Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-11-23
THE LURE OF COLD
Romance and Tragedy Of the Old
Bonanza Trail.
A ROAD TO WEALTH AND CRIME
II Led TO the Richest Deposits Of Gold,
In Relatively Small Territory. Ever
Diseovered-Days Of Strenuous Life
and Frenzied LawIessness.

and Frenzied Lawiessness.
The Bonanza trail began at Fort
laramie, Wyo. II ran east OF the Owl
freck mountains. west Of the Big
Horn mountains. In northwest direc-
ton TO Livingston and Bozeman, then
forking 10 the present Helena and vir-
ginia City. In war and Indian depart
ment annals II Is known as the Boze-
man trail. Immediately. however. IL
was given the more romantic name,
and for the best Of reasons. II led to
what were the richest deposits of gold.
In relatively small territory. that the
world had ever seen.
Out Of Alder gulch and Last Chance
gulch. within 200 miles Of each other
In Montana. was taken. In ten short
years. considerably more than $780,
100000 In pure gold II was anybody's
fortune. and the wonderful luck OF the
California gold diggers few years be-
fore reused men to brave every hard
ship for these prizes.
II did not matter at oil that these
gulches were 1000 miles from the
nearest railroad and that other gold
fields were far casier 10 reach. Here
was the great III Dorado. and with
out qualm the gold seekers hurried
into the unknown territory. defylng
Red Cloud and every other Indian. out
law. renegade and holdup man.
How many lives were sacrificed along
this trail TO wealth will never he
there never was another chapter In the
worlds history like this. The long
road into the mysterious country and
the setrlements OF mining camps grew
up almost In single night. There
were only Ave men In the little party
when Bill Fairweather washed" the
first pan In Alder gulch and made dis
covery even more wonderful than any
In the palmy days of California or
even In the later era Of the klondike.
Two years later Alder gulch, at one
OF the Bonanza trails two ends. was
among the most picturesque places In
the country. The world was ransacked
for men and women TO give perform
ances at the thcaters. to offer free en-
tertalnment TO the patrons OF the varl-
Gus resorts. The gold hunters. gorged
with prosperity. wanted amusements.
Fine restaurants We're opened and food
brought In at great expense from be.
yond the seas. The smallest money
was a twenty-five cent pinch OF gold
dust. taken from pouch. II bought
less than copper cent does In any
part of the United States today.
Meantime an unendlng stream OF
people poured into the new country.
IL Is estimated by some that 10000 in
all took the trail at Fort Laramie.
The days Of the trail were those OF
frenzied lawlessness. and many are the
picturesque stories that have come
down. Over the big rond disputes
about cards were Of daily occurrence.
The man who started an argument did
so with the knowledge that II was his
life or the other mans. FOR he was call.
ing into question the 'honor' OF the
shark" Swlndlcrs sold mines
fought with their proposed victims and
killed without compuncti0n.
Armed robbers ran OF stock. stole
horses from one class Of immigrants
aud sold them 10 another. AS the
horse was the sole means of tranSpor
tation and valuable beyond human life,
"hoss stealing" was set down by the
districts" ms n crime punishable by
death. There We're few courts, aud
such us there We're We're miles from
the trail 4 Jury would hence be NJ
once impnneled among those present.
the man tried and II found guilty hang
ed To tree without ceremony.
Hotels fiourishcd and were prosper
Gus beyond imagining. for every one
spent money. and there was much
Haunting In the higher grade estab-
Iishmcnts beverages were served In cut
glass; champagne WAS common. Every
resort was crowded with people. The
newcomers frcquented these places In
quest Of information. paid - cents for
glass of beer made from barley
grown by the ex.confcderate soldiers
Mt Bozeman and sold to the Virginia
brewerics for $ ceuts pound. aud not
enough could be received a. supply the
demand Table hoard cost 81 day
for the very cheapest. and II one slept
I'm chair In the hotel lobby M night.
when the rooms were all rented. he
paid 81 10 for the privilege.
Gold was the only medium Of ex
thanec. \ pinch of ii. between the
forciingcr ard the thumb. as has been
said. counted - cents. There would
be tendency with some men 20 take
just little bit more. When that ten
dcncy was noticed In n man he was
given hours To leave town-and II was
seldom over two hours The wise man
did not stand on ceremony or protest
he "vamoosed." In camp vernacular.
The newspapers Of the city sold for
~ cents copy. red hot from the press.
AMI full Of news of lynchings. new dig
gings. 'clean ups" 'hold ups. bad
men" and gossip Of n breezy charac'
ter Ham and eggs Ia order cost $3.50.
Eggs were worth 10 cents apiece and
an ordinary meal Of deer or buffalo
meat with potatoes or coffee and