The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-01-08
4 MONUMENT TO MARK THE SPOT WHERE
GOLD WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN MONTANA
STORY DscovERY-How GRANVILLE STUART WAS
FORCED TO ENTER MONTANA WHILE eNoEAvoR-
ING TO RETURN THE STATES.

came with a wagon and secured the
supplies, promising Barnard he would
be far away before morning.
Indians Less Cruel.
The only way to get out of the Nor
mon country, said Meek, was to go
by way Of the Beaverhead valley in
Montana territory, to the far north
east, utterly uninhabited by anyone ex-
cept Indians. Meek had hunted and
trapped in that section and he held
forth assurances Of abundant game to
aid the party on their trip east.
The Mormons at this time were be-
ginning to show boodthirsty tend
Iencies. In southern Utah, at Mountain
Meadows, near Cedar valley, an emf
grant party Of 100 men, women and
children were massacred by Mormons,
only II children, whose ages ranged
from to s, being spared. Accord
ing to Mr. Stuart, the Mormons en-
gagged Indians to aid them in the
massacre. The redskins were not as
cruel as the Mormons and they did not
want to kill the helpless old men,
women and children, but John d. Lee
insisted on the slaughter. 1t was the
Indians refusing to kill the little chill
dren that saved the II.
Look Like Promised Land.
Crossing the lava beds of the Snake
river country, following practically the
line of what is now the route of the
Oregon Short Line railway, the Stuar.
party crossed the Rocky mountain di-
vide at point where the town of
Monda now stands. Mr.. Stuart says
the view that greeted their eyes from
the divide was like a transportation
into 'fairyland. Back of them the lava
fields formed wilderness barren of
game, grass and trees. In front there
was waving grass, trees swaying in
the wind, bands of antelope, deer
browsing on the hillside and the creeks
were fairly alive with fish and beaver
1T was beautiful picture" said Mr.
Stuart, and one that will live forever
in my memory"
Camped Near Dillon.
They pitched camp just below where
the town of Dillon Is now located
With the exception of Capt. Richard
Grant, his wife, three daughters and
two sons, who were headed for tho
Bitter Root and Flathead countries
and who had passed through a short
time before, the Stuart party were the
only whites In the region. On Christ
mas day camp was broken and the
party moved to the Big Hole river,
camping five miles below the present
town Of Merose. Their supplies ex-
hausted, and their diet, meat straight,
without salt, and water out of the
creek, Stuart felt that he would give
several fortunes for a taste of salt
They could forego bacon, coffee, sugar
and such other camp delcacies, but
they did miss salt, and the only con-
ISOLATION they could find was that the
Indians used no salt and hadn't for
hundreds of years and yet were able
to exist.
Snow Stops His Return.
The very elements seemed in league
to keep Stuart in Montana territory
to disclose it's golden riches. In March
Stuart determined to turn back, reach
Fort Bridger, 1870 miles east of Salt
Lake, and secure supplies, but when
Monida was reached the snow was
found to be so deep on the divide that
the horses mired to their necks. and
the travellers were forced to return to
the Beaverhead valley. Another at
tempt to reach the Snake river valley
over the Madison Lodge pass, due south
Of Armstead, also failed, and the horses
had to be dragged out of the snow
with ropes. The rankings of the
Stuart party next carried them down
the Deer Lodge valley to Flint creek
near where the town of Drummond is
now located. They planned to cross
the mountains to the southwark that
way; but again the fates that had
locked up the secret of Montana's
treasure vaults. served to circumvent
plans Of these pioneers.
While in the Flint creek country
signs of gold were observed and Stuart
determined upon doing some prospect
ing.
Their party. reinforced by Thomas
Adams, who had come up from the
Bitter Root country proceeded across
the low hills to near where the town Of
Pioneer Is located. and Granville Stu
art dug shallow hole in the bank of
a little stream which tumbled out of
The mountains. Stuarts only tool was
square pointed pick, the handle Of
which was broken off After hours of
aborious effort hole several feet in |
1epth was dug. The earth they
scratched out with flat sticks. For n !
gold pan Stuart used their bread pan. /
much to the disgust of Anderson, but
he latter assented as no bread had
been made for months and there was
little probability of more being made
intil the settlement was reached.
Strike II First Thina.
The first bread pan full of gravel
disclosed "colors," and the hole
cratched foot or two deeper reveal
ID still more. At a depth of four fee+