Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-08
GOLD Dusr IN OLD BOOTS.
How a Montana Merchant Got His
Treasure Through to the East.
From the Anaconda Standard.

From the Anaconda Standard
Henry Filing came 10 Montana In the
early sixties Then greenhacks were prac-
tlcaiy unknown In Virginia City. Gold dust
was the circulating medium and Ayery
counter and bar was equipped with gold
scales. and instead Of being dollars and
cents. the reckoning medium was ounces
and peunyweights. Every miner had his
buekskin pouch instead of q pocketbook.
ana generally this pouch had several ounces
of gold dust in IL. for those were the days
of plenty in Alder Gulch and all other Pafes
of the territory which is now known as
Montana.
When his stock of goods was sold out
Air Filling decided that Ii would be a good
investment If he should make a trip over
iind - the states, purchase new stock
OF goods and continue in the clothing bus
! ness. He had about $1,000 in the best of
Soid dust TO his credit IN the banks then
established In Virginia City and a question
"hicn bothered him sorely was how TO
get TINS money to civilization without los
/ ing IT. Tor road agents often disputed tie
| right OF way with tho stage coaches. and
they levied frequent tributes on the passen-
gers, sometimes stripping them 10 the hide
Wells. Fargo K Co. made a practice Of
shipping gold dust east for the min.l s.
but this WAS expensive. the ratio for In
surance being sometimes as high as 10 r~r
cent on the amount carried. This meant
n great deal OF money to a man. even IN
those days, and Mr.. Filing thought g
could find way TO get his money to
Omaha which would beat that scheme all
hollow.
After considering the matter in its dr.
ferent phases he finally expressed the
money 10 his order as far as Salt
Lake city. taking passage the same
coach. To Salt Lake City the express rate
was not so high. and practically the danger
zone of road agents passed after this
point was reached. the Portland canyon
! "a Il Won T.a..n..
ton along the BeaVerhead valley between
the Pete DAILY ranch and Williams juno
/ ton. in what is now Montana, being the
most dangerous
Mr.. Filing and his gold dust arrived in
SAT- Lake City without Incident. For some
reason the road agents had not learned that
the coach carried great amount of treas
ure. and no attempt at a hola-up was made
though more than one of the passengers
breathed hard aud had his heart In his
mouth when some unexuected stop was
made during the dark hours OF the night
Tor the coach Travelled night and day and
as fast as four or six horses could bowl
It along, and it made an average speed of
about ten miles al hour.
After a days rest in Salt Lake City the
journey was resumed. Mr.. Filing had ~
ready secured his gold dust. and as it was
strictly against the rules OF the company 10.
carry gold In the baggage. he was In a
quandary for a while as to the manner in
which he could get that gold to Omaha.
Inc express company knew he had the
dust and knew he going on to Omaha.
SO they were watching him. The morning
the coach was hitched uo and drove around
TO the hotel after him he wandered into
the back yard of the hote! and spied pair
of boots not too badly worn. which some
one had discarded.
These gave him idea. His gold dust
was In two packages. and. securing a stout
buckskin string, he tied the two boots to-
gether by their ears and putting par; Of
the god into either bootleg he threw them
into the bottom of the coach with the re-
mark that his boots hurt him and that he
was taking the old ones along so that he
could change if his feet got to hurting him
too badly.
Nobody had a suspicion that there was
sloSot In those old boots. and Mr. Filing
kept them under his feet night and dav
| until he reached Omaha. When coaches
were changed he generally carried the boo;s
across his arm, and retiring 10 some con-
venient room would actually change his
boots. IN this manner actually hoodWiuk-
ing the express messengers. the driver and
every one else as to the amount of money
he was carrying with him. and he got a
great deal of sympathy from the rest of tie
passengers on account of the pain he was
suffering from his tender feet