The Delta independent., 1916-02-11
LOOKS ON ROCKY MOUNTAINS
FOR HIS LAST TIME

bOn TIt0 6OSs s'"e
After working in the Rocky noun
tain ranges of the San Juan district
for over a quarter of century, hoping
every moment of the time to uncover
the riches he sought, John Irwin Mar
tin, now in his seventy-fourth year.
and unable to seek further, has given
up in despair and returned to his old
home in Clarksburg, Virginia, where
he will spend the rest of his days with
brothers and sisters. Mr. Martin was
a resident of this city for several years
and is well and favorably known, and
all will be interested in the following
story which appeared in Denver Times
last Saturday evening and accompanied
a perfect picture of the aged miner:
well. I'm going back home to West
Virginia to spend the balance of my
days with the folks. Don't expect I'll
get over missing Colorado-the noun
tains do get feller-but they want
me to go back and can't work on the
claim any longer, so ! guess ! better
go.1
Irwin Martin, thirty-eight years a
prospector in Ouray, looked thought
fully over his gold-rimmed spectacles.
set at a convenient angle half way
down his nose. He came to Denver a
few days ago to get his ticket and
make arrangements for the trip to
Clarksburg. where four brothers and
two sisters are waiting his home-com-
ing. They are the owners Of valuable
coal lands and oil wells.
You see, l left home years ago like
many another man. thinking l would
get rich out here in the West" the
prospector said. Il sort of Just drop
ped out of sight, didn't write back
home for eight years. not even to
mother. Finally ! got sick and a part
ner asked me about the home folks.
He was a good man and talked me in
to writing.
Father was Ill then-died soon af-
ter-and he thought that letter was
something they had fixed 10 make him
happy. He died thinking ! was dead;
cut me out of the will. but never said
a thing about II. Afterward | found
] had two brothers living in Montana
didn't know a thing about that
Well. mother kept on writing. and
so did the rest. and began to think
would like to see them all again. So
! went home eight years ago for a
visit. l never saw such n change!
They told me that this was that one
and this was another OF the family.
but Il didn't seem as II II could be true.
] stayed quite n while: they wanted
me to stay all the time. but told
them would rather be hung in Colo
RADIO than to die n natural death in
West Virginia.
They are pretty well fixed back
there-most OF them have struck coal
or oil since ! had been away. My
brother has a number OF acres OF coal
land. my youngest sister has five oil
wells. and they are doing fine. They
said II was shame for me to come
back here. but I couldn't stay there.
Why. ouray is the prettiest place on
earth and l missed the hills.
Now that my hands are all crippled
because Of the swinging OF the pick
and cannot work. they want me back.
I am "a years old; guess won't be
able to work any more. had better
co. but | hate to leave
Lots of the boys up in Ouray have
gone-the miners consumption took
'em off. am the only one of the old
crowd left and IL is pretty lonesome
he said with far.away look.
q meant to get out today. but some
of my old pals wanted me to stay an.
other day. hated to leave them. too.
Ir