Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-31
There Are Many Of Them and They
Are Coming to Stay
MOSTLY FAR-SIGHTED MEN.
How They Gather az the Hotels aud
The stories They Tell The Won-
dermi Camp Bird Mine.


who for the past 20 years have been
prominently identified with Colorado is
subject Of general remark. ut seems
Ike being in Leadville, or Cripple
Creek. or Denver" said man the 9TH
er day, when there were not less than
eight or 10 oldtlmers from Colorado In
the Office OF the Cullen hotel at the
same time.
or course, the successful mhllonalres
like Samuel Newhouse Col. $. 3D. NIL
ner and others, everybody knows. but
these others are Of the rank and file,
who while not 50 conspicuousy sue
oessfuI were nevertheless largely In
stlumental in helping to make Colorado
what she Is today A good many OF
these men were in Utah 30 years ago
and mined In various parts OF the
gtate going from here to the first eE-
element In the San Juan country IN the
southern part Of the state in the early
seventies
A significant fact ls that these men
have not come back to Utah on
yislt but they have come TO stay. They
have been pioneers IN mining camps
80 long that they have developed the
faculty for seeing what Is going 10 take
place. As a rule they are not enthu-
slasts or ephemeral IN their Views OF
things They have been prOspeCfors,
miners, foremen and superintendent OF
mines and long experience has made
them very matter f-fact. They are
also very keen about reading the signs
of the times. Just now they seem TO be
very much attracted by the mining
outlook IN Utah.
READS LIKE FICTION
Among those mentioned is John u.
Murphy OF every mining camp In Colo
RADIO, who has been everything from a
prospector TO an expert. whom large
mining companies have paid handsome
sums Of money for his examinations
and reports He mined in Bingham can
yon. Tintlc and Dry Canyon between
1873 and 1876 and therefore claims the
right to call himself Utahn. He knows
the history of many Of the leading
mines In both states and the histories OF
some OF them read like tales from the
arabian Nights
THE WONDERFUL CAMP BIRD,
The real true story Of the discov-
cry. yicisstudes and ultimate success
OF q famous mine always affords good
reading but too often the story Is coll
ored and distorted all out Of recognl-
tlun. II has been said that the truth
about good mine Is plenty good
enough without resorting 70 exaggera-
tlon.
Everybody, Of course, has read about
the Camp Bird" Thomas 4. Walsh's
famous mine near Ouray IN the Mt
Snefhes district Colorado, which after
taking several millions OF dollars out
Of. he sold a year ago last May to an
English syndicate for 5000 000 IL Is
doubtful II the true history Of this
mine has ever before been written,
Mr.. Murphy Is thoroughly familiar
with Il and has given II to the writer In
all Its details.
LOCATED BL ENGL1sHMAN.
The Camp Bird" was located In 1877
as a prospect by William Weston an
English mining engineer, who Is still
living IN Colorado and al present con-
nected with the Moffat railroad now in
course Of construction, After Mr., Wes-
ton had located the property he gave
half interest IN 1t TO the Reed
tlothers, Of whom there were
three. named Hub, Dave and
Caleb They were to do
sufficient work on 1t to obtain patent.
This they did They ran a cross cut and
cut the vein which was large and looked
promising but didn't assay sufficiently
TO prove inviting, They were looking
for silver IN those days and only had
all Nth
didn't find In paying quantities Mr.
Weston although a capable mining en-
glneer paid little attention 10 the mat
ter. Patents We're obtained and the
property was permitted to remain idle.
Being patented mine It was subject to
taxation and the owners paid the taxes
on II for several years, when becoming
tired they declined 10 pay any longer,
The mine was sold for taxes and was
bid IN BY the county commissioners
In 1895 Thomas ~ Walsh who was
leasing on property further down the
mountain side, in company with Andy
richardson visited the Camp Bird
which was situated above timber line
at an altitude Of 900 feet or more. In
looking over the dump which owing to
the many years II had been subjected
70 the elements had become oXidiZed, he
saw something which looked good 20
him. He pounded up some Of the ore
and found that II PANIED gold He
made an examination Of the drift and
samplet II, as well as the dump; had
assays made and found very rich
gold mine already partially developed.
GOT TITLE FIRST
His first move was to secure a title
/. u
the equity OF redemption from Mr. Yves
ton and The Reed brothers all OF
which cost him only few thousand
dollars
lie proceeded to develop the property
systematically and took out great
deal Of money just how much can not
even be swmised, but when 1t Is stated
that the mine during a period Of nine
months while u was under the man
agement OF John Hays Hammond for
the English company produced a round
million some idea OF lis richness may
be imagined.
LUCKY TOM WALSHs CAREER
Tom Walsh. as he was known
among his famillars has had quite a
checkcred career and Ike W. $ STRAIT
ton OF Independence, fame was in his
NNNMtNA ANNN a AhA I't|ANA.Nf ~" " u
in the BLACK Hills in the early days.
where he made his FIRST raise after
which he went TO Leadville during the
excitement In 1875 In conjunction with
Felix Leavick and jerry Daily, bee built
aha Grand Hotel on Chestnut street,
Which was the first thovoughfaro OF
that famous mining camp Thomas
-Iphef a Tennessean afterwards pur-
chased the interests OF leavick ana
Daily and the finn OF Walsh and FISH
or made lots OF money
TREATED HIS MEN WELL
Walsh did not always have plain SAIL
ine. however. hut had the ups ana
downs that usually come 20 men en-
gagged In mining ventures he was not
noor man. however when he struck
me Camp Bird" lie and his assoc
,intes had built and owned the smeiter
at sllverton In the San Juan country,
ana while not rich man. he wGs ID
Naa.HHN Cd