Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-18
ODD NAMES 0F MINES
Peculiar Titles Given to Some of
 the Black Hills Claims.
WHIMS OF PIONEER MINERS.
Many of the Early Prospeetors Select cd the Names of Wives or Sweet hearts, Which Stand Now as Remind CTS of Romances of Bysone Days.

cd the Names of Wives or Sweet
 hearts, Which Stand Now as Remind
 CTS of Romances of Bysone Days. Behind the names of many of the mining claims and mines of every min- ing district in the west there lies wealth of romance and history, both pathetic and ludicrous. The Black Hills furnish as many and as good ex- amples of the peculiar circumstances under which many claims are named as any locality in the country. One of the best known mines in the southern hills is the Holy Terror. Back in the early days this claim was To- cated by an old miner who had work ed some years without success. The | claim was hard one to work. When the man went home in the evening after locating his claim his wife asked him what he named it. He smiled and told her, "For you, my dear," and her further inquiry drew forth the fact that he had called it Holy Terror. An other man once named his claim Gen tie Annie for his wife, while still third perpetuated the memory of his wife, who was noted clubwoman, by naming his claim Silent Julia.
 The hills are dotted with the names of claims recalling romances of bygone days. Many q young, ambitious man came here when the mining boom of the eighties was at its height, lured with hope of a fortune, and all that re- mains to tell the tale is the name of Katie w. or Mabel E. or Lulu J. Many a sweetheart or wife in the faraway east was honored in the naming of a claim that its owner hoped would prove a bonanza. Some few made good. Wit ness the Annie Fraction and the Josie, both of which were named for the eastern wives of their owners. They are in the Bald mountain district and have produced thousands of dollars for the locators.
 In the Galena district there is a small abandoned claim known as the Widow, with which there goes a story. Years ago youth named Hanley ap- peared from somewhere with a few thousand and with zeal commenced to sink his money in hole in the ground in the hope of vast fortune. Back in the old home little widow waited in vain for the golden wealth he said was sure to come and the wedding day that would celebrate it. It took but a short time for the youths small savings to dwindle away with his in experience, and, chagrined and dis heartened, he put bullet through his brain on the site of his blasted hopes.
 One prospector who worked diligent- ly on a claim which was staked by an outsider and had difficulty in even get ting his living expenses secured his re- venge by naming his claim Old Per simmon.
 Men of patriotic turn of mind have chosen names of those famous in his tory, as Washington, Lincoln, etc. Each of the presidents has been re- membered, famous generals. all of the states, seafaring heroes and heroes of the Philippines, as Dewey and Fun ston. Indian names by the score are found as Hiawatha, Minnekahta and Nanoma. Those of sporting proclivi- ties chose race horses, as Nancy Hanks, Salvador, Maud S., Red Wilkes. Joe Patchen. Favorite authors have been remembered, as Longfellow, Burns and Dickens. One student named bis group Miltiades, Mark Anthony, Attila and Cleopatra.
 One man of pessimistic vein chose Whats Left and Some Left. The aver age business man in naming claims will choose a simple name and use series of numbers, as. for instance. Thomas No. 1, Thomas No. 2, etc. One man favored his wife by calling his claim Red Headed Woman. Two ad- joining claims are known as On Time and Late.
 An odd case was known in the name of the Hoodlebug claim. which was To- cated by a German and an Irishman and intended by the former to be called Heidelberg. When the Irishman reach ed town to record the location he had forgotten his partners selection of name and said it was something like Hoodlebug. which. for convenience, was the name recorded.
 The Prodigal Son lived up to its tame by bankrupting its locator. who returned to Iowa at the behest of the father who had put up the funds for the venture. Among the names that doubtless conceal stories never known are old whlskers, She Devil, Crack Brain and Crank.
 Some of the gulches have names that refer to incidents. Two Bit was named because a placer miner dc clared his first painful would yield about two bits. Then there are Poor Mans Gulch. Sheeptail. Blacktail. Whitehall. Crooked Arm. Poverty and Prosperity.-DeadwoOd Cor St Louis Republic.