Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-01
CAMP BoWERMAN, COL, A MINING
TOWN, SPRINGS UP.
A MINE OF FABULOUS WEALTH
Mrs. Maude knopp, Daughter of j. S.
McCIung, Who Resides North of OF
tumwa, Describes Finding of Gold
Vein and Growth of Town.

WHO'LL tue COWn was named, Is tOlu
graphically in a letter to the Courier
from Mrs. Maude Knopp, a daughter
of j. S. McClung, who resides north of
the city. Last April Bowerman started
prospecting near the present town site,
leaving his wife at Pueblo to support
herself and her babes by washing. He
soon discovered the vein of gold for
which he had been seeking and saw
himself raised in day from abject
poverty to wealth and affluence. The
news soon spread and now there is a
thriving town where a few weeks ago
there was but the tent of the now
wealthy prospector. Mrs. Knopp's
letter follows:
Mrs. Knopp's Letter.
Perhaps only very limited number
of Courier readers have experience
ed an excitement such as we are pass
ing through nova gold excitement,
known only to those who have been in
the mining districts of the west.
Early last spring man by the name
of Bowerman came from Pueblo to
prospect in this section of country
where he and his father. had prospect
ed early in the seventies. Although
they did not succeed at that time in
locating the mother vein they PANIED
several thousand dollars worth of gold.
The elder Bowerman long since pass
ed away and one of his latest requests
was that his son should return to Gun
nison county and locate the fabulous
wealth he believed to be here Leav-
ing his wife in Pueblo, where she did
washing to support herself and four
little ones, he came to the mountains
in April. Late in May he struck the
lead and at once sent for Mrs. Bower
man and the children, but kept his
rich find a secret till July -, when
Mrs. .Bowerman, after the fashion of
women, anxious to retain the worlds
famous reputation of womapkind told
Just one friend who promised not to
tell How the secret became public
will, l suppose never be known, but
known it was by hundreds of people in
less than twenty-four hours.
Search Day and Night.
Night brings no rest to the western
man in his hunt for gold, and day and
night alike the roads leading in vari
Gus directions in and out from the new
gold strike were like the country roads
leading into Ottumwa on circus days.
This was the thought which came to
| me, and it more nearly describes the
weeks which followed than any words
which am able to comm and.
People of every rank mad file Of life
were here in few days. Some had
money and some had none, but they all
came regardless of what the results
might be, for the fact that undescrib-
able wealth had been discovered caus-
ed wise men to lose their heads and
they fairly fell over each other in the
mad rush to get here and stake claims
adjoining the famous Independent.
$50 it was free for all rush and half
a. dozen parties were claiming one
small piece of ground, for men will
fight quicker for gold than anything
else. However, someone, had to give
up and it was only after, many hasty
words and in some few cases six-shoot-
ers were brought into sight, which
| caused the retreat of all but the one
who possessed the weapon. Forum
ately no shooting has occurred over
properties.
christened .Bowerman.
| On the ,twenty-third of July we
packed some few of our belongings
and moved to the scenes of the excite.
ment, which is four miles from Pitlsin
and the same distance from Waunita
Hot Springs, one of Colorados popu
lar summer resorts. That same night
a mass meeting was held and the
place christened Bowerman, the laws
which rule all new mining camps
were passed, one of witch is, four lash
es for the first theft, and hang him
| to tree until he is dead for the
| second.
We pitched our tent for ourselves
| but as it was $50 on our arrival we
4 had no time to make accommodations
/ for others that evening. However, the
following day we pitched another tent
and put out sign which read, Mug
get Hotel
A hotel which does not serve meals
is somewhat out of the ordinary, bu
such one is the Nugget hotel of Bow
erman.
At the time of our arrival there were
only few tents and one building was
in course of erection.
l I was the first women in camp eX
cepting the wife of the man who was
SO fortunate as to suddenly rise from
poverty to the estate of million
aire.
Town of Several Hundred.
But each day brought many chang
es. The camp grew, SO that by Au
gust there was a town of several hun
i bred population and houses were be
ing erected while there were score!
of tents and brush shacks not only OF
the town site, but in every gulch ant
canon for miles in every direction
Soon saloons, gambling dens ant
women of questionable characte
were located on all sides of us, which
made the nights as well as the day
not only unpleasant, but dangerou
to life. Men and even women walke'
along the street with revolvers strap
ped at their side, and no one coul'
tell when the deadly bullets would b.
flying in every direction.
The nights were made unbearabl
by the hideous drunken quarrels s
we moved out more to ourselves wher
We pitched third tent to make room
for the continued increase in business
Here we have desirable Location
among the trees where we are ava
from the noise and confusion which i
known no where to such an extent a