Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-04-11

Miles When he Made the Discovery-M
Miles and Daughter With the Party at thai
Time. are Excellent Marksmen FabuIou,
Wealth in Thunder Mountain. and He Know,
how to Find t.
AS Thunder Mountain is now the
point to which gold seekers are turn.
ing, the following account of the orig
inal discoverer may possess some in
terest to our readers. 1t is taken from
the Spokane Chronicle, of a late date
Mr.. Charles Peterson, who is stop
ping at the Nagle hotel, is the kind OF
an individual you would remember if
you should ever run across him. If
yon should meet him in the street you
would probably turn and look back at
him, for there is something in the eye
and features of the man that impress,
if they do not fascinate you. He has
not the "eye of the eagle, to threaten
and command" There is nothing in
it to make you suspicious OF impend.
ing danger. There is nothing about
the man to cause any one to think
that he is always ready for trouble, or
is always looking for it. His makeup
and mannerisms are in nowise those
of the desperado, and yet he would be
just the man any one would select to
stand his ground, as the saying is, and
take care of himself if any one should
tread OH him. He wears no scays and
has no notches on his pistol, If he car
ries one. He has no private grave
yard and makes no effort to recall in
conversation the most desperate man
he ever met. He has a quick eye and
a searching glance that indicate eter-
nal vigilance. His smile is bland and
maidenlike. 1t grows on you. 1t
strikes in on you. You remember the
eye and the smile.
Mr.. Peterson is about 80 and has
spent the best years of his life in the
mountains and valleys, as hunter,
guide and prospector. His career has
been an eventful one. 1t would make
book of many interesting chapters,
if one could get him to talk about it,
but there is nothing in which he
seems to take so little interest as his
past life. 1t is only now and then
that he tells an interesting story in
which he himself is a character. He
is in Spokane making his preparations
for trip into the Thunder Mountain
country and will start for the new Ell.
dorado sometime during the coming
week.
II have been through that country
and over it several times" he re.
marked to me few days ago. al
have hunted over it and prospected
through it and, on one of my trips
through that portion Of Idaho, was
the guide for General Miles, now the
commander of the United States army.
1t was while acting in the capacity of
guide for the General that became
convinced of the marvellous wealth OF
the district now known as Thunder
Mountain. At that time, in the
spring of '95, there was no section or
locality known as Thunder Mountain.
but I know just where it is and could
60 TO the fields without following any
trail or route whatever. General
Miles was accompanied by his wife
and young lady whom 1 thought at
that time to be his daughter, but oi
this l am not certain. l know that
she was q splendid shot with . rifle
and perfectly at home in the saddle.
She was the first woman l ever saw
ride astride. Mrs. Miles was also a
splendid horsewoman, and I have been
with them on hunting excursions
when the risk was great and skill AZ
we'll as nerve was required. 1t may
require some training for the cowboy
TO stay on the back Of a bucking
broncho on the prairie. But that
kind of riding is child's play when you
think of the dangers encountered in
climbing the mountain sides, in cross
ing roaring streams and leaping over
obstacles which apparently present
impossibilities. Both of the ladies
carried Winchesters of the 30.4O pat.
tern and while along the Salmon river
and the Lolo trail they killed quite q
number of deer and several bear.
II met them by previous engagement
at Missoula, Montana. They came di.
rect from Chicago and all arrange
ments for the trip had been made be-
fore their arrival. An officer was
there from some military post, with
carte blanche to make all necessary
purchases and he seemed TO know his
business, for he secured everything
necessary to make the trip enjoyable
and at the same time successful
Miles wanted to make q tour of oh.
servation and the ladies with him
wanted to get out OF it all the enjoy
ment possible. They certainly sue
ceeded in having time they will lonp
remember. I was not only guide, bul
chief cook as we'll, although the ladies
insisted on doing their share OF thi.
work. Our outfit was carried entirely
on pack horses and We would camr