The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-08-15
CHAPTER *.


u Il EANWHILE, during Ray
/ NJ mond's days on the ranch,
| while the cattle were wither-
4 Z ing away on the plains and
the long trail from the south was fill
ing with grass, a most notable settle
ment had been forming like some new
kind of parasitic growth on the west
ward shoulder Of old Mogalyon, the
mighty peak to the west
! In the midst Of the mountains, in
the lap Of two smooth, grassy domes,
old Philip lie Beau established a cow
camp in the early seventies and called
it Belle Marie, after his wife. This,
however, proved to be too fanciful for
his cowboy neighbors, who promptly
called it lie Beau's Hole" and in the
end it was known among cattlemen as
Bozle Creek.
Just west of LIE Beau's camp, and
sentinel to the valley of the Loup, stood
a symmetrical peak which some mis-
sionary to the red people had called
Mount Horeb. About the year 1870
some persons not missionaries planted
gold in the soil in convenient places at
the base of this hill and raised a
mighty shout over the discovery Of a
new Ell Dorado. a rush took place, and
to the outside world the region became
known as "the Mount Horeb mining
district and was alluded to with deep
seated resentment, with curses.
But there were miners whom neither
the dogmatic opinions of geologists nor
the tricks of schemers could turn aside
from a faith that somewhere on the
mighty slopes Of Mogalyon lay veins Of
gold, and these continued to chip and to
dig aud to hammer.
Valley Springs was becoming known
as pleasant health resort, and the wa
tiers Of its springs We're being bottled
and shipped to the eastern cities. Each
year a larger number Of stricken ones
came to find respite, if not recovery, in
its gloriously bright sunlight and pure
air. For years it remained a village
and its business men merely shopkeep-
ers and resident ranch owners, but as
it's fame spread families Of wealth and
social position in the east began to set
tie along the bank of the Bear and to
build homes into which the sunlight
streamed with healing magic, and the
men of these families began to look
about for business and for investment,
and not a few Of them were in the
mood to listen when rough bearded
men began to p1od down the trail from
Bozle Creek bringing sacks of promis-
ing ore.
Returns from these samples, sent
away to be assayed. started a fight Of
golden eagles east and west. Again the
adventurous youth, the skilled pros
pector. the gambler and all the uneasy
and shifting elements that follow such
lures poured into the valley and toiled
over the trail to the grassy hills Of
BoZle.
At first. though short of breath by
reason of the altitude. two full miles
above the sea. some Of these incomers
laughed and some were angry. Gold!
In these grassy hills? Impossible"' And
they went away again with bitter
words. It was Mount Horeb repeated
on a large scale.
But the assayers. the men Of learn
ing. persisted and in their little NOR
tars brayed the ore and in tiny porta-
bic furnaces smelted for many a stur-
dy miner minute buttons Of shining
metal. The gold was there. and at
last even the most skeptical believed.
Then the inflow began in earnest.
The trail was beaten smooth by
swarming feet. It became stage
road. \ great railroad sent survey
ors toiling up each Of the deep and
winding canyons in the attempt to
reach the mighty camp whose fame
was beginning to shine throughout
the world. The beautiful grassy hills
were botched with eruptions of red
earth. Paths appeared leading from
btlrrow to burrow like runways III
town Of prairie dogs.
The main street of BoZle was 10000
feet above the sea. but at last, on the
top Of Pine mountain. vein OF ore
running 81. 600 to the tor WIS dlscov-
cred, and another town arose-full H.
060 feet above sea level-the highest
town in all America, and this became
at oacn celebrated above all others