Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-11-27
ODD NAMES OF MINES
Peculiar Titles Given to Some of
the Black Hills Claims.
WHIMS OF PIONEER MINERS.

Many of the Early Prospeetors Select
ed the Names of Wives or Sweet
hearts, Which Stand Now as Remind
ers of Romanees of 8ygone 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 10
Gated 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 clrim Cen
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 young. ambitious man
came here when the mining boom Of
| the eighties was at its height. lured
with hope Of fortune. and all that re-
oil I'll
Katie w. or Mabel L. or Lulu ]. Many
n sweetheart or wife in the PARKWAY
/ east was hOnored in the naming Of 4
claim that its owner hoped would prove
Il bonanza. Some few made good. Wit
ness the Annie Fraction aud 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 q
small abandoned claim known as tbs
1 Widow, with which there goes a story
Years ago youth named Hanley ap
peared from somewhere with 4 few
thousand and with zeal commenced t,
sink his money I'm Il hole in the grOun,
in the hope Of n vast fortune. Bacl
in the old home little widow waite,
in vain for the golden wealth he sal,
was sure TO come and the weddin
day that would celebrate it. IL too
but Il short time for the youths smal
savings 10 dwindle away with his IL
! experience, and, chagrined and dis
heartened. he put bullet through hi
brain on the site of his blasted hopes.
> One prOSpector who worked diligen
7 " on 4 claim which was staked by n
I outsider and had difficulty in even ge
ting his living expenses secured his T,
d venge by naming his claim Old Pc
8 simmon.
$ Men OF patriotic turn Of mind hay
chosen names Of those famous in hi
{ tory, as Washington, Lincoln. ct
Each OF the presidents has been r
membered, famous generals. all Of Il
states, seafaring heroes and heroes
the Philippines. as Dewey and Ful
ston. Indian names by the score a.
found, as Hiawatha, Minnekahta al
Nanoma. Those OF sporting procliy
ties chose race horses, Us Nancy Hank
Salvador. Maud S. Red Wilkes, J,
! Patchen. Favorite authors have bee
4 remembered. as LongfeNow. Burns NJ
u Dickens. One student named b
II group Miltiades. Mark Anthony Atti
y and Cleopatra.
- One man OF a pessimistic vein cho
" What's Left and Some Left. The ave
: age business man in naming CLAIM
y Will choose 4 simple name and use
series OF numbers, as, for instanC
j Thomas No. !, Thomas No. .. etc OF
!! man favored his wife by calling /
= claim Red Headed Woman. Two 4
II Joining claims are known as on Tir
% and Late.
. An odd case was known in the naT
~ Of the Hoodlebug claim, which was
Gated by German and an Irishm:
y and intended by the former TO be call
&c Heidelberg. When the Irishman reac
ed town 10 record the location he b.
= forgotten his partners selection Of
!, name and said it was something II
u Hoodlebug. which, for convenien,
" was the name recorded.
i The Prodigal Son lived up 10
y name by bankrupting its locator. W
- returned 10 Iowa at the beheSt Of t
~ father who had put up the funds I
- the venture. Among the names ID
~ doubtless conceal stories never know
= are Old Whiskers. She Devil. era
< Brain aud Crank
ie Some Of the guIches have nam
- that refer TO incidents. Two Bit W
ie named because a placer miner {
clared his first painful would vie
~ about two bits. Then there are 20
Mans Gulch, Sheeptan, Blackta
> Whitehall. Crooked Arm. Poverty a.
sperity.-Deadwood Cor St LOT
Z Republic.
II A School Coinage.
n IL is not generally known fact III