The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-17

A MINE UNDER CITY
CURIOUS DISCOVERY MADE LIN.
 DER HELENA, MONT.
Resident of Helena, While Digging Well, Finds Lost Channel Branch of Last Chance
 Gulch.

&
 Philadelphia Times.
 P. A. Martin is believed to have discov- cred the lost channel of Last Chance Creek while sinking we'll at his resi- dence on Rollins Avenue in Helena. Mont. Last Chance Creek. or Gulch. was noted early-day placer diggings and pro- duced upward of $l5,000,000 in gold.
 It derived its name in a peculiar man. ner. Two prospectors having been un- successful at the scene of the first dis covery of gold in Montana, at Alder Creek, and hearing of the reported rich discoveries on Fraser River. started over land for British Columbia, there being no railroads in the Northwest at that time.
 The journey was a most difficult one the trails were indistinct, there was dan ger of Indian raids, and many lives had been sacrificed to the treacherous cur rents of Clark's Fork of the Columbia by those who sought to avoid the land route.
 Consequently when they reached a point near where the present city of Mis- soula stands they decided to return to their Eastern homes and abandon the race for gold. While thus en route to St. Paul they would test the various streams, not exactly imbued with hope. but just taking chance on getting colors.' as one of them expressed 1t.
 Considerable time, says The St. Paul Dispatch. was consumed in this manner without tangible results. At last one of them declared that progress was being impeded in this manner in an unwarrant- ed degree, and he made motion that they throw away their gold pans and make tracks," This was virtually agreed to by his partner.
 They had then reached a point a few miles below the present site of Helena. One of the men suggested and finally in- sisted that they make one more effort. After much persuasion the other consent ed, with the remark that 1t was the last chance. Trudging up the valley to a point where they dipped their pans into the sands. It was washed carefully over and, to their great delight, "coiors" or grains of gold were sesn.
 Then and there the district was named Last Chance Gulch." Today that gulch Is the main street of Montana's capital city The two prospecto-s went to Vfr- ginia City for supplies, and while they endeavored to keep their discovery se- cret, it leaked out and when they started on their return trip they were followed by other eager gold seekers. A settle the phenomenally rich strike spread like wildfire, despite the crude methods or communication in existence.
 The town grew apace until on either side of the little stream was row of frame houses. These were later destroyed by fire and were replaced by more sub stantial structures. and the town was built back from the gulch on both sides, so that from point of altitude Main Street is the lowest in the city and forms as picturesque a street as any in the world.
 A Fruitless Search.
 At a point near the present site of the postoffice in Helena it was found that the stream had branched in years gone by, and while the route of one was plain ly marked by the running water. the other disappeared from sight, and it was sup posed to como to the surface at some point In the valley below. The known stream was banned out at great profit, and then the prospectors turned their attention to a search for the other branch.
 Many thousands of dollars were spent in this manner-shafts were sunk at like ly spots: others searched the valley for the uprising of water-but all to no avail. This search was continued in an inter mittent manner for thirty years. until George W. Keeler lost his life in the at tempt by the caving fin of his prospect hole." This cast a damper upon the pro- ject although geologists and prospectors insisted that the old bed or channel ex- isted and would yield millions to the persons discovering it.
 The Rediscovery.
 Martins recent discovery, like that of the original gulch, was an accident. He recently purchased a house and lot and decided to sink a well. At depth of sixty-feet he encountered seam, which, after being penetrated five feet. devel- oped into a cavity. An old prospector who had daily watched the operation at once declared that Martin had struck the lost channel, and insisted on pan ming" some of the sand, with the result that from one pan fourteen colors' were found.
 The old-umers statement finds verifi- cation in the discovery of shells. snails and other fresh-water formation; the channel. if continued in a straight line, would encounter Main Street at point near where it was lost, as 1t runs In a northeasterly and southwesterly direc- tion.
 Again, while standing in the cavity, which he explored for a distance Of five or six feet on either side. Martin and oth- CTS plainly heard the sound or drilling; As there is no mining being conducted within several miles of Martins house, it is asserted by experts that the channel acts in a way that may be hkoned to speaking tube. by Martin, who believes that he has re- ally encountered the old bed of the creek. Should this prove to be the case, hls TOT tune will have been made, as Last Chance was one of the richest placer mining oiS- tricts known to the Northwest and, while the expense of tunnelling would be great, the gold won would still leave a hand
 May Tunnel Under City. Even today it is possible to secure the excavation work done gratis. the contrac- tor finding his reward in the gold pan ned" from the soil. The early mining was conducted in a crude and loose manner; with the result that large quantities of gold were overlooked but, Of course, the land is too valuable at present for mining purposes.
 should Martin find the project a profit ahle. one and tunnel to the supposed in- tersection with Main Street, he would be compelled to drive under the fashionable .f hn inRlnn1nR the residences of former Senator Power, Col Thomas Cruse and other million aires. At the same time 1t would be done at such depth that no damage would result to surface property.
 The discovery has created no little ex- citement in Helena, and the outcome Is awaited with much interest. not only in mining, but in commercial and financial circles. Several property owners are con. templating sinking shafts, and It would not be surprising if Helena would again achieve fame as a placer producer-a form of mining virtually abandoned in Mon-