fort
in safety.
In 1867, two years after the loss Of the
scow, ]. d. Emerson, now the agent for the
Northern Pacific at Basin, was working for
the Northwestern Fur Company. He was
at Fl. Benton one day when he met Richard
/ Pope. The old mans son had died OF fever
and he was the sole person In the world
that knew Of the existence of the gold, The
old man was without money and wished to
get back 10 his home in Ohio. Mr.. Rmer-
son was on his way down to Omaha aud
offered the Quaker passage. On the way
down the river he told Emerson the story
Of the gold in the river A feet Of boats
were going down the river at that time, 50
| It was decided TO stop at Fort Rice and
come back alone. They started back from
the fort, distance Of 20 miles, but disaster
again befell the gold seekers When ten
miles from the place the boat sprang a leak
and before they could reach the bank il had
sunk Pope was nearly drowned and Mr..
Emerson saved him only by the greatest