The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-06-07


on the river, when at evening, just as
/ was beginning to scan the shore for
favorable spot for spending the night,
the whistle of little steamboat COM
ing down the river gave me a happy
surprise. The tramp steamer was max
ing its first return trip, and for con-
sideration picked me up and conveyed
me to my destination, where my men
on the scow awaited me.
"a few miles further up the river
from this point stopped to wash some
pans of gravel from certain benches on
the rivers shores. where prospectors
have worked by hand during the last
twenty years, earning from So to $40
a day. On these benches, which are
about six feet above the water, the
seam Of gravel is about two feet deep,
and extends back, to my certain knowl.
edge, distance of 1000 feet, all Of
which is gold bearing. | knew that
my little equipment of machinery could
secure the gold from these benches
where there was no current of water
to interfere.
"These benches were about ten miles
further up the river. The season at
this time was well along, and as it was
imperative for me to return to White
Horse at that time, l left instructions
for the men to continue as rapidly as
possible with the scow and machinery
to the benches. Upon arriving there
they could stake out claims upon this
property for me, and then make thor
ough demonstration of what my ma
chinery was able to do in securing
the gold.
The nearest recording Office for
claims is Livingstone Creek, Il little
mining settlement over the mountain,
distance of about eighteen miles from
my property. 1t was understood that
upon my return trip from White Horse
l would reach Livingstone Creek on
Il certain day, and that two of the men
should meet me there for the purpose
of recording the claims they had
staked. They arrived at the property
and l arrived at White Horse on sched-
ule time.
'In returning / went by steamer, of
course, TO the mouth of the Hootalin-
qua River. On leaving the steamer
started upon my tramp of sixty miles
afoot, with a distance of twenty-five
miles to make that day. l arrived at
the seventeen-mile point at 1915 a. m,
which was fairly good speed. l then
began to feel symptoms of rheumatism
or strained muscles in my knees and
hips. At this point l also confronted
bear, and, after yelling and shooting
at him, as he did not run, tried to.
my rheumatism, probably caused
rapidly worse, and it was only by the
utmost exertion, and with every step
accompanied with the severest pain,
that l succeeded in reaching the little
cabin at Mason's Landing that night.
OF course, l was not able to pursue
my journey on the following day. For
tunately, however, there was man
there who was going to Livingstone
Creek that day, and he carried letter
from me to my son.
"As good fortune would have it, the
same little steamer that had picked
me up on the river before was making
its second trip down, and stopped at
this landing late that very afternoon.
1t took me about one minute to strike
bargain with the captain, and within
fifteen minutes l was on board, going
up the river to my scow.
when the two men at Livingstone
Creek received my note announcing
that l was sick abed with rheumatism,
they walked over to Mason's Landing
the next day, only to learn that had
gone back to the scow on the steamer.
The following day they attempted to
save one days time by cutting across
lots through the woods, which proved
to be cold and rainy day, and before
reaching their destination night over
took them. They were compelled to
stand around a campfire all night, and
reached the scow about II o'clock the
next morning. They stood the ex-
posure Of their trip better than l stood
mine, and all went to work again with
a Zest.
GAS cold weather was setting in, and
as my muscular aches and pains were
continuing, l was anxious to return at
the earliest opportunity. 1 therefore
remained only long enough to demon.
strate positively that the machinery
was able to do the work at that point.
The demonstration was what wanted.
In my presence the machinery worked
satisfactorily. We secured at the rate
of one ton of the black sand from every
125 cubic yards of gravel that we
washed through the sluice boxes.
81 had the remainder of the men
stake out claims for me, and on the
morning that l started to float down
the river on a raft in coming out these
other men started for Livingstone
Creek on foot to record these additional
claims. l left instructions for them
to work until September %, and to ac.
cumuate as much of the black sand
containing the gold as possible during
that time"
But Mr.. Vrooman, as has been said,
is not altogether wrapped up in the
hunt for gold. Surrounded by his