Sunday Washington globe., 1902-05-04

Bottles OF whisky-The Horn Silver
Mine-sad Fate of Its owner, Etc.
Il is fact not generally known to the
outside world that some sixty miles
to the southeast Of Thunder Mountain, lies
one Of the richest treasure fields of the
West; field which by competent authority
has already produced SIso,ooo,ooo within
radius Of 100 miles. This is the great
mountainous country tributary to the upper
portion Of the Salmon River aud comprising
the western portions of Custer and Lemhi
counties including the old famous camps
OF Custer, Bayhorse aud Bonanza. Despite
its riches this has remained one of the most
isolated portions of the West, especially in
ie matter of transportation; land where
II e primitive stage coach and freight team
lll thrive. Yet this country has a history
5 hich, though little known, would read like
W omance if but fully written.
W. Il was in the latter seventies, or little
Fmore than a score Of years ago that men
FIRST thronged these mountains and in quest
for gold drove out the red-skinned savages
and founded settlements, though at earlier
periods there had been some placer mining,
Greek and Jordan Creek ultimately yielded
millions Of the yellow metal in the form of
placer, and old-timers still recall memories
of the immense nuggets
It was in the memorable season Of 1873
that a party of prospectors wended their
way up the Salmon River. met lone pro-
spector mounted upon a bay horse, aud
making his exit down the canyon. He in
formed them he had struck a good pros
pect above, but had been run out by In
.dians, barely escaping with his scalp. For
1t was then that the 'Sheepeater" Indians
were on the warpath, had massacred some
whites and given battle on the Big Lost
River However, the newcomers went to
the locality in question, found it cropping
with rich ore and named it "Bayhorse" in
honor of its discoverer, whose name was
mot known and who never returned.
Bayhorse had a boom and at one time
boasted Of fifteen saloons The mines
yielded millions of dollars, mostly in silver
hut passed early into the hands Of capital.
lists, who have held for raise in the white
metal.
Notable among the first discoveries of
Bayhorse was that made by Tim Cooper,
an old-umer, who one day in 1873 shot a
mountain sheep that fell dead upon the
outcropping of ledge which he sold for
$50 a suit of clothes and hve bottles Of
whisky This was the famous Rams
horn" mine, which has produced millions,
and is to-day a veritable treasury OF silver.
But meanwhile, ascending the Salmon
River some forty miles to what IS known as
the Yankee Fork, the early prospectors
found fabulous outcroppings of free gold
ores, aud founded the camps of Bonanza
and Custer The battle of the Big Horn
in Montana was then fresh in the memories
of the men, and it was in honor Of Custer,
the fallen hero that Cnster camp and after
ward Custer county was named.
The General Custer" claim, discovered
aud located in 1876 by Dodge, Baxter and
McKim, was so rich in free gold that many
thousand dollars we're obtained even by
crudest methods, and it was anally sold for
$a5o 900 to a company which has since
taken 10000, 600 from it and the adjoining
claim, known as the Lucky Boy, where rs
men work constantly and mill of rs stamps
thuuders night and day, with no prospects
OF ceasing for lack Of ore.
Above on the property of the Hartford
Mining Company is a Io-stamp mill Of 80
tons capacity, supplied constantly by
force Of some IS men at work in the old
McFadden mine on the easterly slope of
Estes Mountain. II was from this noun
tain that the ores aAame with free gold
were carried down by pack mule in the
early days. On the westerly slope is the
Montana, drst owned by Falkner, Hooper,
Cameron, Varney and Franklin, aud said to
have yielded 81 900 per foot for depth of
75 feet in the prospect shaft, with nearly
500, 600 from the first shipment Of oOtons.
But dwindling of the pay streak and differ
ences Of the partners have kept the Mon
taua idle to the present day.
Il was also in the eventful year of 1876
that William Norton, an old-dme pros
pector, made his discovery and location
known as the Charles Dickens, near which
afterward arose the boom town of Bonanza.
For years Norton had been going in debt
for grub, but from his new find he in few
days knocked out 81, 900 with hand mortar,
promptly paid his store bill of $1,000 and
gave to the merchant, Frederick Phillips,
Of Salmon City, third interest for having
befriended him. Norton was a gentleman
of the old school and went on protracted
celebrations between the successive rich
clean-nps from the aTasta on his CLAIM. He
would stake all the gamblers in a camp and
then join them at cards. He finally died
while on a protracted spree in Salt Lake
AlLyt leaving 10 pdllAEs Al AAal place a ANNl
20 his niine, which was contested until
recently, when compromise was effected.
and the famous Charles Dickens claim is
expected to again become producer.
Meanwhile the town of Bonanza IN
most part become the abandoned habitauon
of bats and owls, though once it was rife
with revelry and proud as Babylon. It had
been an aspirant for the county seat, and in
the bitterness of the contest refused 10 bury
its dead in the same graveyard as did Custer,
its neighboriug rival which in consequence
voted for Challis and in 1881, Eve years
from the date Of founding, that town became
the county seat Of the then newly organized
county Of Custer. On the hillside by Bonanza
sleeps one who was known as Lizzie King,
courtesan of rare beauty, who cast her lot
in the mining camps Of those early days and
was buried there some twenty years ago.
On, deep pathos and intermingling com
edy Of life aud death Truth is said to be
stranger than fiction. In the palmy pioneer
days there we're men who would barter their