Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-02

Deep Basin, as a community, had be-
come reconciled to Dick Baxter, but not to
the extent of asking him to participate In
the Independence day program.
There had been no celebration in Deep
Basin for five years, simply because there
had not been enough people to celebrate.
Now, half dozen of the original citizens,
who had remained after the first boom had
died, simply because they couldn't get out,
had determined upon a celebration, but had
somehow forgotten that the opportunity to
indulge In a patriotic display was due en-
tirely to Dick Baxter In fact, this second
and greater boom In the vicinity of Deep
Basin was all due to Dick.
He had wandered out from Boston with
Emory Hall, his college chum (who had
taken special course in mneralogy), a
valet and chauffeur Cboth of whom could
cook on occasion), a touring car and a
camping outfit that had made the old citi-
zens snort in derision.
Bakers father had bought the bulk of
the stock In the Lucky Stroke Mining Com
pany when the boom at Deep Basin was at
Its height. The name did not fulfill its
promises. After drawing a big salary as
superintendent, and incidentally knocking
down more money for himself than he
moter had disappeared
Hall and Baxter had been touring across
the continent, largely because the latter
was trying to shake off the lingering eff
Ieots or typhoid While crossing the plains
or eastern Colorado, Dick had recalled his
Iather unfortunate speculation, and deter
mined upon visiting the scene How they
managed 70 reach Deep Basin in the tour
ing car only the chauffeur could tell and
nus remarks, incident to the trip are prob
ABLY recorded In the Good Book along with
less strenuous language.
,,, me TWO Boston men had found a pic
mao housed the automobile, chucked their
picturesque camping outfit for shack
some burros and The typical miners grub;
and Baxter had instructed the moro n~acti-
cal Hall to investigate and ascertain inst
now badly the property had been sailed
some OF the citizens had been drafted into
uay shltt because they knew the working
or the different drifts. These individuals
were not averse to accepting the wages
but secretly they scoffed at the idea of
throwing good money after bad. Had not
some OF the best miners that ever cursed
Deep Basin worked this same mine
without result? So what could YOU expect
OF a tehderfoot who knew nothing about
mines except what he had found in books
at a college where men went apnarently
u break athletic records?
They were. therefore, not surprised when
after fortnight's work. they were all paid
and laid off, This was because they did
not know that far into the same night
Baxter and Hall pored over some dirt
which Hall was assaying in crude but
effective fashion.
The next day. with some of the precious
dirt in his grip, Emory Hall left for the
east Baxter went with him as far as the
touring car could push its way comforta
bly,. which was to the foot of the mountain
tran. where Hall changed to a sure-footed
mountain pony. Then Baxter with the
touring car, went back to the shack, and
wrote TO his sister in San Francisco. The
fral paragraph read: Under the circum-
stances. YOU needn't look for us in San
Francisco this summer. Emory will come
back after he has reorganiZed the COM
pany, and / rather think l will try my
hand as superintendent. 1t is not because
i know anything about mining. but because
i have always wanted a fling al organic
ing and running men. l will have chance
here. unless the new drift fails"
And that was how 1t happened that June
found the Deep Basin country in the throes
of a second boom. There was gold in the
Lucky Strike. Iechristened the Puritan.
The new name typihed to the old timers
the spirit OF Bakers management. They