The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-26
THATCHER TALKS
Of OLDEN TIMES
Former Well-KnOWn Salt Laker
Tells of Early Days in
Zion.
HE KNEW BILL HICKMAN
"THE AYENGING ANGEL"
Prominent Colorado and Nevada
Mining Operator Greets
Many Old Friends.

| Mdny U1u TGltHQS.
| There was one genial man-an old~timcr
in Salt Lake, and yet a stranger In one
sense-who spent a few busy, but pleasant
| hours in the city Wednesday.
This man was George ". Thatcher,
wldely-known Colorado mining operator
now largely Interested in the Bullfrog
(Ncy) district. VINO first came to Salt
Lake in 1859 resided here until the follow
ing year, came back In 1872 for time,
and has since lived principally In Colo
| rado
Knows Old-Timers.
Having been in Utah in the carly days
and also on the Comstock in the days or
| Neyada's first great boom. there aro but
| few prominent men in this portion OF tho
! West who are not warm friends OF Mr
| Thatcher Judge Ogden Hllcs. Judge G
| Royle Senator kenrns David Keith, Col.
| Treweek w. H Dickson and Judge c. c.
| Goodwin. are among scores of others who
| Mr., Thatcher knew In the old days and
| all of the above, with the exception or
Mr. Dickson were seen by Mr.. Thatcher
during his brief stay in the city yester-
day,
Came Here in 1859
Mr. Thatcher arrived in Salt Lake
then q viIIage-in tho summer OF 1859 He
| was a member of the freighting firm OF
| Dickson Horde Co, and at once
decided To pltch his tent IN Zion. RIO aC-
cordingly opened store just south OF the
Godoe- Pitts corner and remained here un-
I'll the following spring MI Thatcher
was we'll acquainted with Bill Hickman;
the 'Avenging Angel" and his crowd and
| they were often In his place OF business.
In Close Quarters.
Upon one occasion after Tom Williams.
one OF Hlckman's men, had fallen out
with his chief and virtually aPostntized
from the church. Hickman, William ana
s
store. While there. dispute arose, ttick-
man and Hanks being against Williams.
Mr.. Thatcher soon saw from the trend OF
matters that there was abundant promise
OF q killing. In which Williams would be
the victim, and he promptly interfered,
| taking Williams TO a place OF safety and
compelling Hickman and Hanks TO leave
the store.
Dround Shot Down.
Mr.. Thatcher was also resident of
Salt Lake when mob assassinated
man named Dround, who resided upon the
site OF the old Walker house, now part
Of tho site of the great Keith-O' Brien
store.
Preceding the killing, Mr. Thatcher said.
between twenty-five and thirty men WIN WIN
UD and down Main street Ike company
OF rough riders. The crowd finally paused
before the home of Dround Mr.. Thatcher
said and fired a yolley into the house,
which caused Dround's death Tho Kill.
ing was credited 10 Hickman, who had
Knew Brigham Young.
Il knew Brigham Young quite WELL
said Mr. Thatcher In fact / rented my
store from him. | never had any trouble
with President Young and admired his ex-
ecutive ability"
Hickman-Johnson Scrap.
Referring again to Bill Hickman, Mr.
Thatcher said; II bloody nght be-
tween Hickman's men and Cub John
was q lively exchange of revolver shots
and when the casualties were summed up
II was found that Hickman, Johnson and
Johnson's brother-in-law. Luce. had been
severely. but not dangerously wounded.
Was on the Comstock.
Mr.. Thatcher remained In Salt Lake un-
I'll May, 1860, and then went to Virginia
CITY. New, where he remained for some
time Later he lived In Idaho and Colo
rado @ 10 Sinb Sa tns mse be IoT was ,s~ e
gagged in mining at Bingham. Later he
went to Colorado, which State no has
made his headquarters ever since
Called on Judge Royle.
The last call which Mr Thatcher mado
in the city preceding his departure for
whom he has known for many years. The |
families OF the two mon have been inti- |
mately acquainted for more than thirty |
years, and their meeting was most en- |
joyable one.
An Amusing Error.
1t will be noticed that the name of Mr.
Thatcher is the same as that OF the we'll
known Utah man-George W. Thatcher |
OF Logan, who passed away recently. |
When attention was directed to the fact
Mr. Thatcher laughed and said Yes |
our names are the same, and | Will never
forget the first time ever heard OF the
Utah man. II was shortly after I came
hero that / received a letter addressed to
George w. Thatcher
Opened by Mistake.
"Presuning that the letter was for mo-
1 opened It. soon that 1t was from
a young lady whom I did not know. I
made inquiry and learned that there was
another George W Thatcher In Utah
Later I met Mr.. Thatcher; we had a
laugh over the matter and wcre always
warm friends. A good man crossed tho
was called, and 1 was deeply grieved
when l learned of his death"
Rich in Promise.
Regarding the Bullfrog district, Mr.
Thatcher says IT Is one OF the greatest
mining localities on earth. Mr.. Thatcher
virtually owns all OF tho Crystal Springs
district which is virtually included In the
Bullfrog district. He has twenty promis-
,ng mii, claims claims there; which he is confident
os the pick and shovel have done theIr
portion Ion OF the work Within eighteen
this country Will eclipse anything in the
West from the standpoint OF rich produc
tion; Nevada VIII accomplish wonders
hardly dreamed OF now. and she will do !
IL within a comparatively short time
Tried to Buy Mercur.
Mr. Thatcher was last in Salt Lake IN
ISSz' When ne came here for the PURPOSE |
OF purchasing the Mcrcur mine Ho
wanted the property badly, but tho own
ers wanted S525000 for IT, which was moro
than Mr.. Thatcher was willing 70 now
and the deal fell through pay
AZ o'clock last evening Mr.. Thatchor
TOOK tho Rio Grande Western train Sor
Colorado He Will visit for ten davs IN
Aspen and VIII then go to Denver and ,
otner points before returning TO look NJ | !
ter his interests In Nevada