The sun., 1907-08-25
GOLD CAMPS LIVELY HISTORY
LUCK AND HIGH ROLLING AT
MARYSVILLE, mon. .



Tho Camp Ready TO Bet an Any
Proposition 500, ,OOO, 900 worth Of
4. Gold From the Hills Around the Town.
HELENA, Mon, Aug. 22.-It is probable
that no mining camp has had a more varied
history than Marysville, Mon, situated at
tl-S very summit Of the Rocky Mountains, In
L.pwis and Clark county, twenty miles
northwest from Helena. From the hill
surrounding the town there has been won
upward OF ssO, 900 900 In gold. Then the
gold seemed to run out and the camp de-
clined, only to revive again upon new dis
coveries Of ore. This revival was perhaps
unprecedented in the history Of the country,
kor II has been the experience OF gold camps
that once worked out there has been no
reawakening.
Marysville was responsible for the wealth
~ not few men in Helena, Boston. New
York and London. To reach il transcon-
tinental railroad systems waged a lively
war. 1t has been the scene OF more high
rolling in proportion to its population than
any other camp in the Northwest. 1t was
a town where union wages were paid but
no labor organization recognized
Within n stones throw of the limits the
worlds largest gold bar was taken. Its
chief mine. the Drum Lummon, had a sump-
tuously flashed and furnished underground
pumping station. It's mines have been the
cause OF the most long drawn out suit on
record in Montana.
Marysville is situated at the head OF
Trinity gulch, at the foot OF which was
located Silver City, a noted early day camp.
Thomas Cruise was among the many pros
v,>ct,ra in and paar Silver Cifv
While walking in the gulch near its head
hs noticed peculiarly shaped boulder and
picked 1t up. SO great was its weight that
he suspected it was mineralized, and break
ing It open virgin gold was visible.
Cruse's experience told him that because
OF it's weight the boulder had travelled no
great distance and he Immediately began
to search for the ledge whence it came,
well knowing that it meant great mine.
Cruise was poor, and while pr rosecuting this
prospecting work all was outgo and no in
come. He soon went broke.
Credit was extended him readily at first.
Thus he was enabled TO prosecute his work
for some months. Finally the merchants
began to clamor for the payment OF their
bills and Cruise was unable TO pay them. 1t
came to such pass that credit was refused
him in practically every store in Helena
and Silver City and he was about to give up
when his pick discovered the vein. exposing
ore bodies which afterward proved the
richest in the history Of Montana.
Cruise treated his ores at the ten stamp
mill OF William Mayer, and so rich were
they that the fame OF the property, which
had been named the Drum Lummon, soon
spread. After extracting fortune from
the mine he sold 1t to the Rothschilds and
other English investors for 81 500 900.
IL was about this time that Nate Vestal,
operating the. Penobscot mine. also en-
countered the best Of luck and after a clean
up brought TO Helena a gold bar valued at
approximately S5O,OOO said be the largest
in the history of the world. Then the
fame of Marysville was established. Mr..
Cruise, named the town Marysville in
honor Of Mrs. Mary Ralston, the wife OF
pioneer.
Other mines were located on practically
every hill surrounding the town Among
the chief producers OF the district, in ad-
ditioA to the Drum Lummon, were the fol-
LOWING: Gloster, s5,O0O,0OO; Bald Butte,
s3,OOO,OOO; Empire, s3,OOO,OOO; Penobscot,
$4,000 Jay Gould, 5000 OoO Belmont,
s5.O0O.OOO; Bald Mountain, 81 500 900; Hub
bard 81 0OO, 900; Bell Boy, $500, 600; st. Louis,
t50O, ,OO0; Blue Bird, $5O0,0OO; North Star,
$500 The output OF the Drum Lum-
mon was estimated at 27,5Oe00o.
In Connection with the sale of the Drum
Lumpacn to the London syndicate, or
Montana Company, Limited, as it was
called, this story is told. Mr.. Cruise was
uneducated at the time he found the Drum
Lummon vein. The deed, prepared in
London. was read to him by solicitors.
IL contained a great many -whereases"
and ~therefores,' and during the reading
MIR. Cruise asked:
What do thin wheresses and therefore,
oil mane?"
Nothing" responded the lawyers.
Thin, cut 'em out; I'll not sign until ye
do"
Thev we're eradicated. Mr.. Cruise ac-
quired an education after ne secured his
rches. At the time of the transfer OF the
property though. he signed the deed with
an *" mark.
The fame Of the camp soon attracted
the attention Of the railroads Marysville
is situated about half way between Silver
on the Great Northern and Clough Junction
on the Northern Pacific. Both companies
were anxious to secure the trade of this
promising centre and one OF the liveliest
railroad struggles in the history Of the
Northwest was Witnessed
Each company worked every available
man in order to reach Marysville first,
and the Northern Pacific won, securing the
only entrance to the place. The Great
Northern grade was completed 10 the head
of the gulch. and in sight Of the town. when
II had to be abandoned. The Great North
ern grade made a splendid wagon road TO
Silver CITY. which il used to this day. while
the Northern Pacific handles the traffic
OF the camp.
Ihe Drum LummOn mime was operated
at a profit for years and the English COM
pany rePained its investment many times
over, and yet it is probably true that there
never - more extravagantly managed
properly. But for its extreme richness.
disaster must have resulted.
The English aristocracy supplied the
chief stockholders in the Montana company.
Titled men sent their SONS and nephews
20 Marysville to become experts and en-
gineers and they received fancy salaries.
despite their ignorance Of practical mining.
1t Is related that at times there were more
men in the Offices of the company than in
the miis itself.
So long az the mine yielded so hand
somely the stockholders apparently cared
nothing for expense. At any rate. the
homes of the officials were luxuriously fur
pished; electric lights, hot and cold water.
steam radiators. expensive furniture, inn
ported soaps paintings. and all available
convenicences were enjoyed at company
expense.
At the 400 foot level Of the Drum Lum-
mon two pumping stations were installed.
They were in the form of Gothic chapels
and finished in California redwood. One
of these stations was about 30 by 90 feet.
and here, in honor OF titled stockholders
who had come over TO make an inspection
OF the property. champagne banquet
was served.
IL was in the Drum Lummon and its
forty-five miles OF underground workings
that Henry Bratnober made his reputation